NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Richard Winters

Richard D. Winters (born January 21, 1918) is a former United States Army officer who commanded Company "E" (popularly referred to as "Easy Company") of the 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR), 101st Airborne Division during the Second World War. Winters was portrayed in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers by Damian Lewis. is the 21st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... Nickname: Location of Lancaster County in Pennsylvania Location of Lancaster in Lancaster County Country United States State Pennsylvania County Lancaster Founded 1730 Incorporated March 10, 1818 Government - Mayor Rick Gray (D) Area - City 7. ... Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area Ranked 33rd - Total 46,055 sq mi (119,283 kmÂ²) - Width 280 miles (455 km) - Length 160 miles (255 km) - % water 2. ... The Army is the branch of the United States armed forces which has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... Major is a military rank the use of which varies according to country. ... E Company, 506th Infantry Regiment was a company of the 2nd Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, U.S. 101st Airborne Division during World War II on the frontlines in the European Theater. ... Symbol of the Austrian 14th Armoured Battalion in NATO military graphic symbols This article is about the military unit. ... During World War II, the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment (506th PIR) was a regiment of the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army. ... The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)â€”nicknamed the â€œScreaming Eaglesâ€â€”is an airborne division of the United States Army primarily trained for air assault operations. ... Combatants United States United Kingdom Canada Free France Poland Nazi Germany Commanders Dwight Eisenhower (Supreme Allied Commander) Bernard Montgomery (land) Bertram Ramsay (sea) Trafford Leigh-Mallory (air) Omar Bradley (U.S. 1st Army) Miles Dempsey (UK 2nd Army) Harry Crerar (Canadian 1st Army) Gerd von Rundstedt (OB WEST) Erwin Rommel... Combatants United Kingdom United States Canada Poland Germany Commanders Bernard Montgomery Brian Horrocks Roy Urquhart James M. Gavin Maxwell Taylor Stanislaw Sosabowski Walter Model Wilhelm Bittrich Kurt Student Strength 35,000 20,000 Casualties 11,377 dead,wounded or missing 6,450 Captured 2,000 Killed 6,000 Wounded Operation... For the 1965 film, see Battle of the Bulge (film). ... The Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) is an award of the United States Army which is presented to those officers, warrant officers and enlisted soldiers, in the grade of Colonel and below, who participate in active ground combat while assigned as a member of an infantry or special forces unit, brigade... The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) is the second highest military decoration of the United States Army, awarded for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. ... The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration and is the fourth highest award for bravery, heroism or meritorious service. ... For other meanings see Purple Heart (disambiguation). ... Please see Presidential Unit Citation for other versions of this award The Presidential Unit Citation is awarded to units of the Armed Forces of the United States and allies for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy on or after 7 December 1941 (the date of the Attack on... Knights Cross of the Order of William The Order of William is the highest military order of the Netherlands which was first created in 1815. ... â€œUSMAâ€ redirects here. ... is the 21st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... The United States Army is the largest and oldest branch of the armed forces of the United States. ... An officer is a member of a military, naval, or if applicable, other uniformed services who holds a position of responsibility. ... E Company, 506th Infantry Regiment was a company of the 2nd Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, U.S. 101st Airborne Division during World War II on the frontlines in the European Theater. ... Symbol of the Austrian 14th Armoured Battalion in NATO military graphic symbols This article is about the military unit. ... During World War II, the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment (506th PIR) was a regiment of the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army. ... The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)â€”nicknamed the â€œScreaming Eaglesâ€â€”is an airborne division of the United States Army primarily trained for air assault operations. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... For other uses, see HBO (disambiguation). ... Band of Brothers is an acclaimed 10-part television miniseries set during World War II, co-produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks. ... Damian Lewis is an English actor of Welsh descent. ...

Early life

Winters was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and grew up in nearby Ephrata. He graduated from Franklin and Marshall College in 1941 with a degree in business; while in college, Winters painted electrical towers for extra money. In his autobiography Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters, he is shown on top of one of the towers. Nickname: Location of Lancaster County in Pennsylvania Location of Lancaster in Lancaster County Country United States State Pennsylvania County Lancaster Founded 1730 Incorporated March 10, 1818 Government - Mayor Rick Gray (D) Area - City 7. ... Ephrata is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 38 miles (61 km) south east of Harrisburg and about 57 miles (91 km) west by north of Philadelphia. ... Franklin and Marshall College is a four-year private co-educational liberal arts college in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. ... For other uses, see 1941 (disambiguation). ...

