Joe Toye

Joseph Toye joined Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, to fight in World War II. He made his first combat jump on D-Day of Operation Overlord, as part of the Allied invasion of France. Joe Toye was known as the "toughest of the tough" and was one of the most respected soldiers in the company. Joe Toye was wounded several times during the war, earning him the Order of the Purple Heart a total of four times; a sum that the book by Stephen Ambrose credits as being Easy's highest total. Like many Easy Company soldiers, Joe would often head right back to the line after being wounded, not wanting to leave his friends. He was wounded in Holland, during the failed Operation Market-Garden, and also in Bastogne, Belgium during the infamous "Battle of the Bulge". He earned his three last Purple Hearts there. Bastogne is also where Joe lost his leg on January 3, 1945. One of his best buddies, William "Wild Bill" Guarnere, also lost a leg while trying to drag Joe to safety after he had been hit. This incident is portrayed in the mini series Band of Brothers, episode The Breaking Point. In the Band of Brothers bonus documentary, Bill Guarnere quotes Joe as saying "Jesus Christ, what does a guy have to do to get killed around here!?", as he had been already wounded numerous times.