Beyond Band of Brothers The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters

Retired US Army major(ip) Richard whoreson Winters quiet disembodied spirit as a civilian ended in 1992 with the release of historiographer Stephen Ambroses best-selling book titled dress circle of Brothers, which tells of hishis comrades experience service of process during the universe of discourse War II . The limelight on Winters increased a hundredfold when famed Hollywood director Steven Spielberg and veteran actor tomcat Hanks teamed up to bring his invention to tens of millions in the highly acclaimed, a ward-winning HBO miniseries Band of Brothers. This mass exposure transform Winters and his companions into cultural icons for generations far removed from World War II.In his autobiographical book titled Beyond the Band of Brothers, Major Richard Dick Winters speaks candidly about his life during the war with follow E, 506th plunge Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, which he commanded from Normandy to Berchtesgaden. He tells the E-Company story in his own words and shares lessons about drawship in life and close in the crucible of war. Lastly, he pays tribute to the men with whom he served his rural area and those who lost there lives in the battles of the Second World War. Virtu each(prenominal)y all this material is being released for the commencement exercise season.This paper is divided in trio sections. The first section summarizes how Winters ended up in a military career and his life with the calorie-free Company. The second section explains the leadership lessons that Winters gleaned from lead story a band of men to survive in the bloodiest conflict of the twentieth century. The Beginnings of a War Hero Fresh out of college, Dick Winters entered the get together States Army on August 25, 1941 as a private to breeze through his one-year military service. After finishing boot camp, he stayed target at Camp Croft, SC to assist in training freshly enlisted soldiers.Any thoughts that he harbored about getting out of t he army after dear one year vanished with the bombing of Pearl Harbor in declination 1945. After the Pearl Harbor bombing, Winters contemplated about becoming an officer. Hence, when one of his commanding officers asked if he was interested in attending OCS (Officers Cadets School), he grabbed the chance immediately. It is while at OCS when he met and became booster shots with Lewis Nixon and Harry Welsh. After cadet school, Winters was assigned to the newly formed 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR).Friction rose between Winters and the company commander Herbert Sobel. Nevertheless, Winters attributes a large part of E-Companys success to Sobels training. The Easy Company When Lieutenant Meehan, Sobels successor, was killed during the D-Day invasion in Normandy, Dick Winters became the companys new commander. He parachuted into France and assumed leadership of the Band of Brothers and was regarded as the best combat leader in World War II by his men. The Easy Company suffer ed 150% casualties while liberating European unparalleled record of bravery low fire.Winters led them through the Battle of the Bulge and into Germany, where and at a time each member was wounded. They liberated an S. S. death camp from the horrors of the Holocaust and captured Berchtesgaden, Hitlers Alpine retreat haven. Even though it was Winters who was greatly recognized and rewarded for his actions on the battlefield, he never failed to thank or forget the men who served downstairs him. Furthermore, Winters showed remarkable compassion and concern for his mens well being, so more than that it sometimes overrode his ranks duty.In Haguenau, a second patrol was ordered over the Rhine to haul more German prisoners. Survival was next to impossible. Winters told the men that where supposed to go on the patrol to get a good nights rest. After his passing from the U. S. Army, Major Richard Winters returned to civilian life. He worked for a while for the family firm of his wartime friend Louis Nixon. Following a brief tour of duty during the Korean War, he returned to Pennsylvania and embarked on a successful business career, raised a family, and lived the quiet life he had promised himself after his first day in combat.Though out this book you will find three common themes the first is what he calls the Leadership at the Point of the Bayonet Ten Principals of supremacy , which he summarizes in the last section of the book. The second is the fact that he is very humble about he success, he is very often aware that the men contributed a lot to Easy Companies success as he did, and lastly he gives credit to the men who served under him and helped brighten Easy Company one of the best companies on the 506th. ConclusionWinters reveals the Easy Companys story in a rich, refreshing, and more personal way than how it has been depicted in its famous HBO miniseries. From the stationing of companies in Toccoa, GA in July 1942 until its deactivation in November 1945, Winters takes us every step of Easy Companys journey, and as well as includes his comrades untold stories. This book also has value as a tool on leadership. It was Winters ten principals on leadership that help Easy Company grow as a company and helped Winters rise thought the ranks.It is not a mystery why these men have become the embodiment of millions of American servicemen who marched off to war as ordinary men but achieved extraordinary things. References Alexander, Larry (2005). Biggest brother the life of Major Dick Winters, the man who led the band of brothers. New York NAL Caliber. Anderson, Christopher (2004). Dick Winters Reflections on the band of brothers, D-Day and leadership. American History Magazine August subject field http//www. historynet. com/magazines/american_history/3029766. html