Richard Winters, the World War II commander of Easy Company whose heroics and steady leadership were at the heart of Stephen Ambrose’s non-fiction best-seller and the HBO miniseries, Band of Brothers, has died, according to the Associated Press. He was 92 and had suffered from Parkinson’s Disease. Winters took control of Company E, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne during the invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944, and led them during their battles across western Europe. “When he said ‘Let’s go,’ he was right in the front,” William Guarnere told the AP. “He was never in the back. A leader personified.”
In the Emmy-winning miniseries, Winters was portrayed by Damian Lewis.
Watched the mini-series several times. Richard Winters was a real hero. He didn’t think he was, like most of the veterans on the show, he considered himself to be someone just doing his job. How, un-true. RIP.
I always get and always will get chills when he said that line in his interview “….but I served in a company of heroes” at the very end of the series. What a truly great man.
a true hero, patriot and american. they don’t make them like this anymore, rest in peace dear soldier. blessings of comfort to your family
We are losing the greatest generation of human kind. RIP a true hero.
Thank you, Maj. Winters for being our “biggest brother.” The world has lost a true hero…. even if he would never admit it!
This man was a true hero, and someone who we should want our kids to respect and emulate. It’s a shame that his death is less news worthy than Brittany Spears’ underware shoppiing, the fight on the bachelor, Natalie Portman’s baby bump…. We really need to get our priorities straight.