Warren Muck
| Warren Muck | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Nickname(s) | Skip |
| Born |
January 31, 1922 Tonawanda, New York |
| Died |
January 10, 1945 (aged 22) † Foy, Belgium |
| Place of burial | Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial |
| Allegiance |
 United States |
| Service/branch |
 United States Army |
| Years of service | 1942–1945 |
| Rank |
 Sergeant |
| Unit |
Mortar Squad, 2nd Platoon, Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | |
| Relations | Elmer Muck (brother), Ruth Muck LaFleur (sister), Eileen LaFleur O'Hara (niece) |
Sergeant Warren H. "Skip" Muck (January 31, 1922 – January 10, 1945) was a non-commissioned officer with Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, in the 101st Airborne Division during World War II. Muck was portrayed in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers by Richard Speight, Jr. Muck's life story was featured in the 2010 book A Company of Heroes: Personal Memories about the Real Band of Brothers and the Legacy They Left Us.[2]
Youth
Muck was born and raised in Tonawanda, New York.[3] His family was German and Muck was fluent in German, although he might have been quiet about it in the service.[4] When Muck was a young kid, he skipped whenever he moved. That is why he got his nickname 'Skip'.[5] Muck's father was a traveling musician who virtually abandoned his family. Muck worked part-time jobs to earn extra money for his family.[5] Muck was a man of sincere faith. He was an altar boy growing up. He went to Mass regularly, even in the service.[6] Frederick Niland, later sergeant of Company H, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, was Muck's best friend in high school.[7]
Muck attended St. Francis of Assisi Elementary School, and graduated from Tonawanda High School in 1942. Muck once swam across the Niagara River as part of an initiation to get into a fraternity.[4] After working briefly for the Remington Rand Corp, he enlisted on August 17, 1942 in Buffalo, New York.[3]
Military service
Muck was assigned to Easy Company in Camp Toccoa, Georgia, and received training under Captain Herbert Sobel. There he befriended Donald Malarkey, and they were in the same mortar squad, and would often run Currahee side by side. During the 120-mile march the Second Battalion of the 506th regiment made from Toccoa to Atlanta, Malarkey's legs hurt so bad that he had to crawl to the mess tent on all fours. When Muck saw that, he stopped Malarkey, and said, 'No friend of mine crawls anywhere.' He filled their mess kits with food and returned to the tent to eat with Malarkey.[8] While some soldiers were unfriendly to replacement soldiers, Muck was kind to everybody. He befriended replacement soldier Alex Penkala, who joined Easy Company at Fort Bragg, and Joseph Lesniewski, who took a real ribbing from a few guys after joining Easy Company in Aldbourne.[9]
Muck made his first combat jump on June 6, 1944 (D-Day) as part of the Battle of Normandy in Normandy, France. In September 1944, he jumped into occupied Netherlands as part of Operation Market Garden, which eventually failed. For his action in defending the Island, Muck received the Bronze Star.[8]
After being pulled off the line, Easy Company returned to France, where they were transported to Bastogne, Belgium to fight in the Battle of the Bulge. Muck and his friend Alex Penkala were killed from a direct hit in their foxhole from German artillery just outside the Belgian town of Foy. His best friend Donald Malarkey was deeply traumatized from his death.[10]
Edward Heffron remembered going to the Mass held by Father Maloney with Muck and some other soldiers a few weeks before Muck's death. He said to Muck, 'At least if we die, we're going to die in a state of grace.' Muck replied, 'You're right, Heffron.'[11] Heffron said that he thought of Muck every time he took communion.[12]
Muck is buried at the American cemetery in Hamm, Luxembourg.
Warren H. Muck's grave at Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial.
Medals and Decorations
  |
Bronze Star with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster |
 |
Purple Heart |
 |
Presidential Unit Citation with one Oak Leaf Cluster |
   |
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 3 service stars and arrow device |
 |
Croix de guerre with palm |
 |
French Liberation Medal |
 |
Belgian World War II Service Medal |
 |
Combat Infantryman Badge |
 |
Parachutist Badge with 2 combat stars |
References
- ↑ DeAngelis, Frank. "Muck's shadowbox". Retrieved 2009-10-14.
- ↑
- 1 2 WWII Army Enlistment Records: on-line NARA Archival Database
- 1 2 p.271, Brotherton
- 1 2 p.270, Brotherton
- ↑ p.272, Brotherton
- ↑ Brotherton, p.273
- 1 2 p.275, Brotherton
- ↑ p.64, Brotherton, 2011
- ↑ Ambrose, p.205.
- ↑ Location 2325, Heffron
- ↑ Location 2652, Heffron
Bibliography
- Ambrose, Stephen E. (1992). Band of Brothers: Easy Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-0-7434-6411-6.
- Brotherton, Marcus (2010). A Company of Heroes: Personal Memories about the Real Band of Brothers and the Legacy They Left Us. Berkley Caliber. ISBN 978-0-425-23420-4.
- Sgt Don Malarkey and Bob Welch (2009). Easy Company Soldier, the Legendary Battles of a Sergeant From World War II's "Band of Brothers". St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN 978-0-312-56323-3.
- Brotherton, Marcus (2011). Shifty's War: The Authorized Biography of Sergeant Darrell 'Shifty' Powers, the Legendary Sharpshooter from the Band of Brothers. Berkley Caliber. ISBN 978-0-425-24097-7.
- Robyn Post, William Guarnere and Edward Heffron (2008). Brothers in Battle, Best of Friends). Berkley Trade]. ISBN 0425224368.