William G. Kirby
Tough, quick-tempered, argumentative, and a skirt-chaser, Kirby is the show’s
“bad boy.” He’s been AWOL more than any other man in the outfit and once
broke up a French cafe in a brawl over a woman. Consequently, he gets most of the good
lines. Though a wise-cracker and complainer, Kirby is a good man in a fight. Kirby is the
squad’s B.A.R . man (Browning Automatic Rifle).
 Name: William G. Kirby
Home Town: Chicago [The Hunter]
Family:
- Mother living [High Named Today, The
Hunter]
- Sister Ruthie [Retribution]
- Brother George [The Hunter]
- Mother and brother live in Chicago [The Hunter]
- Uncle owns a bowling alley in Chicago [The Bankroll]
- Father (James) is from Iowa [The Town that Went Away]
Blood Type: ??
Military Record:
- before joining Saunders' squad:
• landed at Omaha Beach on D-Day
• was an acting corporal, but later demoted
- court-martialed for desertion under fire in action on Hill 256 on August 7, 1944. Charges dismissed.
- on record for brawl in French cafe [Off Limits]
- BAR man for Saunders' squad
- Best man in squad with Bazooka [Hills Are For Heroes]
- Was second for Grady Long, the squad's previous BAR man [Far from the Brave]
- Basic training in Trenton, New Jersey [A Gift of Hope]
Serial Number:
- 14327230 [The Masquers]
- 1302882 [The Long Way Home]
- 37428620 [Dateline]
Miscellaneous:
- For most of season one he carries an M1 rifle
- Carries a BAR consistently from season two through end of show
- Left-handed
- Has been AWOL more than anyone else in platoon [Hill 256]
- Jack Hogan's weapon was a real B.A.R., not a fake prop
- Is known to state his opinions (see
"Kirby-isms")
Accessories:
- Gold chain bracelet on his right wrist
- Watch (when he hasn't hocked it, as he had in "The Party") on his left wrist
- Carries large knife, which Saunders often borrows, since Saunders never carries his own
- Rarely carries a canteen
- Often has Zippo lighter
- As B.A.R. man, he wore suspenders (these were often worn by BAR men in the field to
support the weight of the belt, which held 12 magazines in 6 pockets -- a VERY heavy belt
when loaded)
Vices: Cigarettes, wine, hard liquor, poker, and women
Friends from the states:
- Eddie Kopachek: An intelligence officer and childhood friend of Kirby's. Eddie was
engaged to marry Kirby's sister. Eddie was beaten to death under interrogation in the
episode "Retribution."
- Basic training friend from "A Gift of Hope"; killed at St. Lo
- Kid from "Brother, Brother"; kid brother of a childhood friend.
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