The story of Private First Class David “Edd” Edward Hiett
Charly Company , 3rd platoon, 17th Armored Engineer Battalion, 2nd Armored Division
Army Serial Number 38474576
Born: 5 Nov 1923
Deceased: 13 Feb 2009 age 85
David Edd Hiett, C Company, 17th Armored Engineers, Belgium March 1945 & David Edd Hiett, Oregon 1943 (Courtesy: Mark Hiett) (Colorized by M. Brandjes 2020)
Longview Texas 1923
David Edward Hiett was born in 1923 in . Eddie was born November 5, 1923 in Harrison County, Longview, Texas.
Year 1941
David Edd Hiett with number 25 as the star football player with the High School Football team, Judson Blue Devils 1941 (Mark Hiett)
David Edd Hiett with bandaged head after being hurt, Lucille his girlfriend (later his wife) running towards him. (Mark Hiett)
Lucille Scharff (Hiett) as the drum majorette and leader of the High School Marching Band, 1941 (Mark Hiett)
Year 1942
He graduated from Judson Grove High School in 1942.
He was empoyed by the T&P Railway untill he went in the service in March 1943.
David E Hiett (2nd from the left) with the family before the war (courtesy Mark Hiett) Left to right in front row are: Dymple, Odie, Opal, Ima
Back row left to right Edd, Lam, Charles or Chassie, Clyda
David Edd Hiett in active service in the US Army, 300th Combat Engineers and 2nd Armored Division, 17th Armored Engineer Battalion:
Link: Year 1943 US Army service PFC David E. Hiett
David Edd Hiett, Oregon in color 1943 (Courtesy Mark Hiett)
Link: Year 1944 US Army service PFC David E. Hiett
Photos of 17th Engineer David Edd Hiett – Paris December 1944
Link: Year 1945 US Army service PFC David E. Hiett
David E. (Edd) Hiett his buddy Mike Mucha, Berlin July, 1945 (Courtesy Mark Hiett)
After the War
Told by Mark Hiett, son of David E Hiett:
He was very worried that he would be sent to the Pacific after Germany surrendered and get killed fighting the Japanese. He finally got home in November 1945 and he and my mother were married in January 1946. I do not think he ever completely got over the war since he would get emotional when ever he talked about it his whole life. I am sure he suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. My mother said shortly after he got home he could not sleep unless his pistol was nearby and would hit the floor sometimes when a loud noise startled him. On one occasion a drunk stranger walked into their house and my dad grabbed his pistol and hit him in the stomach with it as hard as he could saying “You son of a bitch I will kill you if you do not get out!” He told me he would have done it too because he had just got home from the war and he would not have hesitated doing it if he had to. Fortunately he did not shoot him and things got better as time passed.
Eddie was an avid fisherman and known as a man ready to help anyone. He proved himself inventive, self-reliant and resourceful. If there was a better way to do something, he would find it. He was a member of First Christian Church and did volunteer work for Meals on Wheels and Salvation Army Stew Pot for Longview Ministries.
In January of 1985 he retired from Texas Eastman Kodak after 35 years of service.
Edd and Lucille Hiett in 1990 (Courtesy Mark Hiett)
David Edd Hiett passed away on 13 February 2009 aged 85 years.
Longview News-Journal (Longview, Gregg, Texas, United States of America) · 15 Feb 2009, Sun · Page 12 (Newspapers.com)
He was preceded in death by his parents, David E. and Willie Hiett; 2 brothers and 3 sisters.
He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Lucille; 2 sons, David Hiett and his wife Tina of Longview, and Mark Hiett of Rowlett; grandson Brian Hiett and wife Blair of Houston; granddaughter Erin Greenlee and husband Matt of Austin; 2 great granddaughters, Nancy Jean Hiett and Ellie Greenlee; 2 sisters, Dimple Lester of Longview and Odie Smith of Allen; and several
nieces and nephews.
Grave of David Edd Hiett
Family Members
Parents
David Edward Hiett
1877–1959
Willie Dee Brazzil Hiett
1880–1961
Spouse
Lucille Alyne Scharff Hiett
1925–2017 (m. 1946)
Siblings
Infant Son Hiett
1900–1900
Velma Hiett
1902–1904
Clyda Hiett Killingsworth
1903–1977
Charles William Hiett
1905–1982
Allison Delmas Hiett
1907–1974
Ima Hiett Black
1909–2008
Dymple Hiett Lester
1912–2010
Opal Hiett Croft
1914–2000
Odie Hiett Smith
1917–2012
(source: Findagrave.com)
Research and written by Martijn Brandjes in 2019.