Joe Toye
Encyclopedia
Staff Sergeant Joseph D. Toye (March 14, 1919 – September 3, 1995) was an American soldier with Easy Company
, 2nd Battalion
, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment
, in the 101st Airborne Division
during World War II
. Toye was portrayed in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers by Kirk Acevedo
. Toye'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.
, he enlisted in the army on December 11, 1941 at Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania. He completed basic training and was stationed in Washington, D.C. in early 1942. Eager for a bigger salary, Joe volunteered for the paratrooper
s and joined what would become Easy Company at Camp Toccoa
.
, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, to fight in World War II
. He made his first combat jump on D-Day
of Operation Overlord
, as part of the Allied invasion of France
. Joe Toye was known as the "toughest of the tough" and was one of the most respected soldiers in the company.
Joe Toye was wounded several times during the war, earning him the Purple Heart
a total of four times, a sum that the book by Stephen Ambrose
credits as being Easy's highest total. Like many Easy Company soldiers, Joe would often head right back to the line after being wounded, not wanting to leave his friends. He was wounded by Artillery (which killed fellow soldier James Campbell right next to him) in the Netherlands
during the failed Operation Market-Garden, and also in Bastogne
, Belgium
during the Battle of the Bulge
, from December 1944 to January 1945. He earned his three last Purple Heart
s there. Bastogne is also where Joe lost his right leg on January 3, 1945. One of his closest friends, William "Wild Bill" Guarnere
, also lost his right leg while trying to drag Joe to safety after he had been hit. This incident is portrayed in the miniseries Band of Brothers, episode "The Breaking Point". In the Band of Brothers bonus documentary, Bill Guarnere quotes Joe as saying "Jesus Christ, what do I have to do to die?", as he had been already wounded numerous times. He was also nearly wounded a few times. While taking the artillery battery on D-Day, a grenade landed between Toye's legs. It exploded, but he only bounced up and down from the concussion.
. He had been a coal miner, foundry, mill worker in his life prior to the war, but with one leg such work was no longer possible. He retired from Bethlehem Steel
in Reading, Pennsylvania
as a drill bit
grinder at Grace Mines.
He was married twice; the first time being on December 15, 1945 while recovering in Atlantic City
. Toye was discharged in February 1946. He had three sons and one daughter (Pete, Steven, Jonathan, and Anita), and 7 grandchildren. Predeceased by a son, Joseph Toye died of cancer in 1995 in Reading, Pennsylvania. Major Richard Winters
delivered his eulogy. He is buried in Gethsemane Cemetery in Laureldale, near Reading, PA alongside his wife.
E Company, 506th Infantry Regiment (United States)
Easy Company, 2nd Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, the "Screaming Eagles", is one of the most well-known companies in the United States Army. Their experiences in World War II are the subject of the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers based on the book...
, 2nd Battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment
506th Parachute Infantry Regiment
The 506th Infantry Regiment is a unit assigned to the 4th Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division. During World War II, the unit was designated the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment ....
, in the 101st Airborne Division
101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Toye was portrayed in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers by Kirk Acevedo
Kirk Acevedo
Kirk Acevedo is an American actor. He is primarily known for his portrayals of Miguel Alvarez in the HBO series Oz, Joe Toye in Band of Brothers and FBI Agent Charlie Francis in the science-fiction series Fringe....
. Toye'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.
Youth
Born in Hughestown, Luzerne County to Peter and Beatrice McTighue Toye, he was the son of a Pennsylvania coal miner. Toye dropped out of high school during his junior year. Following the attack on Pearl HarborAttack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
, he enlisted in the army on December 11, 1941 at Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania. He completed basic training and was stationed in Washington, D.C. in early 1942. Eager for a bigger salary, Joe volunteered for the paratrooper
Paratrooper
Paratroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force.Paratroopers are used for tactical advantage as they can be inserted into the battlefield from the air, thereby allowing them to be positioned in areas not accessible by land...
s and joined what would become Easy Company at Camp Toccoa
Camp Toccoa
Camp Toccoa was a United States Army paratrooper training camp during World War II west of Toccoa, Georgia. It was first planned in 1938, constructed by the Georgia National Guard and the Works Projects Administration beginning 17 January 1940, and was dedicated 14 December 1940. The U.S. Army...
