RIP, a great man.

 

Dick Winters, of the 101st Airborne, Easy Company and Band of Brothers, has passed away.

 

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2011/01/dick_winters_of_band_of_brothe.html

Oh wow. I'm not much for honoring people online, but this guy was a hero.....along with all of our other service men and women. Band of Brothers was such a great series too, I have it on DVD.

 

I wonder if his ceremony will get a helicopter fly-over.....

Dick Winters lived in PA. Last year, I tried unsuccessfully to track him down. I think that he was located near Hershey. After several calls to "Winters", I couldn't find him. Few men could fill his shoes.

 

 

The 101st & 82nd are the standards for airborne courage and excellence.

 

President Bush was in Hershey in April, he called Winters “a fine example ... for those brave souls who now wear our nation’s uniform.”

 

Ambrose, the author of “Band of Brothers,” said in a 2001 BBC interview that he hopes young people say. “I want to be like Dick Winters.”

 

“Not necessarily as soldiers, but as that kind of leader, that kind of man, with basic honesty and virtue and an understanding of the difference between right and wrong,” Ambrose said.

 

 

Spectre.

Def lost a great man and a GREAT American hero!

Dick Winters was indeed a hero, what a tremendous loss... We are seeing so many from that generation go now.

 

This past year we lost my grandmother at 85 and my wife’s father Sonny at 85 years who was B-17 tail gunner in the "Bloody 100th".

 

My wife was a turn of life baby, her mother and father had her in their 40s after her brothers had both grown. In fact her brothers are my parent's age.

 

Their seemed to be little respect for what Sonny did from his children in part I guess because they either never learned or because they never cared. When I met Sonny for the first time I saw the wall of B-17 and WWII memorabilia in his family room and in the center was a 1940's map of Europe with dots marking all of his missions. Being a huge WWII buff I knew the story of the 8th Air Force and knew what it meant to be a tail gunner in a B-17 over Europe in 1943, especially in the 100th BG. I had the privilege and the honor to sit with Sonny on a couple of occasions and talk about his service in the 8th Air Force. He showed me his box of flack, his medals, throat mic and so many other things from his service. He was so humble about it; he was the last surviving member of his crew and I cannot tell you what a loss it is to no longer have him with us.

 

After his service in WWII he went on to become a Union City NJ Fire Captain, the man fell through three roofs, broke his back at least twice, survived three heart attacks, two open heart surgeries and even prostate cancer. He was the toughest old man I ever met and I miss him and his wisdom dearly.

 

I'm sorry to ramble on off topic but if you have anyone from this generation left in your family cherish the time you have left with them, they are truly something else and we are losing them by the thousands every week...

 

Sonny as everyone knew him hated his real name Cornelius and went by the name Joe in those years. He is holding the football on the far right.

Specter. Don't forget the 173rd Airborne Brigade. First into Vietnam, last out. Fought some of the nastiest fire fights.

Dick Winters was indeed a hero, what a tremendous loss... We are seeing so many from that generation go now.

 

This past year we lost my grandmother at 85 and my wife’s father Sonny at 85 years who was B-17 tail gunner in the "Bloody 100th".

 

My wife was a turn of life baby, her mother and father had her in their 40s after her brothers had both grown. In fact her brothers are my parent's age.

 

Their seemed to be little respect for what Sonny did from his children in part I guess because they either never learned or because they never cared. When I met Sonny for the first time I saw the wall of B-17 and WWII memorabilia in his family room and in the center was a 1940's map of Europe with dots marking all of his missions. Being a huge WWII buff I knew the story of the 8th Air Force and knew what it meant to be a tail gunner in a B-17 over Europe in 1943, especially in the 100th BG. I had the privilege and the honor to sit with Sonny on a couple of occasions and talk about his service in the 8th Air Force. He showed me his box of flack, his medals, throat mic and so many other things from his service. He was so humble about it; he was the last surviving member of his crew and I cannot tell you what a loss it is to no longer have him with us.

 

After his service in WWII he went on to become a Union City NJ Fire Captain, the man fell through three roofs, broke his back at least twice, survived three heart attacks, two open heart surgeries and even prostate cancer. He was the toughest old man I ever met and I miss him and his wisdom dearly.

 

I'm sorry to ramble on off topic but if you have anyone from this generation left in your family cherish the time you have left with them, they are truly something else and we are losing them by the thousands every week...

 

Sonny as everyone knew him hated his real name Cornelius and went by the name Joe in those years. He is holding the football on the far right.

{Image}

 

Thanks for the story! Reminds me that I really need to sit down and chat with my grandfather more often. He flew an F-84 throughout all of Korea.

another american hero gone - he used to stop by the peanut bar here in edison ( now rick + bills ) + have a drink with the working locals - Winters , Nixon , + Baldwin all worked at the nixon nitrates plant here in edison - yes he did live near hershey pa. for years - they are all remembered well in this area - many did not know what they did in wwII until the movie came out -

I read it while on lunch at work today...very sad indeed. A true hero.

Specter. Don't forget the 173rd Airborne Brigade. First into Vietnam, last out. Fought some of the nastiest fire fights.

 

 

Absolutely!! The country is filled with many proud Americans, still recovering from these nightmares. Thanks for the comment.

 

Spectre

RIP Major Winters, we as a whole cannot even begin to repay you for what you did for our men and our country. May god rest your soul, and may you find peace eternally. You are truly an American hero!

RIP to a true hero.

RIP Dick Winters,a true hero.

Truly sad.. I have met him and a few other easy company vets over the years. He will be missed.