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).

Jack Hogan as Kirby (with B.A.R.) 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.

Up
Jack Hogan Bio
Jack Hogan Filmography
About Kirby
Kirby: episodes he appeared in
Woundings: Kirby
Jack Hogan shop