Band of Brothers, the popular television miniseries and book about a World War II regiment, has lost its inspiration. Major Richard Winters passed away last week at age 92.
Winters died in Pennsylvania after a long battle with Parkinsons disease.
Winters was born in Jan. 21 1918 and became the leader of the Company E, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne Division on D-Day.
During the invasion Winters led 13 of his men into destroying an enemy battery and was able to get a detailed map of German defenses along Utah Beach. Winters also led his men in a successful attack on a German force of nearly 200 soldiers.
The miniseries followed the story from the companys training in Georgia to the wars end in May 1945. Winters book Band of Brothers set the background for the show.
Friends remembered him warmly.
"His leadership example both on and off the battlefield will continue to inspire `Screaming Eagle' soldiers for years to come," said Lt. Col. Patrick Seiber, a spokesman for the 101st Airborne Division, currently deployed to Afghanistan. "His principles for success on the battlefield are timeless, as they are as critical today in Afghanistan as they were on `Fortress Europe' during World War II."
"He was a good man, a very good man," said Will Guarnere, a former member of the E company. I would follow him to hell and back. So would the men from E Company."
