• Maj. Dick Winters, war hero and inspiration for HBO's "Band of Brothers", dies
    101 replies, posted
[url]http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postmortem/2011/01/dick-winters-dies-wwii-hero-co.html[/url] [release]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. A charismatic officer who led by example, Mr. Winters received the Distinguished Service Cross, the country's second highest decoration for valor, while conducting combat operations on D-Day. Mr. Winters led a small group of men on a raid of German cannon emplacements near Utah beach on Normandy's coastline. While taking out the heavily fortified bunker, Mr. Winters and his men killed 15 German soldiers and took 12 more hostage, helping to save countless American lives from the withering cannon fire. Later in the war, one of Mr. Winters's soldiers, Floyd Talbert, wrote a letter to the officer from a hospital in Indiana expressing gratitude for his loyalty and leadership. "You are loved and will never be forgotten by any soldier that ever served under you," Talbert wrote to Mr. Winters in 1945. "I would follow you into hell." For Mr. Winters, his soldiers were his Band of Brothers and their experiences together in the war "created a bond between the men of E company that will last forever." If you have any memories about Mr. Winters please feel free to leave your comments below. In the meantime, check out this clip from HBO's "Band of Brothers," where Mr. Winters describes a letter he received from Myron "Mike" Ranney. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeWXoYHgmTU&feature=player_embedded[/media][/release] :patriot:
fucking laaaame we all knew it was coming though, he was really old RIP dick
RIP bro
I poured some of my 40 for this fallen homie.
-snip-
I hear this guy was a Major Dick. :downsrim: In all seriousness, RIP.
What? I though he had already passed away, so this struck my pretty hard :smith: R.I.P Always bothered me that I didn't read the BoB book. Gonna order it right now.
From the little I've seen of this series, these men are true heroes. :patriot: Requiescat in pace
[QUOTE=Fycix;27324143]From the little I've seen of this series, these men are true heroes. :patriot: Requiescat in pace[/QUOTE] [quote=Wikipedia]Later that day, Winters led an attack that destroyed a battery of German 105 mm howitzers which were firing onto the causeways that served as the principal exits from Utah Beach.[30] The guns were defended by approximately one platoon of fifty German troops, while Winters had only thirteen men.[30] This action south of the village of Le Grand-Chemin is often referred to as the Brécourt Manor Assault. The attack is still taught at the military academy at West Point as an example of a textbook assault on a fixed position.[31] In addition to destroying the battery, Winters also obtained a map detailing all German defenses in the Utah Beach area.[32] [/quote] This guy had balls of fucking iron.
No! He was incredibly awesome and I loved the Band of Brothers series, Rest In Peace bro.
Winter dicks. Rest in peace, guy I've never heard of.
[QUOTE=paul simon;27324411]Winter dicks. Rest in peace, guy I've never heard of.[/QUOTE] Although the BoB miniseries is the only reason I've heard of him; You should really watch it.
Did he ever get the Medal of Honor he rightly deserved?
Distinguished Service Cross Bronze Star (2) Purple Heart Presidential Unit Citation American Defense Service Medal National Defense Service Medal European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal Army of Occupation Medal Croix de guerre French Liberation Medal Oorlogskruis Belgian WWII Service Medal Good Conduct Medal Combat Infantryman Badge Parachutist Badge
Gonna re-watch BoB in memory, RIP mate.
touching video, rest in peace man.
Oh my god. That's so sad.. D:
[QUOTE=lolwutdude;27324478]Did he ever get the Medal of Honor he rightly deserved?[/QUOTE] Don't think he did, although I thought I heard something about him being recommended for one not too long ago. Maybe it was someone else
While reading this in class, I shed a tear. Rest in peace.
This was the man, that ran entirely on his own, through a german-defended town with tanks and large AT-cannons, to inform his men on the other side of it. And he then fucking ran right through the same way he motherfucking came. I would like to see anyone in any war of this day perform that kind of selfless bravery. That, and he was completely nuts. /salute retard edit: Apparently I mixed the two up :saddowns: Please don't roll over me in a Tiger tank.
[QUOTE=MendozaMan;27325001]This was the man, that ran entirely on his own, through a german-defended town with tanks and large AT-cannons, to inform his men on the other side of it. And he then fucking ran right through the same way he motherfucking came. I would like to see anyone in any war of this day perform that kind of selfless bravery. That, and he was completely nuts. /salute[/QUOTE] actually that was ronald speirs
[QUOTE=MendozaMan;27325001]This was the man, that ran entirely on his own, through a german-defended town with tanks and large AT-cannons, to inform his men on the other side of it. And he then fucking ran right through the same way he motherfucking came. I would like to see anyone in any war of this day perform that kind of selfless bravery. That, and he was completely nuts. /salute[/QUOTE] Wasn't that Speirs? :ninja: RIP
[QUOTE=Raidyr;27325161]Wasn't that Speirs? :ninja: RIP[/QUOTE] [img]http://avatars.fpcontent.net/image.php?u=1664&dateline=1276117302[/img]:respek:[img]http://avatars.fpcontent.net/image.php?u=89117&dateline=1189951286[/img]
. . . >:
Shame to see him go. It seems we're at that stage where all the WW2 vets are passing on.
[QUOTE=Sethorion;27325190]Shame to see him go. It seems we're at that stage where all the WW2 vets are passing on.[/QUOTE] The 90s took most of them, now it's just the hardy ones who are going. Another 10 and there won't be any, I think. Kind of a shame to see the generation go.
damn that sucks
:smith:
I bet he's shootin' invading hell nazis in heaven right now...
WHAT? MAJOR W- hnnnnnnngggghhh :C
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