Jack E. Foley
Captain Jack Edward Foley (August 18, 1922 - September 14, 2009) was a 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. Foley was portrayed in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers by Jamie Bamber.
Pre World War II
Foley was born in 1922 to Randall A., and Viola (née Meahl) Foley. He grew up in Brookline with his two brothers. Foley graduated from South Hills High in 1940, then enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh, where during the 1942-43 season he earned a varsity letter as a manager for the university's basketball team. While at Pittsburgh in his third year, he along with almost twenty other members of his ROTC class enlisted in the military service on June 29, 1943.
During World War II
In November 1943, Foley served in the Coast Artillery Corps with the rank of Lieutenant, while defending a part of Puget Sound in Washington. Later on he was transferred to Texas and became a paratrooper. He graduated from Officer Candidate School on November 19, 1943. In October 1944, he graduated with his jump wings.
Foley's saw first combat experience in the town of Foy, outside of the Belgian city of Bastogne, as commander of first platoon. While advancing along with his platoon, they came across a barbed wire fence and encountered three Germans, who were quickly captured. The Germans were attempting to taunt them, calling them "dummkopf" in the German language.
In the platoon was the platoon Sergeant Johnny Martin, along with a few other men whom left the platoon to find assistance somewhere else. One of the men in the platoon was so sick of hearing "dummkopf that he decided to swing out his Browning Bar machinegun and kill all of the prisoners. There were no more prisoners. When they got to the Central Post, where Lieutenant Dike and the rest of Foley's platoon were, the first orders, Lipton said were "We want your mortar and we want your machine gun." Each platoon had 60 mm mortar and also a machine gun. He informed Dike that he would take the first platoon, and move forward until they are in position. Foley had no idea what happened later. He had no idea of the snipers in the hay-stack who shot two of Foley's men, and when he was shot by a bullet right through his boot. The remaining men launched some grenades on the hay-stack which eliminated one or two German snipers who were positioned their. They had poor radio contact with their SCR-536 hand radio during that attack.
Foley also partook in Haguenau in February 1945. During the battle, there were many shells of mortars coming in and a lot of fragments flying around all day and night. There was one evening where Foley had to walk up to Regimental HQ because two of his men had been wounded after they were walking around in and out of town searching for any liqueur. Foley took a one or two hours before getting and reporting to Regimental HQ because his mission was along the way there. Colonel Robert Sink, whom he had to report to, had just informed to him "Foley, you should have shot those fellows, it saved us all this paperwork". After leaving his office and regrouping with his unit, he had been wounded by all of the bombing taking place in Foy. Medic Eugene Roe removed a couple of metal pieces from Foley's right wrist. Two weeks later when Easy Company returned to Mourmelon, he went to regimental medics for his wrist became swollen and soon became infected. Foley then retired from the army as a Captain.
Post World War II
Foley returned to the University of Pittsburgh to complete his degree and began his career at ALCOA. His mother died in 1949, aged 55. Bill Guarnere was able to find Foley through a letter. After that, Foley attended the Easy Company reunions. He went back to Europe three or four times. Following that, he was employed in advertising newsletters for the Aluminum Cooking Utensil Co. in New Kensington, the Cutco Co. in Olean, N.Y., the Alcoa Wrap Co. in New Kensington and Alcoa in Pittsburgh before retiring in 1982. He and his wife Mary-Lou had five children; Karen, Barbara, John, David, and Nancy. And along with grandchildren; Julia, Elaine and Rita Foley. His two brothers predeceased him- Randall James of Texas, and Richard of California.