Major Dick Winters Dead At 92

Richard "Dick" Winters, World War Two hero and the central figure for the HBO miniseries Band Of Brothers, died on January 2.

Winters was a true leader, the kind of officer who was looked up to by his men. If any man ever deserved the attention and accolades he received, it was Dick Winters.

Band Of Brothers producer, Tom Hanks, said of Winters, "Dick Winters volunteered to go to war, leading paratroopers into unknown, yet certain, dangers. He led by both command and example; his wartime philosophy was simple -- 'Follow me.'"

Here is a brief bio --

Major Richard "Dick" D. Winters was a United States Army officer and decorated war veteran. He commanded Company "E", 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, during World War II.

Winters parachuted into Normandy in the early hours of D-Day, and fought across France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and eventually into Germany. Later in the war, Winters rose to command the 2nd Battalion. Following the end of hostilities Winters was discharged from the army and returned to civilian life, working in New Jersey.

 Major Richard "Dick" Winters' Awards and Ribbons.

In 1951, during the Korean War, Winters was recalled to the Army from the inactive list and briefly served as a regimental planning and training officer on staff at Fort Dix, New Jersey. Although issued orders for deployment, he was not sent to Korea. After his discharge he worked at a few different jobs before founding his own company and selling farming products.

Winters was featured in a number of books and was portrayed in the 2001 HBO mini-series Band of Brothers by Damian Lewis. He was a regular guest lecturer at the United States Military Academy at West Point. He retired in 1997. Read More Here.

 God Bless You Major Winters, Rest In Peace.

Chesty Puller's 3rd Navy Cross Citation

NAVY CROSS ( 2nd Gold Star)
Rank and Service: Lieutenant Colonel , U.S. Marine Corps (03158)
Organization: 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division
Conflict: World War II
Date of Action: 24 to 25 October 1942
Place of Action: Guadalcanal, British Solomon Islands
Authorized by: The Navy Department Board of Decorations and Medals

 Citation: For extraordinary heroism as Commanding Officer of the First Battalion, Seventh Marines, First Marine Division, during the action against enemy Japanese forces on Guadalcanal , Solomon Islands , on the night of 24 to 25 October 1942. While Lieutenant Colonel Puller's battalion was holding a mile-long front in a heavy downpour of rain, a Japanese force, superior in number, launched a vigorous assault against that position of the line which passed through a dense jungle. Courageously withstanding the enemy's desperate and determined attacks, Lieutenant Colonel Puller not only held his battalion to its position until reinforcements arrived three hours later, but also effectively commanded the augmented force until late in the afternoon of the next day. By his tireless devotion to duty and cool judgment under fire, he prevented a hostile penetration of our lines and was largely responsible for the successful defense of the sector assigned to his troops.