Joseph Liebgott
Encyclopedia
Technician Fifth Grade Joseph Thaddeus Liebgott, Jr. (May 17, 1915 - June 28, 1992) 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
.
Liebgott was portrayed in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers by Ross McCall
. Liebgott'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.
, the oldest of six children. The children were raised Roman Catholic and attended Catholic school. His family moved to San Francisco, California
, before the War. He worked mainly as a barber.
As they prepared to jump for the invasion of Normandy, Liebgott and Forrest Guth gave haircuts to the men of the 101st for $0.15 per head. Many of the men either had their heads shaved or got Mohawks
.
Liebgott participated in the Brécourt Manor Assault
, manning a machine gun with Cleveland Petty. For this action Robert Sink
awarded both men the Bronze Star. On D-Day+4 Liebgott showed Rod Strohl a ring that he had cut off the finger of a dead German whom he had killed with his bayonet.
During the attack on Carentan
he was clearing a house with Edward Tipper when an explosion wounded Tipper, breaking both of his legs. Liebgott and Harry Welsh
dragged Tipper to safety.
He received minor wounds on October 5, 1944, at about 0330, when Easy was on line on "The Island", in the Netherlands, on the south side of the Rhine. While on patrol, the group that he was with encountered a German patrol, and an incoming grenade wounded him (in the arm) and Roderick Strohl slightly, while James Alley and Joe Lesniewski were wounded more severely. Alley had thirty-two wounds in his left side, face, neck, and arm, while Lesniewski got hit in the neck by shrapnel. Later after Easy Company commanding officer Richard Winters
lead the charge up on the dike, the German artillery opened up on the crossroads and in return American artillery returned fire. One of the American' shells exploded near Liebgott, wounding his elbow.
He was noted by Winters as being an extremely good combat soldier and loyal friend. However, Liebgott had a rather rough attitude towards prisoners. After the battle at the crossroads on "The Island", in October 1944, Winters handed over 11 German prisoners to Liebgott to be taken back to the battalion command post. Liebgott was ordered to drop all his ammunition
but one round, as to ensure that the German prisoners made it back.
Liebgott was described by fellow comrade David Kenyon Webster
as being "120-pound Liebgott, ex-San Francisco cabby, was the skinniest and, at non-financial moments, one of the funniest men in E Company. He had the added distinction of being one of the few Jews in the paratroops". After being sent to England to the hospital, Liebgott wanted to get back to the men; he requested and received a discharge from the hospital and returned to France.
After fighting in Normandy and the Netherlands, Liebgott was nearing a breaking point at Bastogne
, during the Battle of the Bulge
. Winters pulled him off the line and made him his Command Post (CP) runner. After a few days he returned to the line to be with his buddies, but Liebgott's feelings of stress and tension also returned. This time Winters assigned him to 101st Division Headquarters S-2 (intelligence), due to his ability to speak German and interrogate the prisoners. This move Winters would regret because Winters thought that Liebgott was Jewish and his hatred for the Germans came through when he questioned the prisoners.
At Noville
, while patrolling with Sergeant Earl Hale, the two men went into a barn and captured six German SS officers. When a shell exploded outside the barn one of the SS officers pulled a knife from his boot and slit Hale's throat, although not fatally. Liebgott shot the officer, killing him. (Later General George Patton berated Hale for not wearing a necktie, until Hale produced a letter from the doctor who treated him that exempted him from wearing one.)
While on occupation duty in Austria
, Easy Company commander Ronald Speirs
assigned Liebgott, along with John C. Lynch, Don Moone, and Wayne Sisk, to "eliminate" a Nazi who had been the head of a labor camp. When they found the man, Liebgott interrogated him for about 30 minutes, confirming that he was the man they wanted. They drove him to a ravine and Liebgott shot him twice. Wounded, the Nazi ran up a hill and Lynch ordered Moone to shoot him. Moone refused, and Sisk killed the man with a fatal rifle shot.
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
with Easy Company
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...
of the United States Army 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...
.
Liebgott was portrayed in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers by Ross McCall
Ross McCall
Ross McCall is a Scottish actor notable for his role as T-5. Joseph Liebgott in the 2001 HBO miniseries Band of Brothers.-Career:...
. Liebgott'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
Liebgott's parents moved from Austria to the United States. Joseph, Jr, was born in Lansing, MichiganLansing, Michigan
Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
, the oldest of six children. The children were raised Roman Catholic and attended Catholic school. His family moved to San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, before the War. He worked mainly as a barber.