.
Military service
Joseph Toye joined Easy CompanyE Company, 506th Infantry Regiment (United States)
Easy Company, 2nd Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, the "Screaming Eagles", is one of the most well-known companies in the United States Army. Their experiences in World War II are the subject of the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers based on the book...
, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, to fight in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He made his first combat jump on D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
of Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
, as part of the Allied invasion of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Joe Toye was known as the "toughest of the tough" and was one of the most respected soldiers in the company.
Joe Toye was wounded several times during the war, earning him the Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
a total of four times, a sum that the book by Stephen Ambrose
Stephen Ambrose
Stephen Edward Ambrose was an American historian and biographer of U.S. Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and Richard Nixon. He was a long time professor of history at the University of New Orleans and the author of many best selling volumes of American popular history...
credits as being Easy's highest total. Like many Easy Company soldiers, Joe would often head right back to the line after being wounded, not wanting to leave his friends. He was wounded by Artillery (which killed fellow soldier James Campbell right next to him) in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
during the failed Operation Market-Garden, and also in Bastogne
Bastogne
Bastogne Luxembourgish: Baaschtnech) is a Walloon municipality of Belgium located in the province of Luxembourg in the Ardennes. The municipality of Bastogne includes the old communes of Longvilly, Noville, Villers-la-Bonne-Eau, and Wardin...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
during the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
, from December 1944 to January 1945. He earned his three last Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
s there. Bastogne is also where Joe lost his right leg on January 3, 1945. One of his closest friends, William "Wild Bill" Guarnere
William Guarnere
Staff Sergeant William J. Guarnere was a non-commissioned officer with Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, in the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army during World War II. Guarnere was portrayed in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers by Frank John Hughes...
, also lost his right leg while trying to drag Joe to safety after he had been hit. This incident is portrayed in the miniseries Band of Brothers, episode "The Breaking Point". In the Band of Brothers bonus documentary, Bill Guarnere quotes Joe as saying "Jesus Christ, what do I have to do to die?", as he had been already wounded numerous times. He was also nearly wounded a few times. While taking the artillery battery on D-Day, a grenade landed between Toye's legs. It exploded, but he only bounced up and down from the concussion.
Later years
Joe Toye spent about nine months in hospitals, and was finally discharged from the army hospital in Atlantic City, New JerseyAtlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
. He had been a coal miner, foundry, mill worker in his life prior to the war, but with one leg such work was no longer possible. He retired from Bethlehem Steel
Bethlehem Steel
The Bethlehem Steel Corporation , based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was once the second-largest steel producer in the United States, after Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based U.S. Steel. After a decline in the U.S...
in Reading, Pennsylvania
Reading, Pennsylvania
Reading is a city in southeastern Pennsylvania, USA, and seat of Berks County. Reading is the principal city of the Greater Reading Area and had a population of 88,082 as of the 2010 census, making it the fifth most populated city in the state after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown and Erie,...
as a drill bit
Drill bit
Drill bits are cutting tools used to create cylindrical holes. Bits are held in a tool called a drill, which rotates them and provides torque and axial force to create the hole. Specialized bits are also available for non-cylindrical-shaped holes....
grinder at Grace Mines.
He was married twice; the first time being on December 15, 1945 while recovering in Atlantic City
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
. Toye was discharged in February 1946. He had three sons and one daughter (Pete, Steven, Jonathan, and Anita), and 7 grandchildren. Predeceased by a son, Joseph Toye died of cancer in 1995 in Reading, Pennsylvania. Major Richard Winters
Richard Winters
Major Richard "Dick" D. Winters was a United States Army officer and decorated war veteran. He commanded Company "E", 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, during World War II....
delivered his eulogy. He is buried in Gethsemane Cemetery in Laureldale, near Reading, PA alongside his wife.