Hashey, Lester Anthony born on 23-02-1925, in Bangor, Maine, a son of Nicolas Hashey and Mary, born Thibeault, Hashey of Orono.
Lester was married to Anne M Hashey
Born15-05-1935 and who died 24-09-2001 (age 66)
When Lester was 16 he watched a short feature while at the cinema about paratroopers who jumped out of airplanes, put on skis, and skied down the mountains with guns. The image stuck with Les and on his 18th birthday he quit his job at the shipyard and enlisted, determined to become a paratrooper. Hashey earned his jump wings and actually arrived in Scotland on 06-06-1944. He was soon assigned to Easy Company as a replacement when they returned from Normandy. Les joined a battle-weary Easy Company in Bull Randleman‘s
Squad as an infantryman.
Hashey jumped with the 506th Easy Company under command of General Lieutenant Robert Frederick “Bob” Sink,
into the Netherlands for Operation Market Garden on September 19th, 1944, and headed to the Ardennes “Battle of the Bulge in Dec 1944, in defense of the town of Bastogne.
The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive, was the last major German offensive campaign on the Western Front during the Second World War, taking place from 16-12-1944 to 25-01-1945. It was launched through the densely forested Ardennes region between Belgium and Luxembourg. The offensive was intended to stop Allied use of the Belgian port of Antwerp and to split the Allied lines, allowing the Germans to encircle and destroy each of the four Allied armies and force the western Allies to negotiate a peace treaty in the Axis powers’ favor.
The Easy Company is also the Regiment who liberated my hometown of Eindhoven during Operation Market Garden. Read more.
One night as the Germans were shelling the 101st Airborne’s positions, Hashey was hit by shrapnel while in his foxhole. The shrapnel pierced his shoulder and punctured his lung. He was taken off the line for treatment and never returned to Easy Company. Lester remained in the army and served in a Military Police unit, and as a driver in the Finance Corps. He trained Special Forces in scuba diving and swimming. Hashey later served in Korea, and retired from the army in 1963, at the age of 38, with the rank of 1st Sergeant.
Hashey features in the Band of Brothers book,
miniseries and veterans interviews, and was portrayed by the lovely Mark Huberman
in the miniseries.
Hashey was a local celebrity among news media and schools. He made guest appearances at schools and was featured on many television programs.
During a reunion in 1988, the author and historian Stephen Ambrose asked Hashey and his comrades for an interview. And Ambrose’s best-seller “Band of Brothers” was born.
He is pictured with his wife Anna, Mark, and Mark’s girlfriend at the premiere’s farewell dinner in 2001. And with fellow Easy buddy Antonio “Tony” Garcia during the war.






Les with Hank Zimmerman and Babe Heffron, also the webmaster with Babe and Joe Crilley
Death and burial ground of Hashey, Lester Anthony “Les”.




Les Hashey passed away 11-12-2002 (age 77) in Scarborough, Cumberland County, Maine, United States and is buried at Southern Maine Veterans Cemetery, Springvale, York County, Maine, United States. Section I, Row 17, Site 6. 83 Stanley Road, Springvale, Maine 04083,


Leave a Reply