my favourite thing about when bill and babe first meet is at first babe is ready to FIGHT but then bill is just like ‘bro ur the biggest philly turnip i have ever seen sit ur ass down’ and babe goes from ENCOUNTER ME IN THE TRENCH to I HAVE FOUND MY PLATONIC LIFE PARTNER real quick
That’s beautiful
Tag: heffron
They were a dynamic duo. Tough and feisty, but also kind and selfless.
They laughed alike, finished each other’s sentences and adopted each other’s sayings…they were always colorful.
“I found the most well-liked guy in the platoon was George Luz, one of the Toccoa guys. He was the company comedian. He could imitate people, and he was always telling jokes. Good jokes, not like Bill Guarnere’s jokes! Luz was actually funny. He always told me I reminded him of a parish priest. He was a great soldier, all-around 100 percent great American. Serious when he had to be, but he kidded with everyone he liked. He knew who could take a joke and who couldn’t.”
– Edward “Babe” Heffron, Brothers in Battle: Best of Friends
Heffron suggested a shortcut across a wooded area. Spina agreed. Heffron led the way. Suddenly he fell into a hole. There was a shout of surprise. Then a voice called out from under Heffron, “Hinkle, Hinkle, ist das du?” Heffron came barreling out of the foxhole and took off in the opposite direction, yelling, “Hinkle Your Ass, Kraut!“
private first class edward j. heffron
Babe Heffron Appreciation Month → whatever it is he’s doing here
I said I would and I did
Babe/McClung
Babe couldn’t sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, all he could see was Jackson writhing in pain, screaming himself hoarse. His head spun with exhaustion, but he just couldn’t rest.
When he went downstairs, unable to stand lying down any longer, he wasn’t the only one there. McClung was curled up in one corner, eyes fixed on the stairs. Babe was next to him before he realized he was moving.
“Siddown,” McClung said, tugging on Babe’s pants’ leg, so he sat next to him. He looked as tired as Babe felt.
“Can’t sleep?” Babe asked. The look he got in reply told him enough. It was a stupid question, anyway.
They sat in silence, cuddled together in a way Babe hadn’t experienced since Julian died. Gradually, McClung’s body heat seeped into him and made him feel less cold. They curled tighter together, chasing warmth and, maybe, the desire to be with another person.
Maybe that’s why he kissed him. It wasn’t anything intense, just a brush of lips against lips. But then McClung kissed back and pulled him closer. The warmth between them increased as they pressed together.
A noise upstairs made them jerk apart, reminded of where they were. Babe yawned, his exhaustion returning.
“Later,” McClung whispered as they climbed the stairs together.
“Later,” Babe promised before he sank into bed and finally fell asleep.
Private First Class Edward James Heffron
The next day, Joe Toye came back from the aid station with a sling on his arm. Winters told him to go back, but he wouldn’t. Now HE was a hero. He had his ticket out, but he wouldn’t leave the men. No matter how bad he got hurt, he just kept at it. A hell of a soldier. I had the utmost respect for him. He thanked me once for carrying him back to the aid station in Holland the day Campbell was killed, and it was one of the greatest compliments I ever got, because it came from Joe Toye, one of the greatest soldiers I ever knew.
Babe Heffron, ‘Brothers in Battle, Best of Friends’ (via ruinsrebuilt)
lookashiny 