Private First Class Edward James Tipper Jr - A Soldier's Story


Private First Class Edward James Tipper Jr. was born on August 3, 1921, in Detroit, Michigan. His family returned to Ireland, and he spent his childhood there before returning to the Detroit area, where he worked at the J.K. Hudson department store before World War II.

PFC Tipper attempted to enlist in the US Marines following the December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor, but was rejected due to dental problems. Instead, he enlisted in the US Army on August 24, 1942, and volunteered for the 101st Airborne.   He was assigned to E Company, 2nd Battalion. PFC Tipper trained at Toccoa, Georgia, and then Aldbourne, UK, before completing his first combat jump on D-Day, June 6, 1944.

After landing, PFC Tipper was part of the Battle of Carentan and the attack on Marmion Farm, where he was severely injured in a mortar explosion, losing his right eye and breaking both legs. He spent his remaining service in the hospital. He was honorably discharged from the US Army in August 1945.

After the war, PFC Tipper earned a bachelor's degree at the University of Michigan and a master's from the University of Northern Colorado. He then became a teacher in Northern Colorado and earned the John Hay Fellowship.

He died on February 1, 2017, and rests at the Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, Colorado.

PFC Tipper is immortalized in the HBO series Band of Brothers, where he is played by actor Bart Ruspoli. His personal narrative is also available at the Library of Congress.



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a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller living in Salem, Virginia. 

In addition to her travel writings at www.takethebackroads.com, you can also read her book reviews at www.riteoffancy.com and US military biographies at www.everydaypatriot.com

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Location: Detroit, MI, USA

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