During WWII

Winters enlisted in the Army in 1941 in order to shorten his time in service. Upon graduation from basic training, he was selected to attend Army Officer Candidate School (OCS) at Fort Benning, Georgia. It was there that he met his friend Lewis Nixon, with whom he would spend the duration of the war in the 101st Airborne Division, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant after graduation. Winters then volunteered for paratrooper training at Camp Toccoa in northeastern Georgia, and was an original member of Company "E" ("Easy Company") of the 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, initially serving as a platoon leader. During his training at Camp Toccoa, Winters was appointed Company Executive Officer (XO) and received a promotion to first lieutenant while under the company's original commander, Captain Herbert Sobel. U.S. Army recruits learn about bayonet fighting skills in an infantry Basic Combat Training at Fort Benning, Georgia. ... Officer Candidate School or Officer Cadet School (OCS) are institutions which train civilians and enlisted personnel in order for them to gain a commission as officers in the armed forces of a country. ... Fort Benning is a base facility of the United States military outside Columbus, Georgia. ... Lewis Nixon (September 30, 1918 - January 11, 1995) was a United States Army officer in the 101st Airborne Division, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion, Easy Company. ... The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)â€”nicknamed the â€œScreaming Eaglesâ€â€”is an airborne division of the United States Army primarily trained for air assault operations. ... Second Lieutenant is the lowest commissioned rank in many armed forces. ... An American USMC Paratrooper using a MC1-B series parachute Paratroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force. ... Camp Toccoa was a United States Army paratrooper training camp during World War II five miles west of Toccoa, Georgia. ... Standard NATO code for a friendly infantry company. ... Platoon is a term from military science. ... While Executive officer literally refers to a person responsible for the performance of duties involved in running an organization, the exact meaning of the role is highly variable, depending on the organization. ... First Lieutenant is a military rank. ... A Captain in armies, air forces and marine forces, is a rank an army or air force rank with a NATO rank code of OF-2. ... Herbert M. Sobel (January 26, 1912 - September 30, 1987) was an officer in the United States Army during World War II. He was initially the commanding officer of Company E in the 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, the unit that is the subject of...

After the 101st Airborne Division was deployed to England in September 1943, simmering grievances of the Easy Company NCOs erupted into what Winters later called a "mutiny." Captain Sobel was replaced as the commanding officer (CO) of Easy Company by First Lieutenant Thomas Meehan III shortly before the Normandy invasion. However, at approximately 1:15 a.m. on June 6, 1944, the C-47 Skytrain transport carrying Meehan and the headquarters section of Easy Company was shot down by German anti-aircraft fire, killing everyone on board. The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)â€”nicknamed the â€œScreaming Eaglesâ€â€”is an airborne division of the United States Army primarily trained for air assault operations. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... First Lieutenant is a military rank. ... Lt. ... Combatants United States United Kingdom Canada Free France Poland Nazi Germany Commanders Dwight Eisenhower (Supreme Allied Commander) Bernard Montgomery (land) Bertram Ramsay (sea) Trafford Leigh-Mallory (air) Omar Bradley (U.S. 1st Army) Miles Dempsey (UK 2nd Army) Harry Crerar (Canadian 1st Army) Gerd von Rundstedt (OB WEST) Erwin Rommel... is the 157th day of the year (158th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. ... American troops man an anti-aircraft gun near the Algerian coastline in 1943 Anti-aircraft, or air defense, is any method of combating military aircraft from the ground. ...

Winters also jumped that night and landed near Sainte-Mère-Église. Having lost his weapon during the drop, he was able to orient himself to his surroundings, collect several paratroopers including members of the 82nd Airborne, and proceed toward the unit's assigned objective near Sainte-Marie-du-Mont. Without knowing the fate of Lieutenant Meehan, Winters became the de facto CO of Easy Company, and remained in that position for the duration of the Normandy campaign. Sainte-MÃ¨re-Ã‰glise is a small town and commune of the Manche dÃ©partement, in the Cotentin Peninsula near the coast of Normandy, France. ... There are communes that have the name Sainte-Marie-du-Mont in France: Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, in the Isère département Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, in the Manche département This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the... Combatants United States United Kingdom Canada Free France Poland Nazi Germany Commanders Dwight Eisenhower (Supreme Allied Commander) Bernard Montgomery (land) Bertram Ramsay (sea) Trafford Leigh-Mallory (air) Omar Bradley (U.S. 1st Army) Miles Dempsey (UK 2nd Army) Harry Crerar (Canadian 1st Army) Gerd von Rundstedt (OB WEST) Erwin Rommel...

