Dick Winters of Easy Company dies.

[Mkilbride]

Dick Winters, a decorated Army officer whose World War II service was recounted in the best-selling book and HBO mini-series "Band of Brothers," died Jan. 2. News reports listed his age at 92.

Based on the 1992 book by historian Stephen E. Ambrose, the HBO mini-series came out in 2001 and was produced by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg.

The story follows the tragedies and triumphs of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion, E Company.

To Mr. Winters, these citizen-soldiers came to be known as the men of Easy Company -- paratroopers who jumped into combat on June 6, 1944 above Normandy, France.

According to Ambrose's account, Easy Company suffered 150 percent casualties throughout the war.

One of the soldiers who served in Easy Company, David Webster, once wrote that among his colleagues the Purple Heart "was not a decoration but a badge of office."

Mr. Winters, who separated from the Army at the rank of major, and his men fought together through D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge and later occupied Adolf Hitler's mountainside retreat, the Eagle's Nest, near Berchtesgaden.

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2011/01/dick_winters_who_inspired_band.html

Damn, he was my favorite guy from the mini-series, too. I really liked his story.

 

[DiebytheSword]

More important he was a great soldier and a leader his men were obviously proud of. Extraordinary men in extraordinary times. God rest your soul good sir, and thank you.

 

[Sicron]

If he was anything like the leader he was portrayed to be in Band of Brothers (which I assume he is), then a great man has died. I was surprised to see that the man never got a Medal of Honor, he deserved it though. Without Winters, Easy company would have never survived, his leadership and intelligence kept the morale in Easy company as high as it could be, and without him, who knows how the war could've turned out. RIP.

 

[DiebytheSword]

If he was anything like the leader he was portrayed to be in Band of Brothers (which I assume he is), then a great man has died. I was surprised to see that the man never got a Medal of Honor, he deserved it though. Without Winters, Easy company would have never survived, his leadership and intelligence kept the morale in Easy company as high as it could be, and without him, who knows how the war could've turned out. RIP.

"Although there was a movement to award him the Medal Of Honor, our country’s highest decoration, Winters himself never pushed for it. This would come as no surprise to those who served with him for it was always about the men. " - Breitbart's Big Peace.

 

[Mkilbride]

Yeah, I read that article. He should have gotten it, really, but like it says, HE never pushed for it, so yeah. He became my favorite in the series because he just felt so real...I mean most World War 2 movies portray them in such an odd way, either really hardcore and tough, or incredibly emotional. They felt...well, like normal people in this, and that's why it clicked so well with people. They weren't cliches...it was a real story, and portrayed well. Plus, it had the Battle of the Buldge, which my Grandfather took part in and was awarded the Purple Heart in as well, so it was a very breath taking scene to see what it was like, and imagine my Grandfather in such conditions.

 

[Spunky]

Aww, he was my second favorite Dick, after Dick Meadows.