Grandson Continues ‘Band of Brothers' Tradition
(December 17, 2010) |
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| FORT BRAGG, N.C., Dec. 14, 2010 – Even at 80 years old,
Frederick “Moose” Heyliger was an enormous man, according to
his grandson, who serves with the 82nd Airborne Division's
1st Brigade. |
Army 1st Sgt. Mark D. Heyliger, first sergeant
of Company B, 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute
Infantry Regiment, often is asked by young
soldiers who “put 2 and 2 together” whether he
knows “that guy in that movie,” and he says he
does.
Heyliger, a veteran of five deployments, learned
of his grandfather's World War II exploits as a
first lieutenant with Easy Company, 506th
Parachute Infantry Regiment, of the 101st
Airborne Division “Screaming Eagles” the same
way the rest of America did –- by reading the
book and seeing the HBO mini-series, “Band of
Brothers.”
The grandfather Heylinger knew had earned a
degree in ornamental horticulture and he sold
fertilizer, among other jobs. He was a bit of a
wanderer, with a grand plan to own an acre of
land in every state so he could travel and camp
all the time.
“I'd always known my grandfather served in the
Army, and I knew that he had loved it, |
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Army 1st Sgt. Mark Heyliger stands
before a C-17 Globemaster III prior to an airborne training
operation Dec. 1, 2010, at Fort Bragg, N.C. When he enlisted
in 1992, Heyliger knew little about the World War II
exploits of his grandfather, Army 1st Lt. Frederick “Moose”
Heyliger, until he read Stephen Ambrose's book, “Band of
Brothers.” U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Michael J. MacLeod |
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but he never talked about what he did during the
war,” he said. “My dad mailed me a book while I
was on recruiting duty. He said, ‘If you ever
want to know what your grandfather did, you need
to read the book.'” |
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That was nine years into the South Bend, Ind., native's Army career. When he
enlisted in 1992, he became the first Heyliger in two generations to serve.
“[My father] was always worried about having another fighting man in the
family,” he said.
After serving in Hawaii with the 25th Infantry Division, with the 101st, and as
a recruiter, Heyliger came to the All-American Division in 2002. Since then, he
has served three deployments to Iraq and two to Afghanistan.
Though Moose Heyliger never lived to see his grandson become a paratrooper, his
jump wings were pinned on Mark when he graduated from Airborne School.
“I looked pretty silly, because I was the only novice paratrooper running around
with two combat jump stars on his wings,” the first sergeant said.
In 2004, wearing his grandfather's wings, Mark jumped into St. Mere Eglise,
France, in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Normandy invasion. Now,
those wings sit in a box waiting to see what the youngest Heyliger, 11-year-old
Kiefer, will do.
“I'm glad to serve and to carry on, to find what my grandfather enjoyed so much
about the Army,” the first sergeant said. “When I jump, I like to think of him.
What keeps me in the Army, though, is the people. The next generation of young
guys is what keeps me going.”
Heyliger will spend the next three years at the Joint Readiness Training Center
at Fort Polk, La. After that, he said, he would like to finish his career either
back at 82nd or with the 101st in his grandfather's regiment, the 506th “Band of
Brothers.”
“I always wanted to be airborne,” he said. |
By Army Sgt. Michael J. MacLeod
1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division
American Forces Press Service
Copyright 2010 |
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