Dick Winters from Easy Company "Band of Brothers" fame died on Jan. 2nd. Apparently, the word is slow getting out a week later. I have not really seen much news on this. Surprised I didn't see a story on CNN about it. This guy used to say that he was no hero but he served with a company of heroes in WWII. He truly was a great leader/soldier and, based on all I've read about him and seen from the mini-series, represented the elite of our fighting forces and will always have his place in history as one of the great ones from that era...along with the men he fought with in Easy Company. Thank you for all you did to defeat the Nazis and in service of your country. Rest in peace, Major Dick Winters.
Thanks for posting this. I recently watched "The Pacific" and it made me remember "Band of Brothers" and how some of the vets from each story are still around... ...minus one, it seems. He had a good long life, though. We owe these guys so much. Who knows what kind of world we'd live in if the Axis powers had won.
RIP It's really sad to think about how many WWII vets are no longer with us. Seems like we lose more every day. It's really a shame because those guys have so many stories to tell and there is still so much we can learn from them. The things they experienced on a daily basis would make most of us spoiled brats cry like little b****es. I'm just glad that Hollywood has started to tell their stories more and more as of late. Especially Hanks and Spielberg. They're not called The Greatest Generation for nothing.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postmortem/2011/01/dick-winters-dies-wwii-hero-co.html <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/eeWXoYHgmTU?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/eeWXoYHgmTU?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object> RIP, a True hero
Was watching WWII in HD last night and it reminded me to buy BoB on Blue Ray. Sad news to read! This guy is a true hero if there ever was one imo. R.I.P.
What sad news. I really need to read his book. His depiction in print and film for Band of Brothers is one of the most iconic and heroic roles I've seen. The world lost a true hero.
RIP. I've only seen a few band episodes of Band of Brothers but I don't need a dramatization to know he was a brave man who did his duty in WWII.
Wow. Just watched BoB last week and The Pacific yesterday and today and told to myself that it's really great they made those series in time to have some of the actual veterans in them.
A number of those guys have passed on since the series. However, I think that Guarnere, Heffron, Malarkey, and Compton are still alive. I never did get around to reading the original Ambrose book. I read Malarkey's book and thought it was rather good. Winters, Compton, and Guarnere and Heffron also have published memoirs.
I also vote Band of Brothers as the best mini-series ever made. It does speak to a specific genre, but it's amazing. RIP. He lived a long and event filled life - pretty amazing considering how many times he could have (or should have) died while fighting the war.
There are actually 36 living members of E Company. They keep a very updated list here. There are a few of the featured soldiers still alive and several of the replacements/non featured guys.
