WWII Hero Dies: ‘Band of Brothers’ Inspiration Major Richard D. Winters Dies at 92

‘Band of Brothers’ inspiration Major Richard D. Winters has died at age 92. The World War II hero was depicted in the HBO mini-series, ‘Band of Brothers’ along with his company from when they enlisted to serve through the end of the war and their experiences during the war. Read more about this WWII hero below.

I imagine that Major Richard D. Winters would say that a tribute to him is undeserved unless it included a tribute to all those he served with. Most war veterans make those kinds of statements and most understand that their survival in battle has as much to do with luck than with any skill they possess. All the same, Dick Winters seemed to have a great deal of skill and lead the men of Easy Company from D-Day through the end of the war. The men in his company were (and are) devoted to him.

Dick Winters was born in January 21, 1918 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He grew up in Eastern Pennsylvania and went to Franklin-Marshall College. He graduated with a business degree in June 1941. He joined the military service with the intention of serving one year and then returning to civilian life. That plan changed, of course, with the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. After war was declared, Winters applied for Officers Candidates school. He went to Ft. Benning, Georgia and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Infantry in August 1942.

After he was commissioned Winters was drawn to airborne school. The pay was better, it looked like ‘interesting work’ and the paratroopers were ‘hard, lean, bronzed and tough …a proud and cocky bunch.’ At 6 feet tall, 177 pounds, the athletic Winters seemed made for that kind of service.

He had settled down in Hersey, Pennsylvania after the war and opened a store selling livestock feed to farmers. He lived there until his death. He died in Palmyra, Pennsylvania.

Major Winters died recently. At his request, news of his death was withheld until after the funeral. He had been in declining health over the last few years suffering from Parkinson’s Disease.

Two of those men who are still living who most of us know from the movie expressed their admiration for him when they learned of his death.

William ‘Wild Bill’ Guarnere, now 88-years-old, said:

When he said ‘Let’s go,’ he was right in the front,” Guarnere, who was called “Wild Bill” by his comrades, said Sunday night from his South Philadelphia home. “He was never in the back. A leader personified.

Guarnere called him ‘a good man, a very good man. I would follow him to hell and back. So would the men from E Company.’

Edward Heffron, now 87-years-old, said:

He was one hell of a guy, one of the greatest soldiers I was ever under,” said Heffron, who had the nickname “Babe” in the company. “He was a wonderful officer, a wonderful leader. He had what you needed, guts and brains. He took care of his men, that’s very important.

Major Winters was hailed a hero, especially after the HBO series ‘Band of Brothers’ was released. But when he was asked if he was a hero, he was known to echo the words of his World War II buddy, Mike Ranney: ‘No, but I served in a company of heroes.’

You can read his obituary here and more of his military history here. Also watch the two video tributes to Major Dick Winters below and see a gallery of photos.