Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters

The cover notes this book was on the New York Times `bestseller' list and while this surely reflected his profile following the `Band of Brothers' miniseries, I am pleased to say it also had a lot to do with the quality of Winter's story as well. As is widely known, Winters served with Easy Company of the 506th PIR of the 101st Airborne Division. He takes over the company at the outset in Normandy and finishes the war as commander of the 2nd Battalion. Throughout he is one excellent soldier, who it's widely felt should've won the Medal of Honor for his action against the Brecourt battery. He writes extensively of this action and is surprisingly detailed, given the normal reticence of veterans, regarding killing his opponents. Indeed, he is quite crisp in the way he describes his actions. He also writes extensively about the battle of the Island in Holland. His perspective on how his leadership was crucial is very interesting, as is his thoughts on the absence of German leadership here. Winters writes at length on his training and time in England and in particular on his relationship with his company commander, Sobel. He essentially credits Sobel with creating the special bond that Easy company had - by driving everyone else together in mutual hatred of him. Winters describes many instances of petty bullying and Sobel's inadequacies, resulting in the NCO's `rebellion' prior to Normandy. It is amazing to read. Winters is also quite free with his thoughts on other characters, the material on Dike is fascinating but there is some wonderful stuff on Lt Spiers. Winters is forthright, more so than most of the authors on this list. He reveals much of interest, including the occasion when Spiers shot dead an NCO in Normandy for refusing to follow an order. Winters didn't hold this against him. He recognised that men like Spiers were the ones required to win the war. He writes of how much he valued the `killers' in E Co, the ones he went to when he really needed things to be done right - and violently. I think this particular characteristic of his was not as apparent in the mini series. On these grounds alone, I can say that this book is not just a rehash of Ambrose's work. Winters clearly went into battle to kill and he is more detailed than most on the engagements he fought in. He tried to join the 13th Airborne to serve in the Pacific but was told he'd done enough. Amusingly, these positions were reversed for Korea. I felt I really got to know Winters, certainly better than the other airborne officers listed here. His account, including his post war reflections, was many layered. For instance, he writes lovingly about the family he befriended in England, yet he also reveals he found battle exciting. So there are many dimensions to Winters and full credit to him for being so open about the extremes. In between there is lots of fascinating stuff about leadership in battle, being a soldier and about what made being in E company so special. He is also glowing in his praise of Ambrose. He updates the fates of many of his comrades and again, this is very interesting and even emotional. The special connection between these men is very evident. There is no false modesty, Winters is conscious of, and very proud of his achievements, not surprisingly the way he expresses this, is in terms that further reveal his veneration for his men. I found it to be a very satisfying read indeed but because his story is so familiar it is fair to say it had less impact than some of the other books I have read here. This said, I think Winters (with Kingseed's help) has done such a good job of telling his story, that it is a very worthwhile read and I think there is a wonderful pay-off for those who are interested in the topic of Easy Co. Taking everything into account, I'm going to rank it just under Burgett and level with Wurst as the most interesting of the airborne accounts.

