506th Medic Ed “Doc” Pepping Passes Away

Condolences from around the world continue to come in to the family of Ed “Doc” Pepping, one of the last surviving members of Easy Company, the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment portrayed in the HBO Mini-series, “Band of Brothers.”

His son, Matthew Pepping confirmed to WNEG News that his father passed away peacefully in his sleep Tuesday morning at his home in Whittier, California. A private memorial service is being planned.

Durring World War II, Pepping enlisted in Los Angeles and volunteered to be a paratrooper. He was sent to Fort MacArthur and then to Camp Toccoa, for training.

There he was chosen to be a medic. He was assigned to Company E, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment in a medical detachment that came to be known as the “Band-Aid Bandits.”

Pepping’s first combat jump, was into Normandy on D-Day with Operation Neptune. When he landed, he suffered three cracked vertebrae and a concussion but after a few weeks in the hospital, went AWOL and rejoined Easy Company. He eventually received the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart for his heroism during the war.

You can read more about “Doc” Pepping’s service during World War II by going online to Ed “Doc” Pepping or Edwin Pepping  

For the past 10 years, Pepping was a regular at the annual Currahee Military weekend events in Toccoa.

Currahee Military Museum Executive Director Brenda Carlin says he will be missed.

“He was a regular here and of course never met a stranger,” she recalled. “He always had good things to say about everybody. He absolutely loved Toccoa. He used to call us on a regular basis just to check in and make sure that we were all OK and still eating grits. He was a character and will surely be missed.”

Pepping, along with fellow Easy Company medic Al Mampre, attended last year’s Currahee Military Weekend, but Pepping’s family said he was getting too weak to travel.

“Last year when he left I kind of had a gut feeling that was going to be it. He was a really good guy,” Carlin said.

Local World War II re-enactor Keith Hornick knew Pepping well and on his Facebook page called him a “second grandfather.”

“We just became very good friends over the years,” he told WNEG News Thursday. “I first met him at one of the Currahee Military Weekends and after that we just became very close friends. He’s like my grandpa. We stay in touch all of the time, call each other just to chitchat. So, he’s just become a really good friend.”

Hornick said he plans to attend Pepping’s memorial service in California once plans are finalized.

Pepping’s son said in a statement to WNEG News that the family appreciates everyone in Toccoa and all they’ve done for the survivors of the 506th.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers donations be made in Doc Pepping’s memory to the Paralyzed Veterans of America. Paralyzed Veterans of America

Ed “Doc” Pepping was 96.