R.I.P. **** Winters, Band of Brothers

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

Another of America's Greatest Generation passes.

http://mobile.pennlive.com/advpenn/pm_29239/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=ZXMzqBhc

 

[Dyno]

Oh no...Very sad news.

 

[SockPuppet]

RIP. A great American and a true hero - an average man in extraordinary circumstances who carried out the job to which he was assigned, like thousands of those in WWII.

In the final Band of Brothers segment, will always remember his final words about not being a hero but serving in a company of heroes.

 

[micropolitan guy]

A truly great American leader, and definitely a hero, even if he did not want to be known as one.

Apparently he died on Jan. 2 and was buried on Friday, but wanted a private service with no publicity. I'm not surprised. A public service will be forthcoming; he was 92 years of age.

 

[bigbadeagle]

On my way to work today, and I don't know why, but I was thinking of how there are no World War I living vets and how the number of living World War II vets continues to dwindle. And I thought of **** Winters and wondered how he was faring.
Currahee! ... to one of the great American soldiers ever.

 

[DanOregon]

It always amazed me that these guys went home after the war and lived their lives, most in everyday, comparably mundane jobs. I'm glad we had the opportunity to recognize, better understand and appreciate not only these BofB, but all of the bands of brothers that served so capably in World War II.
RIP Mr. Winters.

 

[buckweaver]

On my way to work today, and I don't know why, but I was thinking of how there are no World War I living vets and how the number of living World War II vets continues to dwindle.

Frank Buckles didn't see combat, but he is very much a living WWI veteran.

http://pershingslastpatriot.com/

And RIP to Mr. Winters, who set a great example to us all.

 

[Shoeless Joe]

RIP Major Winters
Thanks for all you did a job well done.

 

[Killick]

Was bummed, but then thought about Nixon, Lip, Popeye, Shifty and the rest of Easy Company receiving him in heaven.

Must've been a helluva reunion.

 

[Evil Bastard (aka Chris_L)]

I think Lipton is still alive.

If you have a minute and you know the history of **** Winters - you should compare it to what Ralph Houk did in World War II. http://www.baseballinwartime.com/player_biographies/houk_ralph.htm

The two had very similar military careers.

 

[lisa_simpson]

I think Lipton is still alive.

If you have a minute and you know the history of **** Winters - you should compare it to what Ralph Houk did in World War II. http://www.baseballinwartime.com/player_biographies/houk_ralph.htm

The two had very similar military careers.

Lipton died in December of '01. Compton, Guarnere, Malarkey, Perconte and Babe Heffron are among the notable names still with us.

 

[Evil Bastard (aka Chris_L)]

Thanks - I confused Compton and Lipton

 

[Batman]

Winters wrote a sequel of sorts, to "Band of Brothers." It was his personal memoirs, called "Beyond Band of Brothers." Covered a lot of the same ground as the first book, obviously -- plus a lot of it was based off leftover interviews with Ambrose -- but it's still worth reading. It's like a deleted scenes disc for BoB.

 

[Just_An_SID]

It is interesting that in one story online, Guarnere says that he would fight to hell and back if Winters were leading the platoon.

Seems to me that when you consider dropping into France on D-Day and by fighting at Bastogne that they already did go to hell and back.

RIP Major Winters. You are a hero in my book.

 

[Killick]

Winters wrote a sequel of sorts, to "Band of Brothers." It was his personal memoirs, called "Beyond Band of Brothers." Covered a lot of the same ground as the first book, obviously -- plus a lot of it was based off leftover interviews with Ambrose -- but it's still worth reading. It's like a deleted scenes disc for BoB.

Winter's book was awesome. He spent a bunch of it deflecting the glory, which was nice. I've read Guarnere and Heffron's book, too, which was good.

Compton's was less so, and disappointing. His should have been the most interesting, considering the career he had afterward, but it wasn't. And he got all Republican-preachy at the end, which was a turn-off. Understandable, considering he was such a GOP player in California politics later in life, but still... out of place, it seemed. He also wasn't a great fan of the mini-series.

 

[Birdscribe]

This one hurt. I can't put my finger on it, but of all the obits here and elsewhere, this one hit me as hard as any "celebrity" death since Molly Ivins.

Ambrose first wrote a book called "Citizen Soldiers," in which he profiled the lives of many "everyday" soldiers who answered the call to fight in WW II. That's where I first heard of **** Winters and where I'm sure Ambrose got the idea for "Band of Brothers."

There was a biography of Winters I bought Mrs. Birdscribe called "The Biggest Brother." It pointed out everything in his personality, including his bewilderment at the attention he received in the wake of "Band." One of the most interesting elements the writer brought up was all the interview requests Winters received after the mini-series came out.

The first question Winters asked the would-be interviewer was "Did you read the book?" Not "Did you watch the mini-series." If the answer to his question was in the negative, the call and interview was over. As Winters saw it, he was an old man with not much time left and didn't have much to waste on people who he felt were wasting his time.

If you HAD read the book, he was as gracious and accommodating as a late eightsomething could be.

That said, RIP to Major **** Winters, DSC, ShouldhavereceivedtheMedalofHonor. You not only served in a company of heroes, but you defined and embodied the meaning of the word.

 

[Finbar071]

Maj. **** Winters epitomized everything we want our country and military to be. We have lost a great man and a great American -- although he did everything in his power to be humble, unassuming and anonymous.

Saw an old quote from Sgt. Floyd Talbert, who passed away some time ago, writing that he would follow **** Winters into hell.

I think I would, too. Thanks to the HBO series, we all feel like we got to know the men of Easy Company, and got to appreciate what they endured. That's why we're so affected by the passing of each and every one of them.

Rest in peace, Major.

 

[SockPuppet]

Ambrose first wrote a book called "Citizen Soldiers," in which he profiled the lives of many "everyday" soldiers who answered the call to fight in WW II.

One of the most remarable aspects of WWII was the fact that America had to build an army of civilians to defeat professional armies from Germany and Japan. Men like Winters were called to duty, did their duty and helped change our world.

(I would salute here but the Big Ten refs would throw a flag.)

 

[highlander]

Found this site last week. Thought it was really interesting. Shadow boxes for each of the men who served in Easy Company, 506 P.I.R. 101st Airborne Division.

http://www.frankdeangelis.com/Easy%20Co.%20506%20PIR%20101st%20Airborne.htm

 

[Twoback]

Oh no...Very sad news.

**** Winters was 92 years old when he passed and was left widely acknowledged as the hero he had been, having done more than his fair share to save the free world.
That is not sad.
That is a glorious story.