'He was one hell of a guy': Band Of Brothers war hero Major Richard 'Dick' Winters, 92, dies
By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 5:41 PM on 10th January 2011

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.

Major Richard 'Dick' Winters (pictured with Tom Hanks), whose bravery was the inspiration for HBO series Band Of Brothers, has died. The Emmy-winning mini series was directed by Steven Spielberg and Hanks and was the most expensive TV show at the time it aired in 2001 Stephen Ambrose's 1992 book was the inspiration for the ten-part HBO series which started airing in September 2001. Damian Lewis played Mr Winters in the TV show which was produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks. Band of Brothers was the most expensive television miniseries ever made at the time costing $12.5million an episode. It was nominated for 19 Emmy Awards and won six but received numerous other accolades.

Mr Winters published his memoir in 2006 entitled Beyond Band of Brothers. 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'. 'He was one hell of a guy, one of the greatest soldiers I was ever under. He was a wonderful officer, a wonderful leader. He had what you needed, guts and brains'

Another member of the unit, Edward Heffron, 87, said thinking about Winters brought tears to his eyes. 'He was one hell of a guy, one 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. The 'Easy Company' landed several miles from where they planned to on June 6 1944, and had to trek in full gear to Utah Beach on Normandy's coastline. They proceeded to knock out German soldiers and cannons at Brecourt Manor that were firing on Allied Forces.

Mr Winters led 13 of his men in destroying an enemy batter and managed to obtain detailed maps for the German command post - a major coup for the Allied forces. He then worked his way into the enemy trenches and destroyed four cannons that had held Allied troops at bay. While taking out the heavily fortified bunker, Mr Winters and his company killed 15 German soldiers and took 12 more as prisoners, helping to save countless American lives from the crushing cannon fire.

Mr Winters successfully led 20 men in an attack on a German force of 200 soldiers in September 1944. After he and his men helped hold the Bastogne area of Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge - he was promoted to major shortly thereafter. His company also successfully liberated a death camp at Dachau and fought through to Hitler's Eagle's Nest at Berchtesgaden. Mr Winters spoke to American History Magazine in 2004 about his views on leadership.

'If you can. Find that peace within yourself, that peace and quiet and confidence that you can pass on to others, so that they know that you are honest and you are fair and will help them, no matter what, when the chips are down', he said. 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'.

After the war Mr Winters was eagerly sought after for an insight into his leadership skills and became a successful businessman. He later trained infantry and Army Ranger units at Fort Dix during the Korean War.
Two years ago, an exhibit devoted to Mr Winters was dedicated at the Hershey-Derry Township Historical Society. He has also been the subject of a campaign to raise money to erect a monument in his honor near the beaches of Normandy.

One of Mr Winter's soldiers, Flloyd Talbert wrote a letter to his leader from a hospital in Indiana later in the war, expressing gratitude for his loyalty and leadership. 'You are loved and will never be forgotten by any soldier that ever served under you,' Mr Talbert wrote in 1945. 'I would follow you into hell.' Mr Winters was buried in a private funeral and arrangements are being made for a public memorial service.


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