Maj. Dick Winters...RIP

[GIJOHN]

Not sure if this belongs here, but just read that he passed away at age 92. Great man, thank you for your service. RIP

[Tadgh, Stooge!]

Wow. A man who left his heroic mark on history, anyway. RIP.

[mohawk101]

a great man and he will be remembered always.

[Darkshader]

My favorite character from the Band of Brothers. Glad i was able to purchase his action figure. My dad also died last august 12, 2010 and he is a veteran of world war 2 in the pacific. So i really honor them for giving us the freedom that we have right now.

[JTFazz]

Sad to hear. A great man, humble, decent, brave and heroic.

[Spartan Rex]

The embodiment of patriot/hero in every respect.
Thank God in Heaven above America had such men answer the call in such a dark hour.
Bless you for setting an awe inspiring example for future generations Maj. Winters, you will be missed.

[STALL STUFF]

RIP and thank you for you various contributions and insight. It has help me understand your generation.

[legionnaire75]

Truly a sad event. May he rejoin his other fallen team mates of Easy Company who will be ready to run Curahee with him once again. RIP

[doomhammer]

My respect to this most honorable man and his family. Very sad news...

[kyle123-2007]

RIP Maj. Winters, Truely an outstanding individual.

[Spartan Rex]

PHILADELPHIA -- Richard "Dick" Winters, the Easy Company commander whose World War II exploits were made famous by the book and television miniseries "Band of Brothers," died last week in central Pennsylvania. He was 92.
Winters died following a several-year battle with Parkinson's disease, longtime family friend William Jackson said Monday.
An intensely private and humble man, Winters had asked that news of his death be withheld until after his funeral, Jackson said. Winters lived in Hershey, Pa., but died in suburban Palmyra.
The men Winters led expressed their admiration for their company commander after learning of his death.
William Guarnere, 88, said what he remembers about Winters was "great leadership."
"When he said 'Let's go,' he was right in the front," Guarnere, who was called "Wild Bill" by his comrades, said Sunday night from his South Philadelphia home. "He was never in the back. A leader personified."
Another member of the unit living in Philadelphia, Edward Heffron, 87, said thinking about Winters brought a tear to his eye.
"He was one hell of a guy, one of the greatest soldiers I was ever under," said Heffron, who had the nickname "Babe" in the company. "He was a wonderful officer, a wonderful leader. He had what you needed, guts and brains. He took care of his men, that's very important."
Winters was born Jan. 21, 1918 and studied economics at Franklin & Marshall College before enlisting, according to a biography on the Penn State website.
Winters became the leader of Company E, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne Division on D-Day, after the death of the company commander during the invasion of Normandy.
During that invasion, Winters led 13 of his men in destroying an enemy battery and obtained a detailed map of German defenses along Utah Beach. In September 1944, he led 20 men in a successful attack on a German force of 200 soldiers.
Occupying the Bastogne area of Belgium at the time of the Battle of the Bulge, he and his men held their place until the Third Army broke through enemy lines, and Winters shortly afterward was promoted to major.
After returning home, Winters married his wife, Ethel, in May 1948, and trained infantry and Army Ranger units at Fort Dix during the Korean War. He started a company selling livestock feed to farmers, and he and his family eventually settled in a farmhouse in Hershey, Pa., where he retired.
Historian Stephen Ambrose interviewed Winters for the 1992 book "Band of Brothers," upon which the HBO miniseries that started airing in September 2001 was based. Winters himself published a memoir in 2006 entitled "Beyond Band of Brothers."
Two years ago, an exhibit devoted to Winters was dedicated at the Hershey-Derry Township Historical Society. Winters, in frail health in later years, has also been the subject of a campaign to raise money to erect a monument in his honor near the beaches of Normandy.
Winters talked about his view of leadership for an August 2004 article in American History Magazine:
"If you can," he wrote, "find that peace within yourself, that peace and quiet and confidence that you can pass on to others, so that they know that you are honest and you are fair and will help them, no matter what, when the chips are down."
When people asked whether he was a hero, he echoed the words of his World War II buddy, Mike Ranney: "No, but I served in a company of heroes."
"He was a good man, a very good man," Guarnere said. "I would follow him to hell and back. So would the men from E Company."
Arrangements for a public memorial service are pending.



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Read more: 'Band of Brothers' Inspiration Dies at Age 92 - FoxNews.com

[Scribby]

Very sad to hear. A great man and a true patriot, he will be missed.

[Seawolf]

I didn't know that there were words to the Band of Brothers theme until the other day.

I think this says it all about Major Winters.

Requiem for a Soldier

You never lived to see,
What you gave to me,
One shining dream of hope and love,
Life and liberty.

With a host of brave unknown soldiers,
For your company, you will live forever,
Here in our memory.

In fields of sacrifice,
Heroes paid the price,
Young men who died for old men's wars,
Gone to paradise.

We are all one great band of brothers,
And one day you'll see we can live together,
When all the world is free,

I wish you'd lived to see,
All you gave to me,
Your shining dream of hope and love,
Life and liberty,

We are all one great band of brothers,
And one day you'll see - we can live together,
When all the world is free,

[MK-23]

Wow. Very sad news. RIP Major.

[hehateme23]

RIP Major Winters

an inspiration to all and an American hero.

[hatman]

Currahee! RIP

[ali6874]

Thank you Major.....you were a hero, a great leader of men and most of all humble

[lelima]

RIP Major.

[tony_b38]

A true Hero

[40th arty]

yes, a true hero!
many of us wonder if we would have done the same and if we would have behaved so well under so much duress. i'm sure with idiots like the nazis and the imperial japanese trying to take over the world we would have done the same.
and a salute to all the other men who kicked arse in that honorable cause!

oh, and let's not forget about the outstanding job our boys are doing all over the world right now!

[boomer]

Godspeed, Major Winters.

[Abn_Chief]

Damnit! Great man and great warrior. Rest easy Paratrooper.

[gunm]

Despite his humility, a Real American hero he. RIP.

[nicomapark17]

IF only all officers were of that caliber... RIP Major. At ease.

[k9cop33]

RIP Major Winters

A true American hero.

[biohazard75]

Here's my Tribute to an American Hero.

R.I.P Winters

[Docski85]

From an active duty sailor to an army hero!!

Hand Salute!!!!

[tys1977]

Only just found out about his passing today
R.I.P Major Winters,
Thank you so much for everything you and your generation did for us.

Kindest regards
Tys

[CineChild]

My Uncle fought at the Bulge--never would talk about it--he was barely five feet, but no one stood taller in my eyes. He passed two years ago. The interviews with Maj. Winters reminded me of my Uncle so much. The WWII generation -- we will never see their like again...may they all rest in peace.

[pukingdog]

There's a fortunate bunch of kids who got to see him speak at their schools. By all accounts, he passed on simple and true wisdom to them. A good man to the very end.