Military service
Liebgott's fellow soldiers often assumed he was Jewish based on his name, his appearance, and his general hatred of Germans and Nazis in particular. He also spoke an Austrian dialect of German, which was confused with Yiddish. Liebgott generally didn't bother to refute this assumption, finding it amusing and occasionally to his advantage.As they prepared to jump for the invasion of Normandy, Liebgott and Forrest Guth gave haircuts to the men of the 101st for $0.15 per head. Many of the men either had their heads shaved or got Mohawks
Mohawk hairstyle
The mohawk is a hairstyle in which, in the most common variety, both sides of the head are shaven, leaving a strip of noticeably longer hair...
.
Liebgott participated in the Brécourt Manor Assault
Brécourt Manor Assault
The Brécourt Manor Assault during the U.S. parachute assault of the Normandy Invasion of World War II is often cited as a classic example of small-unit tactics and leadership in overcoming a larger enemy force.-Objective:...
, manning a machine gun with Cleveland Petty. For this action Robert Sink
Robert Sink
Lieutenant General Robert Frederick Sink was a United States Army officer during World War II, the Korean War, and early parts of the Vietnam War, though he was most famous for his command of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division...
awarded both men the Bronze Star. On D-Day+4 Liebgott showed Rod Strohl a ring that he had cut off the finger of a dead German whom he had killed with his bayonet.
During the attack on Carentan
Carentan
Carentan is a small rural town near the north-eastern base of the French Cotentin Peninsula in Normandy in north-western France near the port city of Cherbourg-Octeville. Carentan has a population somewhat over 6,000 and is now administratively organized as a commune in the Manche department...
he was clearing a house with Edward Tipper when an explosion wounded Tipper, breaking both of his legs. Liebgott and Harry Welsh
Harry Welsh
-External links:**...
dragged Tipper to safety.
He received minor wounds on October 5, 1944, at about 0330, when Easy was on line on "The Island", in the Netherlands, on the south side of the Rhine. While on patrol, the group that he was with encountered a German patrol, and an incoming grenade wounded him (in the arm) and Roderick Strohl slightly, while James Alley and Joe Lesniewski were wounded more severely. Alley had thirty-two wounds in his left side, face, neck, and arm, while Lesniewski got hit in the neck by shrapnel. Later after Easy Company commanding officer 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....
lead the charge up on the dike, the German artillery opened up on the crossroads and in return American artillery returned fire. One of the American' shells exploded near Liebgott, wounding his elbow.
He was noted by Winters as being an extremely good combat soldier and loyal friend. However, Liebgott had a rather rough attitude towards prisoners. After the battle at the crossroads on "The Island", in October 1944, Winters handed over 11 German prisoners to Liebgott to be taken back to the battalion command post. Liebgott was ordered to drop all his ammunition
Ammunition
Ammunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
but one round, as to ensure that the German prisoners made it back.
Liebgott was described by fellow comrade David Kenyon Webster
David Kenyon Webster
-External links:*...
as being "120-pound Liebgott, ex-San Francisco cabby, was the skinniest and, at non-financial moments, one of the funniest men in E Company. He had the added distinction of being one of the few Jews in the paratroops". After being sent to England to the hospital, Liebgott wanted to get back to the men; he requested and received a discharge from the hospital and returned to France.
After fighting in Normandy and the Netherlands, Liebgott was nearing a breaking point at 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...
, 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...
. Winters pulled him off the line and made him his Command Post (CP) runner. After a few days he returned to the line to be with his buddies, but Liebgott's feelings of stress and tension also returned. This time Winters assigned him to 101st Division Headquarters S-2 (intelligence), due to his ability to speak German and interrogate the prisoners. This move Winters would regret because Winters thought that Liebgott was Jewish and his hatred for the Germans came through when he questioned the prisoners.
At Noville
Noville
Noville is a municipality of the canton of Vaud in Switzerland, located in the district of Aigle.-History:Noville is first mentioned in 903 as Nova villa. In 1162-1173 it was mentioned as Nouila...
, while patrolling with Sergeant Earl Hale, the two men went into a barn and captured six German SS officers. When a shell exploded outside the barn one of the SS officers pulled a knife from his boot and slit Hale's throat, although not fatally. Liebgott shot the officer, killing him. (Later General George Patton berated Hale for not wearing a necktie, until Hale produced a letter from the doctor who treated him that exempted him from wearing one.)
While on occupation duty in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Easy Company commander Ronald Speirs
Ronald Speirs
Lieutenant Colonel Ronald C. Speirs was a United States Army officer who served in the U.S. 101st Airborne Division during World War II. He was initially a platoon leader in Company either "C" or "B" of the 2nd Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment...
assigned Liebgott, along with John C. Lynch, Don Moone, and Wayne Sisk, to "eliminate" a Nazi who had been the head of a labor camp. When they found the man, Liebgott interrogated him for about 30 minutes, confirming that he was the man they wanted. They drove him to a ravine and Liebgott shot him twice. Wounded, the Nazi ran up a hill and Lynch ordered Moone to shoot him. Moone refused, and Sisk killed the man with a fatal rifle shot.