Another of the 'Band of Brothers' is gone

[PegLeg45]

Edward James 'Babe' Heffron, 90, one of the 'Band of Brothers'

BABE HEFFRON never wanted the limelight. But he got it anyway.

People would show up at his door in South Philadelphia just to meet a genuine war hero.

"He was always gracious," said his son-in-law, Edward Zavrel. "Especially with kids. He would tell them about America."

Babe was a member of the legendary World War II "Band of Brothers," the Army paratroopers extolled in the 1992 Stephen Ambrose book Band of Brothers, and in an HBO miniseries of the same name, in which Babe was played by Scottish actor Robin Laing.

He also was the co-author of the 2007 book Brothers in Battle, Best of Friends: Two WWII Paratroopers From the Original Band of Brothers Tell Their Story, written with Army comrade William J. "Wild Bill" Guarnere - also a South Philadelphian - and journalist Robyn Post.

Edward James "Babe" Heffron died Sunday. He was 90.

"He was a very private person," said his son-in-law. "He liked to keep things quiet."

He especially did not want to upset his beloved daughter, Patricia Zavrel, and managed to avoid telling her about his war experiences before the book came out.

"She would say, 'Dad fought in the war,' " and that's all she knew before the book," said Ed Zavrel, Patricia's husband.

If he'd had his way, that's all she would have known about the war.

"Babe was always concerned about other people," Ed said. "He didn't want a big funeral because he didn't want to ruin people's Christmas.

"He was proud of his service, but he felt that he just did what he had to do. If he talked about the war, he would tell humorous stories, about making jokes and singing."

Babe, who stood 5 feet 4 1/2 inches, was a private in Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, from 1942 to 1945.

Easy Company - the "Band of Brothers" - fought in several major battles in the European Theater, beginning with the Normandy invasion. Easy Company also participated in Operation Market Garden in the Netherlands - made famous by the book A Bridge Too Far, which was also made into an epic film, and the Battle of the Bulge in Bastogne, Belgium. Both were desperate and critical engagements.

At the Bulge, he was a machine gunner and awarded the Bronze Star for valor.

---------------------------
Read more at:
http://www.philly.com/philly/obituaries/20131203_Edward_James__quot_Babe_quot__Heffron__90__one_of_the__quot_Band_of_Brothers_quot__in_World_War_II.html

[billt]

They said WW II vets are dying off at the rate of close to 1,000 per day, as most all of these guys approach the twilight of their lives. Sadly, they won't be around much longer.