Dick Winters of Easy Co., 506th Reg., 101st Airborne has passed away.
Most of those of us who know of him do so through HBO’s magnificent mini-series “Band of Brothers”, the single best docu-drama that it has ever been my pleasure to watch, bar none.
Obviously I was watching an actor (as well as the interviews with him included on the DVDs), but considering the fantastic level of cooperation between the film-makers, crew and actors and the vets they were portraying, I have a feeling that the HBO version of Dick Winters was pretty spot on. As in “the men who served under Winters would’ve ripped the heads off of Hanks et al if they’d misrepresented a man that they clearly both respected and loved.
“In combat, he wrote 50 years after the war, “your reward for a good job done is that you get the next tough mission.”
Not this time, sir. This time your reward lies in heaven. No more missions for you, you’ve served your time in hell.
A grateful nation salutes you and prays that we may always have men like you in our hour of need.
Thatisall.
Winters epitomizes what leadership is all about. Having been in the 101st myself, he is STILL revered and rightfully so.
R.I.P. Warrior I will toast in your honor tonight!!
RIP Sir.
I may have to break out the DVD set and watch that again. I can never get more than half way before it’s just too emotionally intense to go further.
i served in the 101st in 1968 while my uncle bob served in the 82 airborne,jump class#1 and these were the men that we all looked up to and tried to be just like them.it is sad to see another brave ww11 vet. pass but i believe i will see them again and drink a beer with them.
The 101st was my first duty station from October 1987 to October 1988. Dick Winters set a standard that endures today and beyond.
Rest in Peace, sir.
I’m just another “Leg” groundpounder grunt, anyway, Rest In Peace, fellow Warrior, you saw a lot more of hell than I have, you’ve earned your place in Heaven.
Rest In Peace Major Winters.
You saw your duty and you did it well.
Now it’s time to join the rest of your comrades of “Easy” company. God Bless You All!
‘Collecting soda bottles to buy Easy Company with Sargent Rock comic books when I was a kid many years before I learned that those were the toned down versions of battle,,for kids. The Real Easy Company took and dealt much more brutally than the kid’s books could ever portray. But, I found heros there, and later found that they were… Read more »