Donald Malarkey (1921–2017) was a decorated Technical Sergeant with Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, in the 101st Airborne Division during World War II. He was a principal figure in Stephen Ambrose’s book Band of Brothers and was portrayed by actor Scott Grimes in the acclaimed 2001 HBO miniseries of the same name.
Key Details about Don Malarkey
Military Service: Malarkey volunteered for the paratroops in 1942 after being drafted. He was a non-commissioned officer who served as a mortarman and later a platoon sergeant. He participated in major WWII battles and operations, including the Battle of Normandy (where he earned the Bronze Star during the Brécourt Manor Assault), Operation Market Garden, and the Battle of the Bulge at Bastogne. He served more consecutive time on the front lines than any other member of Easy Company.
Post-War Life: After the war, he returned to the University of Oregon and earned a business degree. He married Irene Moor in 1948, and they raised four children. He worked as a real estate broker and a county commissioner in Oregon.
Struggles and Advocacy: Malarkey struggled with the psychological impact of the war (PTSD) for decades, including survivor’s guilt over the loss of close friends like Warren “Skip” Muck. In his later years, he became a public speaker, sharing his experiences with students and wounded soldiers, and authored a memoir, Easy Company Soldier.
Death: He passed away on September 30, 2017, in Salem, Oregon, at the age of 96, and was interred at Willamette National Cemetery.

David Michael Ramsey @highlight @surfman374 🎵🛟🇺🇸💙 @uscg @dhsgov @sec_noem

Yes, Donald Malarkey did meet a German soldier from Oregon, but the event was different from how it was portrayed in the Band of Brothers TV series. In reality, the two men had worked in factories across the street from each other in Portland, Oregon, before the war. The show changed details, such as the distance between the factories and the prisoner’s hometown (Eugene instead of Portland), to make the coincidence seem more plausible to viewers. 

Real-life encounter 

• Worked together: Malarkey and the German POW had worked in different factories on opposite sides of the same street in Portland before the war. 
• Encounter: Malarkey encountered the prisoner during the chaos of D-Day, shortly after the invasion began. 
• Conversation: Malarkey later recalled being surprised that the person he was fighting was someone he had once worked near in the U.S. 
• Different outcome: In reality, Malarkey and the German soldier had a brief conversation before parting ways, and there was no execution of the prisoners by Lieutenant Speirs as depicted in the show. 

Show’s adaptations 

• The series altered the facts to create a more dramatic story. 
• The show changed the prisoner’s hometown from Portland to Eugene, possibly to avoid confusion with Portland, Maine. 
• The distance between their workplaces was also altered to make the story less coincidental. 

“Easy Company” refers to a United States Army company, specifically Company E, 2nd Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, which became famous for its World War II actions. It was formed in 1942 and gained extensive recognition through the 2001 HBO miniseries Band of Brothers and the book of the same name, which chronicled its participation in major campaigns like D-Day, the Battle of the Bulge, and operations in Holland.  

Key details 

• Formation and Training: Easy Company was formed in July 1942 at Camp Toccoa, Georgia. Its volunteers completed their training there and at Fort Benning, Georgia, before deploying to England in preparation for the invasion of Europe. 
• Wartime Service: The company’s combat history includes key moments of the war:
  • D-Day: Parachuting into Normandy on June 6, 1944, to secure the area and later capturing a German artillery battery at Brecourt Manor. 
  • Holland: Participating in Operation Market Garden. 
  • Battle of the Bulge: Defending the perimeter around Bastogne, Belgium, during the harsh winter. 
  • Germany: Entering Germany at the end of the war, including the capture of the Eagle’s Nest. 
• Recognition: The unit’s exploits were immortalized in historian Stephen Ambrose’s 1992 book Band of Brothers and the subsequent Emmy-winning HBO miniseries. 
• Legacy: Today, the 506th Infantry Regiment is still an active part of the U.S. Army, and Easy Company is a gateway to the history of World War II for many, with historical tours and ongoing interest in the unit’s story. 
• 
  “Easy Company” 
  most famously refers to the E Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division, whose exploits during World War II were immortalized in the book and acclaimed HBO miniseries Band of Brothers. 
  
  The Real Easy Company (WWII)
  This U.S. Army unit was an elite company that fought across the European Theater of Operations from the D-Day landings in Normandy until the end of the war in Europe. 
  Key Facts:
  Formation & Training: The company was formed at Camp Toccoa, Georgia, in 1942 under the strict command of Lieutenant Herbert Sobel. Their demanding physical and tactical training, including running up the steep Currahee Mountain (“three miles up, three miles down”), forged a strong bond among the men and prepared them for the challenges of combat.
  Major Engagements: Easy Company participated in some of the most critical battles of the war:D-Day (Operation Overlord): Parachuted into Normandy on June 6, 1944, and successfully executed the assault on Brécourt Manor, a classic example of small unit tactics, to knock out a battery of German artillery guns threatening Utah Beach.
  Operation Market Garden: Fought in the Netherlands as part of the ultimately unsuccessful Allied attempt to secure bridges across the Rhine River.
  Battle of the Bulge (Bastogne): Held the line in the besieged Belgian town of Bastogne during a harsh winter, undersupplied and surrounded by German forces, famously responding “NUTS!” to a German surrender ultimatum.
  Capturing the Eagle’s Nest: Advanced into Germany and was the first Allied unit to occupy Adolf Hitler’s mountain retreat in Berchtesgaden.
  Leadership: After their initial commander Herbert Sobel was transferred, command passed through several officers, most notably Major Richard Winters and Captain Ronald Speirs, who earned deep respect for their competence and courage under fire.
  Legacy: The company suffered heavy casualties but earned a reputation for exceptional bravery and effectiveness. The last surviving member of the original Toccoa contingent, Bradford Freeman, died in 2022, and the last surviving officer, Edward Shames, died in 2021. The legacy of the unit is carried on by the current Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. 
  
  In Pop Culture
  Band of Brothers: The 2001 HBO miniseries, based on Stephen Ambrose’s non-fiction book of the same name, brought the company’s story to international fame.
  DC Comics: A fictional U.S. Army infantry unit also named “Easy Company,” led by the character Sgt. Rock, appeared in DC Comics from 1959.
  Other Media: References to the real Easy Company and the 506th PIR have appeared in various films and video games, including Saving Private Ryan and the Call of Duty franchise. 
• 
  Quick facts. 
  
  
  Born: July 31, 1921, Astoria, OR
  Died: Sep 30, 2017 (96 years), Salem, OR
  Spouse: Irene Moor (m. 1948–2006)
  Children: Marianne McNally, Michael Malarkey, Martha Serean, Sharon Hill
  Place of burial: Willamette National Cemetery, Portland, OR
  Parents: Leo Malarkey, Helen Trask
  Played by: Scott Grimes
  Movies: We Stand Alone Together: The Men of Easy Company (2001), He Has Seen War