'Band of Brothers' inspiration dies at age 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 following 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.

Lindsay Lohan, 24, and Paris Hilton got their names and faces all over the
news because they went to jail for a few short weeks or days for acting out,
negative behavior, resisting arrest, cocaine possession, being drunk and
disorderly, not to mention their insolent attitude.

What do you know about these men?

Justin Allen, 23

Brett Linley, 29

Matthew Weikert, 29

Justus Bartett, 27

Dave Santos , 21

Chase Stanley, 21

Jesse Reed, 26

Matthew Johnson, 21

Zachary Fisher, 24

Brandon King, 23

Christopher Goeke, 23

Sheldon Tate, 27

Do you recognize any of their names? No? None of them starred in a movie or
made a record album, hit a homerun or scored a 2 point conversion or did a
celebration in the end zone after scoring a touchdown. None of them brags
about “showcasing their talents for their fans” while being paid millions
and millions of dollars.

Did that help? No? Well then I should tell you that they are all Marines who
gave their lives for YOU this week. They died for honor and country. They
are all heroes of the highest magnitude. How much did you read about them ?

Honor THEM by forwarding this. I just did!

We are asking everyone to say a prayer for “Darkhorse” 3rd Battalion 5th
Marines and their families. They are fighting it out in Afghanistan & they
have lost 9 marines in 4 days. IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE the message spread if
more could pass it on..

God Bless America and

God Bless the United States Marine Corps...

Often Tested, Always Faithful, Brothers Forever

Honor THEM by forwarding this. I just did!!!

A Marine Corps veteran is being sued by his Cypress-area homeowners association because the flagpole on which he flies the United States and Marine Corps flags does not meet his subdivision’s design guidelines.
Mike Merola and his lawyer, Lee Thweatt, say this is a classic case of overreach by a nitpicking homeowners association. Lakeland Village Community Association says it is seeking to enforce its rules evenly on all residents.
Standing in his backyard in a black T-shirt bearing an eagle and the American flag, the 60-year-old Merola called that argument “a lame excuse.” After his application to erect a 20-foot flagpole in his backyard was denied, he protested in a series of letters and, ultimately, erected the pole anyway.
“They just don’t understand, unless they’ve been in the military, to feel the pride that I feel in flying that flag high and proud,” said Merola, who served in the Marines from 1969 to 1977. “The excuses and things that they came up with for me not being able to fly that flagpole, I just didn’t buy. That’s why I bucked the system and put it up.”
The association’s lawyer, Nina Tran, said her clients encourage residents who wish to fly the flag to do so — as long as that flag is attached to a 6-foot pole mounted on a resident’s home, as the bylaws stipulate.
Such an approach is “in keeping with the residential nature of the community,” the board wrote in a statement. The suit alleges the pole is “a detriment to Lakeland Village and … (causes) imminent harm and irreparable injury to (the association).” The suit seeks a $10 fine for every day the pole stays standing, a court order to remove it and payment of attorneys’ fees.
“The problem with a flagpole of that height and that significance is that it flaps in the wind and causes noise to other homeowners,” Tran said. “If we allow the mounting of a 20-foot freestanding flagpole in the backyard, who’s to say that the next person isn’t going to mount it to the top of their roof? We have to have standards.”
But Merola, who moved into the neighborhood in March 2009, bringing the flagpole from his former residence, said he’s received only compliments from neighbors about the pole, whether from kids skateboarding by on the walking path behind his back fence or from neighbors who’ve stopped to investigate the source of all the gossip.
Neighbors don’t mind
“I don’t understand why the homeowners association overreacted like this,” said Thweatt, Merola’s lawyer, and a Marine himself. “I understand they have to protect the property values of the people in that subdivision, but they’ve had no complaints. It’s not like the guy painted his house neon orange.”
Merola’s next-door neighbors, Satish and Ann Kalra, said the pole does not bother them.
“The homeowners association should look at the rules again,” Satish Kalra said. “If the rules need to be modified, they should be modified. … That would be the logical thing to do.”
Tran said even if Merola has not received complaints, another neighbor with a similar flagpole might.
Thweatt, who took the case pro bono, said he believes the suit violates the Freedom to Display the American Flag Act of 2005, which says, in part, that a homeowners association “may not adopt or enforce any policy … that would restrict or prevent a member of the association from displaying the flag.”
No court date has been scheduled in the case.
“I hope we can come to some kind of agreement that will let me continue to fly the flag loud and proud for as long as I live,” Merola said.

Stand at ease Major and thank you for your service and a job well done.

Band of brothers- Requiem for a soldier Music and Lyrics

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYYZkCLdQfY&feature=related

Lyrics to Requiem For A Soldier :

You never lived to see
What you gave to me
One shining dream of hope and love
Life and liberty
With a host of brave unknown soldiers
For your company you will live forever
Here in our memory

In fields of sacrifice
Heroes paid the price
Young men who died for old men’s wars
Gone to paradise
We are all one great band of brothers
And one day you’ll see we can live together
When all the world is free

I wish you’d lived to see
All you gave to me
Your shining dream of hope and love
Life and liberty
We are all one great band of brothers
And one day you’ll see - we can live together
When all the world is free
You never lived to see
What you gave to me
One shining dream of hope and love
Life and liberty
With a host of brave unknown soldiers
For your company you will live forever
Here in our memory

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