William “Wild Bill’ Guarnere, Class of 1942 left Southern High after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor to help manufacture Sherman tanks at the Baldwin Locomotive Works. His mother soon convinced his to return to Southern to earn his diploma, after which he enlisted in the U.S Army and served in Easy Company of the 101st airborne Division. O the eve of the D-Day Invasion of Normandy, Bill’s brother was killed at Monte Casino by the Germans. The next day, Bill parachuted into German-held Normandy and ambushed a German Patrol. Later, as a staff sergeant in the Battle of the Bulge , Bill’s buddy had is leg blasted off. As Bill tried to save him, his own leg was badly wounded in a shell attack. He eventually lost his leg. During Bill’s many battles throughout Europe, he was with another Southernite, Edward ‘Bab” Heffron. After reuniting at home Bill and Babe wrote a book with Robyn Post entitled ’ Brothers in Battle, Best Friends: Tow WWII Paratroopers from the Original Band of Brothers Tell Their Story.’ Both would later be interviewed about the war for the book and HBO miniseries, Band of Brothers.