He was then almost blown up by another grenade, which had been set off by accident by 1st Lt. Toye was able to flip over after hearing a warning from Winters, and was only bounced around a bit. During the attack, they were in the trenches of the third gun, when a German potato masher grenade landed right between his legs. 45.Īfter reaching the town, Toye was selected by Winters to participate in the attack on Brecourt Manor. In the battle, Guarnere wounded a horse Toye put it out of its misery with his Colt. He helped take out a German patrol wagon on their way to the town of Ste. Carwood Lipton, and two 82nd Airborne Soldiers named Olsen and McDowell. After landing, Toye grouped with Sergeant William "Wild Bill" Guarnere, Private Robert "Popeye" Wynn, and Private Donald Malarkey. He suffered a severe hand injury from his drop because the ropes around his parachute dug tight into his hand.
On the eve of D-Day, following months of preparation for the invasion of Europe, Toye and the 101st parachuted into Normandy.
On the sea voyage to England, Toye explained he was glad he was going to Europe, because if he could kill Hitler, "President Roosevelt would rename Thanksgiving Joe Toye Day, and pay him ten grand a year for the rest of his life". He was stationed at Camp Toccoa, Georgia, and assigned to Easy Company in the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne.Īfter training and completing the jump at Fort Benning, Toye and the rest of the 101st continued training, before moving out to England. After training, Toye decided he wanted a bigger salary and volunteered for the Paratroopers. Toye enlisted in the army on December 11, 1941, at Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. In his junior year of high school, his father made him drop out so he could work at the coal mines. Joe Toye was born in Hughestown, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, on March 14, 1919, to Peter Toye, and Beatrice McTighue Toye.
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