Are natural leaders born or made? It seems that Richard D. "Dick" Winters' life has been a quest to answer that question. And in the final chapters of _Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters_, he does provide the answer. Winters, the level-headed commander of Easy Company, portrayed in Stephen E. Ambrose's book, turned HBO mini-series "Band of Brothers," needs no introduction. Written in the autumn of his years, Winters culls a lifetime of inner reflection and a quest to live in peace, after leading soldiers in some of the most deadly combat of World War II. The result is a frank, sometimes brutally honest testament to the moral fiber of the American citizen soldier, who shouldered an undying responsibility to God, country, family, and above all, the men he led into battle. Sixty years from now, when the events of the Second World War sink ever so deeper into the pages of history, Winters' message will still be sought. Like the men he led of Easy Company, he will gain the respect of new generations of soldiers, and, if events mirror those of his life, continue to save lives. As in a resent biography by Larry Alexander ( _Biggest Brother: ... _ [2005]) Winters pens only a dozen pages of his early life before delving right into his military career. Winters was the product of many good influences in his upbringing: his family, Mennonite background, a strong work ethic, and no vices. Unlike Alexander's gallant attempt to penetrate his subject without much success, Winters' prose is down to Earth. The sense the reader gets of the words coming from the horse's mouth is reassuring, and holds one's attention. Also unlike Alexander's biography, Winters refers to the correspondence with his wartime pen-pal, DeEtta Almon sparingly. Winters confesses early on that his aim in writing the book is to tell the stories that Ambrose and HBO left out. There are some new addenda. Sadly, Winters updates us of the most recent passing of the men from Easy Company we have come to know and admire for their portrayal in the film, and in the documentary, "We Stand Alone Together: The Men of Easy Company." It is evident that Winters loves and respects those men as much as they do him. For the most part, however, Winters' version holds true to Ambrose's book, and Hanks and Spielberg's film, barring artistic license of the latter, of course. One can easily detect the strong contribution Winters had on Ambrose's work. In some places, the narrative is so similar to Ambrose, one gets the impression Ambrose quoted Winters liberally, without the customary quotation marks. Winters admires the late historian immensely, however, and devotes a chapter to Ambrose at the end of the book. The bulk of Winters' memoir is devoted to the people and events that left an indelible mark on his life: the men and battles of Easy Company. He goes on at length about the man we have all come to despise: Herbert M. Sobel. Despite Sobel's brutal leadership style, Winters credits him with molding the character of the core of Toccoa men that made-up Easy Company. Winters offers his take on the myths surrounding Ronald Speirs, who was rumored to have murdered German prisoners, and shot an American sergeant who was allegedly drunk, and disobeyed an order to attack. Curiously, a strategically placed "typo" may perhaps be a loop-hole out of a possible slander suit...see if you can find it, and you be the judge. Likewise, Winters makes no qualms about utilizing what he called "my killers," in vital tactical situations, most notably, the silencing of four 105mm. guns at Brecourt Manor, the textbook execution that was without a doubt, Winters' crowning moment in combat. For devoted "Band of Brothers" fans, the two individuals he singles out will not surprise. There are also heart-felt accolades for his two closest friends, Lewis Nixon, and Harry Welsh, as well as, a cadre of Easy Company enlisted men, most notably, Floyd Talbert, and Carwood Lipton, just to name a few. The loving relationship Winters formed with the English couple he was quartered with at Aldbourne, Wiltshire, his "second parents," never left him. Winters' life after the war is treated as briefly as his life before. Winters was a self professed "ninety-day wonder," whose warrior spirit was molded running up Currahee, and tempered in combat. As a combat leader, he felt there was no place for him in a peacetime, and "chickens**t army." His chapter spelling out his principles of good leadership should be memorized by every aspiring military officer or corporate manager. So were Winters' leadership abilities innate, or nurtured? That is for the reader to decide. We are indeed privileged to have this memoir of a truly extraordinary and humble man. But I am sure he would be the first to agree, that there were probably scores of Dick Winters who fought their way across the fields of Europe, or the deserted islands of the Pacific. Many lie beneath thousands of white marble crosses, or Stars of David. Many more, like the men Winters led, are embarrassed by the word "hero," and prefer to remain silent. Dick Winters is their messenger, their representative, and a model field grade officer of the Second World War. The media has made Winters a celebrity, and his peaceful life that he promised himself on D-Day has been shattered by well-wishing, and autograph seeking fans from all over the world. There is even a campaign to up-grade his Distinguished Service Cross to a Medal of Honor. This memoir is, I suspect, Winters' final word on the subject. Read it! Learn from its many lessons, and respect the officers and men of Easy Company. That is Dick Winters' legacy, and worth more to him than a chest full of medals.

Dick Winters takes you behind he scenes in an action packed presentation of the 506th Parachute Infantry during WWII from inception until after the war and the survivors returned home.... A special shout out to our author and his gentle leadership

