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RIP Major Winters - Band of Brothers

the 4th hanson bro

the 4th hanson bro

No one can resist my Schweddy Balls
Admiral
Major Dick Winters, chronicled in Band of Brothers, passed away on January 2 at the age of 92.

After enlisting in the Army on Aug. 25, 1941, the Pennsylvania native was deployed with fellow soldiers in Easy Company -- the 506th regiment of the 101st Airborne Division -- to land by parachute in France on D-Day, June 6, 1944. By leading the takeover of a German artillery bunker on Utah Beach, Winters and his company saved countless lives from relentless cannon fire -- an action that earned him the Distinguished Service Cross, the second-highest honor an American soldier can receive. Winters and Easy Company later fought near the Belgian town of Foy during the Battle of the Bulge, liberated the German concentration camp at Dachau, and occupied Hitler's mountainside retreat, Eagle's Nest.
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When asked if he was a hero in the war, he would reply "No, but I served in the company of them."

Thank you for your service and heroism, Major Winters.
 
Thank you and God bless you, Dick Winters.
Truly, an American hero.



(as an aside, i am completely disappointed that NYTimes has no mention of the man since the news of his passing, not even off the wires. just nothing. seriously?)
 
Perhaps I should get round to watch Band of Brothers.

Seems like a great man nonetheless. And as always, I'm grateful for America's sacrifice for us.
 
RIP, Major. Truly a great man.

I read his memoir a few years ago, which was called Beyond Band of Brothers, IIRC. Highly recommended.
 
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SchwEnt said:
Thank you and God bless you, Dick Winters.
Truly, an American hero.



(as an aside, i am completely disappointed that NYTimes has no mention of the man since the news of his passing, not even off the wires. just nothing. seriously?)
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update:
NYTimes finally posted the obit about 18 hours after yahoo news. whatever.

rest well, dick winters.
 
One thing that was telling about his character was that he left instructions to keep news of his passing quiet until after the funeral.

Even in death he was uncomfortable with the attention.
 
^Very considerate to his family members too. He spared them the media attention at a difficult time.
 
the 4th hanson bro said:
When asked if he was a hero in the war, he would reply "No, but I served in the company of them."
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Technically, he was quoting one of the sergeants from Easy Company, Sgt Mike Ranney. He had written Winters a letter, and in that Ranney said, "I cherish the memories of a question my grandson asked me the other day when he said, 'Grandpa, were you a hero in the war?' Grandpa said 'No… but I served in a company of heroes…'"

No matter who says it, that quote is powerful beyond description. At the end of the documentary, "We Stand Together, Alone" on the last disc of the 'Band of Brothers' DVD, Winters slightly breaks down when quoting that on camera. Stone would break hearing him say that.
 
Neroon said:
the 4th hanson bro said:
When asked if he was a hero in the war, he would reply "No, but I served in the company of them."
Click to expand...

Technically, he was quoting one of the sergeants from Easy Company, Sgt Mike Ranney. He had written Winters a letter, and in that Ranney said, "I cherish the memories of a question my grandson asked me the other day when he said, 'Grandpa, were you a hero in the war?' Grandpa said 'No… but I served in a company of heroes…'"

No matter who says it, that quote is powerful beyond description. At the end of the documentary, "We Stand Together, Alone" on the last disc of the 'Band of Brothers' DVD, Winters slightly breaks down when quoting that on camera. Stone would break hearing him say that.
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Oh, I know...I know I definitely choked up.

I am so glad Winters was blessed with such a long life--and I am also deeply grateful for his service and character. I was thinking of him a few days ago, and everyone else who served with him...I didn't even know about his passing, but every winter when it starts to get really cold and bitter, I find myself reflecting on what he and the rest of them went through in Bastogne.


Oh...and Marten, you will definitely like Band of Brothers. Be aware that it is very graphic and drives home just how horrible that war really got. But it is very, VERY good.
 
Nerys Ghemor said:
every winter when it starts to get really cold and bitter, I find myself reflecting on what he and the rest of them went through in Bastogne.
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You know, I do the same thing. It's hard to imagine how bad it must have been even after seing it potrayed so well on TV.
 
It was particularly powerful a few days ago. I could almost see it in front of me during our prayer in church this Sunday. It was that powerful.

Who knows. Maybe on some level I knew.
 
Nerys Ghemor said:
Be aware that it is very graphic and drives home just how horrible that war really got. But it is very, VERY good.
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It definitely was graphic, but you know... at no point did I ever feel it was gratuitous or unnecessary. I thought they straddled that line very well, giving the viewer a decent enough sense of that aspect. But then you have to wonder how possible is it for any of us never having seen combat of any kind ... to know what it truly was like.
 
I didn't want to give the impression I thought it was gratuitous. But I think that those with a sensitive stomach should be careful. Or at least not eat while they're watching.
 
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