Later that day, Winters led an attack that destroyed a battery of German 105 mm howitzers which were firing onto the causeways that served as the principal exits from Utah Beach. The guns were defended by approximately one platoon of German troops while Winters had only thirteen men. The attack took place south of the village of Le Grand-Chemin, and is often referred to as the Brécourt Manor Assault. In addition to destroying the battery Winters also obtained a map detailing all German defenses in the Utah Beach area. This attack is still taught at the military academy at West Point. Remains of a battery of English cannon from Youghal, County Cork. ... 19th century 12 pounder (5 kg) mountain howitzer displayed by the National Park Service at Fort Laramie in Wyoming, USA A howitzer is a type of artillery piece that is characterized by a relatively short barrel and the use of comparatively small explosive charges to propel projectiles at trajectories with... The Hindenburgdamm rail causeway across the Wadden Sea to the island of Sylt in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany In modern usage, a causeway is a road or railway elevated by a bank, usually across a broad body of water or wetland. ... Combatants United States Germany Commanders Raymond O. Barton Theodore Roosevelt Jr U.S. 4th Infantry Division Karl-Wilhelm von Schlieben Dietrich Kraiss German 352nd Infantry Division German 709th Infantry Division Strength 32,000 ? Casualties 700 Unknown American assault troops move onto Utah Beach, carrying full equipment. ... Platoon of the German Bundeswehr. ... Combatants United States Germany Commanders Richard Winters unknown Strength 13 60+ Casualties 4 dead, 6 wounded 15 dead, 12 prisoner, Wounded unknown The BrÃ©court Manor Assault (June 6, 1944) during Operation Chicago of the Normandy Invasion of World War II is often cited as a classic example of small...

Winters was recommended for the Medal of Honor for his actions at Brécourt Manor, but the recommendation was downgraded to the Distinguished Service Cross, the U.S. Army's second highest award for combat valor, due to the policy of only one Medal of Honor awarded per division (Lieutenant Colonel Robert G. Cole was the 101st Airborne Division soldier to receive the Medal of Honor for the Normandy Campaign). After the release of the Band of Brothers television miniseries, a letter-writing campaign to have Winters awarded the Medal of Honor retroactively was started, but legislation to enact this has yet to emerge from the U.S. House Armed Services Committee. The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States. ... The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) is the second highest military decoration of the United States Army which is awarded for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. ... In the U.S. Army, Air Force and Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a commissioned officer superior to a major and inferior to a colonel. ... Lieutenant Colonel Robert G. Cole (March 19, 1915 â€“ September 18, 1944) was an American soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his actions in the days following the D-Day Normandy invasion of World War II. // Robert G. Cole was born in Fort Sam Houston, Texas. ... Band of Brothers is an acclaimed 10-part television miniseries set during World War II, co-produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks. ...

During Operation Market Garden in the Netherlands in September 1944, Winters became the XO of the 2nd Battalion, 506th PIR. Although this position was normally a major's billet, Winters filled it whilst still a captain. During the campaign in Holland, Captain Winters led a successful attack with 20 members of Easy Company against a force of 200 German soldiers. Combatants United Kingdom United States Canada Poland Germany Commanders Bernard Montgomery Brian Horrocks Roy Urquhart James M. Gavin Maxwell Taylor Stanislaw Sosabowski Walter Model Wilhelm Bittrich Kurt Student Strength 35,000 20,000 Casualties 11,377 dead,wounded or missing 6,450 Captured 2,000 Killed 6,000 Wounded Operation... During World War II, the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment (506th PIR) was a regiment of the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army. ... Major is a military rank the use of which varies according to country. ... Captain is a rank or title with various meanings. ...

On December 16, 1944, the Germans launched a counter-offensive against the Allies in Belgium. After the 101st Airborne was moved by truck to the Bastogne area on December 18, Captain Winters (as 2nd Battalion XO) and Easy Company held the line northeast of Bastogne near the town of Foy during what became known as the Battle of the Bulge. The entire 101st Airborne and elements of the 10th Armored Division held off several elite German divisions for nearly a week before elements of the U.S. Third Army broke through the German lines surrounding Bastogne. After being relieved, Easy Company then led an attack on the town of Foy during which Winters ordered Ronald Speirs to relieve Easy Company's inept commander, Norman Dike. After the assault on Foy, 2nd battalion's CO, Lt. Colonel Strayer was elevated to the Regimental staff, and Winters was made acting CO of 2nd battalion. He was promoted to major following the Battle of the Bulge, holding this rank through the end of the war. He remained in Europe until October/November 1945. is the 350th day of the year (351st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Look up ally in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The coat of arms of the Bastogne municipality. ... E Company, 506th Infantry Regiment was a company of the 2nd Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, U.S. 101st Airborne Division during World War II on the frontlines in the European Theater. ... The coat of arms of the Bastogne municipality. ... Foy is a village in Belgium, near Bastogne. ... For the 1965 film, see Battle of the Bulge (film). ... Shoulder sleeve patch of the United States Army 10th Armored Division. ... Shoulder Sleeve Insignia of the U.S. Third Army. ... Ronald Speirs (April 20, 1920-April 11, 2007) was a United States Army officer who served in the U.S. 101st Airborne Division during World War II. He was initially a platoon leader in Company D (Dog Company) of the 2nd Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment. ... First Lieutenant Norman Dike was an officer in World War II. Dike was a Yale graduate and the son of a New York State Supreme Court Judge. ... Major is a military rank the use of which varies according to country. ...