While Stephen Ambrose may have originally introduced Easy Company to the world, it was arguably the mini-series that endeared us to the individuals that became known as the "Band of Brothers". And although the extraordinary deeds of this particular group of men have brought well-deserved attention over the last decade, I often remind myself that they are probably no more or less extraordinary than many other groups of soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines that contributed to winning World War II. I believe that Easy Company serves as a microcosm of a generation of Americans that selflessly responded to their country's need at a crucial, desperate time. And Major Richard Winters is a microcosm of the type of leaders that emerged from the millions of citizen soldiers that comprised the American war effort. Generously portrayed in the mini-series as an inspirational, courageous, honest and decent man, Winters' own humble words about his life before, during and after leading Easy Company provide a few surprises, but still underscore the character traits that draw so much admiration from so many. On the surface, BEYOND BAND OF BROTHERS may appear to be a gratuitous attempt to squeeze more life out of the "Band of Brothers" franchise due to the existence of Larry Alexander's book about Richard Winters (BIGGEST BROTHER), but there are several reasons why BEYOND BAND OF BROTHERS is a worthy read in addition to Alexander's book: 1)BEYOND BAND OF BROTHERS is written by Winters himself. 2)More details are provided on many events depicted in the mini-series and in other books ... the additional information fills the gaps and answers many questions. 3)The reader gets a personal point-of-view of the men that were the "Band of Brothers" ... from the individual who led them into battle. 4)The reader is provided more insight to the Winters' personal life and how the whole "Band of Brothers" phenomenon developed. 5)A chapter on leadership principles. A good portion of BEYOND BAND OF BROTHERS does, in fact, recap events covered by the mini-series and other books written by several Easy Company men. While the general theme of events may be the same, the individual perspectives of such events are always different and Winters carries on that tradition by providing his own "take" on events. As Easy Company's commanding officer, Winters point-of-view tends to provide a stamp of veracity to many of the stories. Additionally, while the author's personal exploits are detailed, much of the book centers on the affection and respect Winters has for the men under his command. It is refreshing to see a proven leader and bona fide hero (recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross), spend more time lauding the deeds of his company's sergeants and privates than doting on his own laurels. It is very clear that he treasured the men under him and periodically throughout the book he laments that being a better leader may have saved more of his men's lives. But, this is how Winters comes across in his book, a humble, honest and caring man, not an arrogant, know-it-all officer. It is this trait, I believe, that makes the man such an endearing figure. There are a few surprises in the book. I found the recollections of writing to a pen pal during the war quite interesting as it seemed to be the rare occasion in which Winters would lose his composure and unleash his frustration. It was also somewhat revealing that his most cherished friendships were with two men that were admittedly his virtual opposites: Lewis Nixon and Ronald Spears. The mini-series portrayed Nixon as more a functioning drunk than a soldier, but Winters clarifies that Nixon was a highly competent officer (refers to him as "the best"). Another interesting and somewhat shocking revelation was how much Winters soured on the military once the war ended. It seems like once the shooting stopped, the Army pretty much fell apart into a sea of incompetence and Winters wanted no part of it. The transition from military to civilian life was not a winding down process, but a hurry-up-and-get-the-paper-work done quickie. The end of the book sheds a small ray of light on his personal life after the war (he mentioned he married a woman named Ethel and alluded to having 2 children), but it is clear that outside his Easy Company experience, he prefers to keep his personal life private. There is a final chapter dedicated to leadership principles that is somewhat out-of-synch with the rest of the book, but is interesting and informative none-the-less. BEYOND BAND OF BROTHERS is not a dashing story of intrepid military action and chest-thumping self-praise as it is a quiet and fitting remembrance. Because it is written by Winters himself, it commands a rightful place on the shelf alongside the other "Band of Brothers" books. With Major Winters passing earlier this year (2011), BEYOND BAND OF BROTHERS now serves as the poignant last words of another fine example of the quickly fading "Greatest Generation".

I would be extremely surprised if anyone reads this book without having read Stephen Ambrose's Band Of Brothers (or the HBO TV series that was based upon it) first. Accordingly it's unlikely that the reader will be unfamiliar with Major... sorry, Mr., as he preferred, Richard D. Winters, the author of this book, or with Easy Company of the 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne. There is a passage early in the book where Winters describes his intent and motivation for writing the book. Specifically, it came from the endless appeals from people who wrote to him or who he met (after the success of the TV series in particular) to "tell us more", to provide more details of the story behind the story that we already knew. In this, I think, he succeeded and succeeded very well. The book relates no mere dry facts and figures, orders of battle and so on, but rather the personal experience. What he thought, what he felt during training, during the battles in D-Day and beyond. How those thoughts and feelings changed over time. The frustrations that go along with command (and in some cases the lack of it such as his time as battalion executive officer) but over all of this, he describes the bonding of groups whose members have endured the hardships of war and weather. It strikes me as being a balanced account, giving equal time to the good and the bad. If nothing else illustrates this, his account of his dealings with the difficult to deal with (to put it mildly) Captain Sobel, the first commander of Easy Company, does. Winters pulls no punches regarding Sobel's flaws (actually I'm not sure that that's true; based on Ambrose's accounts he could have been harsher and still been fair), but still recognises the contribution that Sobel made to the creation and bonding of Easy Company. The book doesn't seem to have been tightly edited. There are places where a good editor would have excised a repetition or two. In the last couple of chapters in particular the content tends to meander a bit, doubling back on itself and including trains of thought which don't necessarily have a particular destination. But although you may notice these, you'd have to be a literary snob to be bothered by them. I wasn't for two reasons. The first is that this was intended to be a first hand account, in the man's own words, and rarely does anyone (even me, and doubtless even you) express themselves in a tightly edited fashion. It makes the book feel more authentic that way, at least in my eyes. And certainly MOST of the book has been written in a "to the point" fashion. The second is that, and I didn't know this until recently... Dick Winters died early last year. These, then, are the last words that he leaves us with, more or less. I never got to meet the man, and alas now I never will. I'm not going to call him a hero because I know he wouldn't have appreciated that, but having read about what he did, and about the opinions that his men and colleagues held of him (OK, maybe not Sobel), I'd rate him as a man that I admire greatly. At the end of his book he lists some of the principles of leadership, number 8 being looking at yourself in the mirror every night and asking yourself if you did your best. There have been a few times since I learnt about Winters that I've asked myself whether I had done HIS best and although the answer is generally "no", it gives me something to aspire to. My point, and yes I do have one, is that if the last couple of chapters ran on a little longer than they needed to it just gave me a chance to spend a little more (virtual, at least) time with the author, and with other options no longer on the table I'm happy enough to have had that chance. This book will not have a universal audience. Concepts like honesty, honour and courage have been in too many places replaced by self interest, world weary cynicism about the quality of one's morning coffee, and "what's in it for moi?". See also, how the global financial crisis came about. For people who are of that mindset, the worldview of someone like Dick Winters would be an anachronism. Such people will neither read nor enjoy this book, and will doubtless have their finger clicking on the "This review was not helpful" button as they're reading this. But for those who believe that we should choose to be better than we are, and that we should act on that belief each day even if we fall short of it, this is a book worth reading. Oh, and those who have an interest in the history of World War II may find it interesting as well. But just as I've left that as an incidental aside, so it is to the book. World War II may have provided (most of) the scenery for this tale, but the actual story is the people who pass through it. And one man in particular.

