The last surviving medic from “Easy Company” as portrayed on the television series “Band of Brothers” passed away on May 31 at the age of 97.
World War II veteran Army Staff Sgt. Albert Leon Mampre, who was part of the 2nd Battalion “Currahee,” 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, was laid to rest on June 15 with full military honors, according to a U.S. Army statement on Tuesday.
Mampre served as a medic and a paratrooper after he enlisted in the Army in 1942. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge and Operation Market Garden in Holland and was wounded two times while serving. Following the war, Mampre went on to become a psychologist.
Mampre’s division was portrayed in the 2001 HBO series “Band of Brothers” which was based off survivor accounts and diaries of the elite paratrooper team’s operations in the war. The series went on to win six Emmy awards.
In an interview with Stars & Stripes last year, Mampre said, “My basic training in being a medic was Boy Scouts. Most of what they reviewed with me was what I learned in Boy Scouts, except giving shots, because we were to give all the shots. We practiced on oranges. Well, we never ran into an orange in combat.”
He added that the medics of his time “were neanderthal men.”
Staff Sgt. Paul Mampreian, who is the great nephew of Mampre and also a medic with the 2nd Infantry Division said, “He was always humble. He never talked about himself. He definitely influenced me to become a medic.”
Brig. Gen. Kris Belanger, a friend of Mampre and the commanding general of the 85th Army Reserve Support Command said, “Our Army’s DNA is shaped by those who have served before, and our modern force stands on their shoulders. Those of us who have had the rare gift to know patriots like Al Mampre will never let their stories or their sacrifice be lost to our collective memory.”
He added, “It only took one time to meet him to realize what a special person he was. It was because he made everyone feel special. He loved people. He gave so much of himself to other people. Everybody experienced his charisma, his wit, his humor and his charm and overall kindness.”
Reverend Larry Handwerk, who directed Mampre’s funeral said, “He was the most generous of men. Wherever he went he was like the sun. His ability to connect with all was like sunshine.”
Staff Sgt. John Saxby, Reconnaissance Team Leader, 3rd Brigade, 2-506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division said, “I really wish I had the chance to meet him. I would have listened to his stories all day long. It’s such a big part of our Army history. Those guys in World War II were trained to fight and sustain themselves with the bare minimum. You never know when your equipment will fail. The Soldiers from World War II went days on end without food or bullets. It’s something to really be proud of.”
