Posted on 01/10/2011 9:38:29 AM PST by DBCJR
The U.S. officer whose quiet leadership was the central theme in TV's Band of Brothers has died aged 92. Major Richard 'Dick' Winters' World War II career was chronicled in a book of the same name. He died in central Pennsylvania on January 2.
Mr Winters lost his long battle with Parkinson's disease, longtime family friend William Jackson said today.
...
'He was one hell of a guy, of the greatest soldiers I was ever under. He was a wonderful officer, a wonderful leader. He had what you needed, guts and brains' ...
The men led by the war hero paid tribute to their commander and remembered his 'great leadership'. William Guarnere, 88, said: 'When he said "Let's go", he was right in the front. He was never in the back. A leader personified'.
Another member of the unit, Edward Heffron, 87, said thinking about Winters brought tears to his eyes. 'He was one hell of a guy, of the greatest soldiers I was ever under. He was a wonderful officer, a wonderful leader. He had what you needed, guts and brains', Mr Heffron shared.
'He took care of his men, that's very important.' Mr Winters became the leader of Company E, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne Division on D-Day after his company commander died during the invasion of Normandy. He successfully led 20 men in an attack on a German force of 200 soldiers in September 1944.
He and his men later helped hold the Bastogne area of Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge - he was promoted to major shortly thereafter. ... When asked if he considered himself a hero, he relayed the words of his World War II comrade Mike Ranney: 'No, but I served in a company of heroes'. ...
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Hitler counted on his crack Panzer units and his secret weapons......
But America had secret weapons too. Like the 101st Airborne and Dick Winters.
Hitler never counted on that.
The German command structure didn’t allow for as much improvisation by lower level troops, they had to wait for orders, whereas Americans had much more leeway to improvise without requiring orders.
I’ll never forget him saying this on TV: “ by grandson asked me if I was a “hero” in the war. I told him, no son, I was not a hero but I served with lots of them.
Yes, that old American trick of “improvise and kick ass” also was a factor against the Japanese.
Prayers for Major Winters and his family. My son begged for the “Band of Brothers” set. It is wonderful. To me, it showed simple men of all types doing what their country asked them to do. God Speed....
Thank you, that is the one I was talking about. I did leave out the word “company” of men but hey, I’m 72 today. Lucky to remember anything. LOL
Thank you so much for thie video.
Amen.
May he rest in peace.
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