Frederick Heyliger

Born

1916-06-23

Died

2001-11-03

Birthplace

Acton, Massachusetts, USA

Biography

Frederick Theodore “Moose” Heyliger (June 23, 1916 – November 3, 2001) was an American Army officer and World War II veteran. He served as a first lieutenant with Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, and briefly commanded the company during the final stages of Operation Market Garden. Heyliger enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1940 and initially trained with the Army Air Corps before becoming an airborne officer. He was assigned to the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment and served as a mortar platoon leader with Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion. After Richard Winters was transferred to battalion headquarters as executive officer, Heyliger took command of Easy Company in October 1944. On October 23, 1944, Heyliger commanded Easy Company during Operation Pegasus in the Netherlands. Following the failure of Operation Market Garden, he led the rescue and evacuation of 138 British paratroopers from the 1st Airborne Division who had been stranded behind German lines. For his role in the operation, he was awarded the British Military Cross. On October 31, 1944, Heyliger was accidentally shot by an American sentry while returning from a patrol with Richard Winters. The injuries required extensive skin and nerve grafts and ended his combat career. He remained in the Army until February 1947. After leaving the military, Heyliger enrolled at the University of Massachusetts and graduated in 1950 with a degree in ornamental horticulture. He subsequently worked in the horticultural industry and lived in Massachusetts. Heyliger was interviewed for Stephen E. Ambrose’s book Band of Brothers and appeared in the HBO documentary We Stand Alone Together: The Men of Easy Company. His experiences were also depicted in the 2001 HBO miniseries Band of Brothers, in which he was portrayed by Stephen McCole. Heyliger died on November 3, 2001, in Concord, Massachusetts, at the age of 85. He was buried at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord.