Charles E. Grant
| Charles Grant | |
|---|---|
Chuck Grant before E Co. sailed to England
|
|
| Nickname(s) | Chuck |
| Born | 1922 |
| Died | 1984 (aged 61–62) San Francisco, California |
| Allegiance |  United States of America |
| Service/branch |
 United States Army
|
| Years of service | 1942-1945 |
| Rank |
 Staff Sergeant
|
| Unit | E Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division |
| Battles/wars | |
| Other work | Fabricator |
Staff Sergeant Charles E. Grant (1922 - 1984) 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. Grant was portrayed in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers by Nolan Hemmings.
Grant was born in 1922 in Pennsylvania. He completed four years of high school and graduated. After graduation, he had an occupation in fabrication of metal products. Chuck enlisted with the paratroopers on August 18, 1942 in Los Angeles, his hometown.
Grant trained at under Herbert Sobel. Like many of the men from Easy Company, he made his first combat jump on D-Day as part of the Allied invasion of France. On September 19, 1944, in the Netherlands, he was wounded while helping to destroy an 88mm gun.
During December 1944 and January 1945, Easy Company and the rest of the 101st Airborne Division fought in Belgium in the Battle of the Bulge. The 101st was in France in December when the Germans launched their offensive in the Ardennes and were transported by truck to the site. On the other hand, Grant was on leave in London and had to parachute into Bastogne so he could join his comrades.
In Austria, Grant was named 2nd platoon Staff Sergeant. In July 1945, while driving a jeep with two members of 2nd platoon, Grant came across several dead soldiers: two Germans, a British major, and the major's driver. A drunken replacement from "I" Company had shot them, and Sergeant Grant was shot in the head when he confronted the man and attempted to disarm him. Grant survived because of the quick actions of Ronald Speirs and Jack Foley, who rushed him to an aid station. The medic there told them that Grant would not survive. However, Speirs, not willing to lose Grant, loaded him on a jeep and drove to Saalfelden, where he found a German brain surgeon who was able to operate. At first the doctor thought operation would be useless as Grant would surely die from the shock of operation. Herman 'Hack' Hanson, Grant's best friend, threatened the doctor with his gun, and the doctor eventually operated and saved Grant's life. The doctor was amazed and said Grant was the toughest man he had ever seen.
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