After WWII

Following the war, Winters worked briefly for his close wartime friend Lewis Nixon at Nixon's family business, Nixon Nitration Works, before being reactivated during the Korean War to train infantrymen and Rangers with the U.S. Army. Lewis Nixon (September 30, 1918 - January 11, 1995) was a United States Army officer in the 101st Airborne Division, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion, Easy Company. ... Combatants United Nations: Republic of Korea, Australia, Belgium, Luxembourg, Canada, Colombia, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States Medical staff: Denmark, Australia, Italy, Norway, Sweden Communist states: Democratic Peopleâ€™s Republic of Korea, Peoples Republic of China, Soviet Union Commanders... Infantry of the Royal Irish Rifles during the Battle of the Somme in World War I. Infantry are soldiers who fight primarily on foot with small arms in organized military units, though they may be transported to the battlefield by horses, ships, automobiles, skis, bicycles, or other means. ... Official force name 75th Ranger Regiment Rangers Other names Airborne Rangers Army Rangers U.S. Army Rangers Branch U.S. Army Chain of Command USASOC Description Special Operations Force, rapidly deployable light infantry force. ...

After his second period of military service, Winters went into business for himself, selling animal feed products to farmers throughout Pennsylvania. He and his wife Ethel bought a small farm where Winters built their farmhouse stone-by-stone and raised two children.

Retiring to Hershey, Pennsylvania, near Harrisburg, Winters would become an icon of "The Greatest Generation" through exposure from Stephen Ambrose's 1992 book Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest and the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers, based on the book. Hershey redirects here. ... Location in Dauphin County and state of Pennsylvania Coordinates: , Country Commonwealth County Dauphin Incorporated 1791 Charter 1860 Government - Mayor Stephen R. Reed (D) Area - City 11. ... The Greatest Generation is a term sometimes used to denote the younger half of what is often referred to as the G.I. Generation. ... Stephen Ambrose, at the 2001 premiere of Band of Brothers Stephen Edward Ambrose, Ph. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... For other uses, see HBO (disambiguation). ... A miniseries (sometimes mini-series), in a serial storytelling medium, is a production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. ... Band of Brothers is an acclaimed 10-part television miniseries set during World War II, co-produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks. ...

Winters was the subject of the book Biggest Brother: The Life of Major Dick Winters, The Man Who Led the Band of Brothers, written by Larry Alexander and published in 2005. Winters's own memoirs, Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters, co-written by military historian and retired U.S. Army Colonel Cole C. Kingseed, were published in early 2006. Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Medals and Decorations

The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) is the second highest military decoration of the United States Army, awarded for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. ... The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration and is the fourth highest award for bravery, heroism or meritorious service. ... Bronze and Silver oak leaf clusters An Oak leaf cluster is a common device which is placed on military awards and decorations to denote those who have received more than one bestowal of a particular decoration. ... For other meanings see Purple Heart (disambiguation). ... The American Defense Service Medal is a decoration of the United States military which was created in 1941 by Executive Order of President Franklin Roosevelt. ... The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal is a miliary decoration of the United States armed forces which was first created in 1942 by Executive Order of President Franklin Roosevelt. ... Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp The Army of Occupation Medal is a military decoration of the United States military which was established by the United States War Department in 1946. ... WWII Victory Medal The World War II Victory Medal is a decoration of the United States military which was created by an act of Congress in July 1945. ... Ribbon for the National Defense Service Medal The National Defense Service Medal is a military decoration of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. ... Please see Presidential Unit Citation for other versions of this award The Presidential Unit Citation is awarded to units of the Armed Forces of the United States and allies for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy on or after 7 December 1941 (the date of the Attack on... Knights Cross of the Order of William The Order of William is the highest military order of the Netherlands which was first created in 1815. ...

References

Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

Categories: 1918 births | American military personnel of World War II | Living people | People from Lancaster, Pennsylvania | Recipients of the Combat Infantryman Badge | Recipients of the Purple Heart medal | Recipients of the Bronze Star medal | Recipients of US Distinguished Service Cross | United States Army officers | Band of Brothers characters | Franklin & Marshall College alumni | Operation Overlord people The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about movies, actors, television shows, production crew personnel, and video games. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st Century. ... is the 153rd day of the year (154th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

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