William “Wild Bill” Guarnere, a South Philadelphia native and World War II vet who was portrayed on the television miniseries, “Band of Brothers,” died this weekend at the age of 90.
Guarnere’s son, William Guarnere Jr., confirmed Sunday that his father died at Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. Guarnere was rushed to the hospital early Saturday and died of a ruptured aneurysm early Saturday night.
After enlisting in the paratroops in 1942, Guarnere joined Easy Company, earning the nickname “Wild Bill” for his daring battlefield exploits. Guarnere’s time in World War II was dramatized in the HBO miniseries “Band of Brothers” in which he was played by actor Frank John Hughes.