Pvt Heady

Maurice Heady was born on September 27, 1907, in Jasper, Illinois. His early life was shaped by a family farm, where everyone contributed, and personal challenges, including his mother's passing in 1929 and his father's deafness. For the year leading up to his military service, Maurice worked as an attendant at the Lincoln State School and Colony, an institution for individuals with developmental disabilities.

Despite these roots, Maurice was inducted into the army on March 20, 1942. He joined E Company on August 11, 1943, the same day as my grandfather. At 36 years old, he was one of the oldest men in the company. With E Company, he would have fought in the Battle of Randazzo, participating in the taking of "Cadillac Hill" on August 12, 1943. He also saw action in the battles in Normandy, including the taking of Cherbourg in June 1944. Tragically, he was shot in the head during the Battle of Le Dezert on July 11, 1944, when Panzer Lehr counter-attacked with tanks and infantry in the predawn hours. He succumbed to his wounds on September 29, 1944, in a hospital in England, and was subsequently laid to rest in Cambridge.