Dick Winters of 'Band of Brothers' fame dies at 92

Richard "Dick" Winters, the Easy Company commander whose World War II exploits were made famous by the book and television miniseries "Band of Brothers," died last week in central Pennsylvania. He was 92.

Winters died after a several-year battle with Parkinson's disease, longtime family friend William Jackson said Monday.

An intensely private and humble man, Winters had asked that news of his death be withheld until after his funeral, Jackson said. Winters lived in Hershey, Pa., but died in suburban Palmyra.

The men Winters led expressed their admiration for their company commander after learning of his death.

William Guarnere, 88, said what he remembers about Winters was "great leadership."

"When he said 'Let's go,' he was right in the front," Guarnere, who was called "Wild Bill" by his comrades, said Sunday night from his South Philadelphia home. "He was never in the back. A leader personified."

Another member of the unit living in Philadelphia, Edward Heffron, 87, said thinking about Winters brought a tear to his eye.

"He was one hell of a guy, one of the greatest soldiers I was ever under," said Heffron, who had the nickname "Babe" in the company. "He was a wonderful officer, a wonderful leader. He had what you needed, guts and brains. He took care of his men, that's very important."

Winters was born Jan. 21, 1918, and studied economics at Franklin & Marshall College before enlisting, according to a biography on the Penn State website.

Winters became the leader of Company E, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne Division on D-Day, after the death of the company commander during the invasion of Normandy.

During that invasion, Winters led 13 of his men in destroying an enemy battery and obtained a detailed map of German defenses along Utah Beach. In September 1944, he led 20 men in a successful attack on a German force of 200 soldiers. Occupying the Bastogne area of Belgium at the time of the Battle of the Bulge, he and his men held their place until the Third Army broke through enemy lines, and Winters shortly afterward was promoted to major.

After returning home, Winters married his wife, Ethel, in May 1948, and trained infantry and Army Ranger units at Fort Dix during the Korean War. He started a company selling livestock feed to farmers, and he and his family eventually settled in a farmhouse in Hershey, where he retired.

Historian Stephen Ambrose interviewed Winters for the 1992 book "Band of Brothers," upon which the HBO miniseries that started airing in September 2001 was based. Winters himself published a memoir in 2006 called "Beyond Band of Brothers."

-- Associated Press

Photo: Maj. Richard "Dick" Winters in 1945. Credit: Associated Press / Courtesy of retired Sgt. Maj. Herman W. Clemens

 

Comments

[neil hollingshead]

The loss of a TRUE AMERICAN HERO. I salute him and our many veterans that gave so much for this country.
Also those in active duty today. A veteran once told me " I do this in honor of those that did not come home.never forget them they are my heros."

[Barb Cooley]

This man personified honor with humility, courage and grace. From the small part of him that was shown through "Band of Brothers" and then "Beyond Band of Brothers", I am certain that the likes of Dick Winters has seldom appeared throughout our country's history. Major Winters, thank you for your service and sacrifices, and may God bless your family during this time.

[Barbara Boll]

God bless Winter's and all men who fight for our Freedom!!

[Terry]

Rest in Peace Dick, an inspiration to all he came in contact with. The world would be a better place if men tried to be half the man he was. He should be part of our history books, children should be taught about the man he was. He was not only a great leader and soldier but a great man. The war was a small part of Dick, he was just as great being a civilian, friend, and nieghbor. He cared and loved his men all the way to the end. God Bless Dick Winters. We lost a Great Man..........