15 Facts About Edward Heffron

Edward James "Babe" Heffron was a private with E Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, in the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army during World War II.

In 2007, Edward Heffron wrote Brothers in Battle, Best of Friends: Two WWII Paratroopers from the Original Band of Brothers Tell Their Story with fellow veteran William "Wild Bill" Guarnere and journalist Robyn Post.

Edward James Heffron was born in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1923, the third of five children to Joseph and Anne.

Edward Heffron attended South Philadelphia High School, but had to drop out to earn money during the Great Depression.

Edward Heffron went to work at New York Shipbuilding in Camden, New Jersey, sandblasting cruisers in preparation for converting them to light aircraft carriers.

Edward Heffron helped to liberate the Kaufering concentration camp in Landsberg, Germany, and to seize Hitler's Eagle's Nest.

On 1 January 1945, Edward Heffron was in his foxhole manning his machine gun when he heard Sergeant Johnny Martin cry out that Julian had been hit.

Edward Heffron left his position and attempted to get to Julian, but enemy fire prevented any approach.

Edward Heffron's brothers worked at Publicker's Snyder Avenue plant, in South Philadelphia.

Edward Heffron did not move with the company, and spent the next 27 years working on the Philadelphia waterfront, checking cargo and clerking.

Edward Heffron appears as himself at the end of episode ten, speaking about the company, and makes a brief cameo appearance in the fourth episode, as an unidentified man sitting at a table in Eindhoven and waving a small flag as Sgt.

Edward Heffron maintained he always hated New Year's Day, with its reminder of Julian's death; he felt a similar dislike concerning Christmas Day, with its reminder of his experiences in Bastogne.

Toward the end of his life, Edward Heffron expressed concern that he was dying so close to Christmas because he did not want to spoil the holiday for his friends and family.

Edward Heffron died on 1 December 2013 at Kennedy Hospital in Stratford, New Jersey; he was survived by his wife Dolores and daughter Patricia.

On 17 September 2015, the 71st anniversary of Operation Market Garden, a statue of Edward Heffron's likeness was unveiled in his old neighborhood in South Philadelphia.