Very well written. This is among the best war memoirs I’ve read, and I’ve read many.

I just finished this book and I found it very enjoyable. It gives a deeper look into the stories that are shared in the Band of Brothers mini-series as well as more stories and insights into what is was like being a soldier in WW2. Very easy to read with a nice section of pictures in the middles. Highly recommended if you like war memoirs.

This book fills in gaps and covers the real life events that made Band Of Brothers, the HBO mini-series. Dick Winters is an honorable man, not egotistical. He served his country and did an amazing job in confusing times. He led men and did such a good job that shows he and his men were way ahead of their time. This book was so good I couldn't put it down, literally. I read this in one whole sleepless night. Also for those of you who are curious he wraps everything up letting us know what happened to most of the important men who served under him and what became of them. Also he gives lessons for leadership that can be used in all walks of life. Dick Winters is a true American Hero! I find it neat that Dick Winters lives in my area and that Joe Toye came from the same hometown as me! (Reading, PA). I highly recommend getting this book along with Stephen Ambrose's book Band Of Brothers and the HBO DVD set Band Of Brothers. These all show what real HEROES are all about! Edit - I just completed re-reading this book. It's still as good as the first reading, but I noticed a change in the book. When Winters gets promoted and leaves Easy Company his passion in the story seems to leave and only returns at certain points (like when he talks about the men from Easy or his personal friends like Nixon). This doesn't take away from the quality of the book. In fact, it shows just how much Winters loved his men like brothers. You can easily tell when Winters moved up in rank and had less contact with his men he seemed to be unhappy. The book picks up again when some interesting things happen and especially when he updates us all on the men who served under him. Again I must state this is a 5 star book. You just have to realize this is from an officer's point of view and not a grunt's. I'm anxious to read the original Band Of Brothers book by Stephen E Ambrose and books by some of the more popular men from Easy company like - Brothers in Battle, Best of Friends by Guarnere and Heffron, Call Of Duty by Buck Compton (who also had a very interesting life before and after his war days), Parachute Infantry by David Webster (who wrote the book years before Band Of Brothers and other books). Sadly Webster went missing at sea. I might have to check his shark book out if this book proves to be good. Also another book by Stephen E Ambrose called D-Day - The Climatic Battle Of WWII. I'll make another edit when I read those books and see how this one holds up in comparison. Still I am damn glad I bought and read this book. Should be required reading in schools across the world. I'll make another edit after reading all the above books.

great wartime memoirs from a true leader

Very interesting view on matters that were little or not at all discussed in band of brothers. Very much recommended.

For anyone interested in the 101st, this is certainly one of the books to read, together with Ambrose’s “Band of Brothers”. If the mini-series by Tom Hanks and Stephen Spielberg has been watched prior to reading, the characters will quickly blend and, for the most part, fit neatly together. The first fifty pages are devoted to his family history but mainly the creation and development of a parachute regiment which latter became the 101st. His assessment of the officers and men is detailed and, in my mind, very fair, none more so than Captain Sobel, the character played by David Schwimmer. Although he sees all Sobel’s faults as an officer, Winters credits Sobel with the fundamental development of the “raw recruits” into a fit and formidable fighting force, sometimes, despite their own efforts and dislike of Sobel. His tough fitness regime centred on Curahee, the mountain, developed a unique bond in the men, a tight bond forged by their dislike of Sobel. Winter’s detailed description of the training and the various camps, provides a real insight into the American’s training regimes, the development of a unique regiment and the characters involved. No amount of training could have prepared them for the reality of an airdrop into a battle zone; Winters described pilots desperately trying to maintain height and course surrounded by anti-aircraft fire, other planes engulfed in flames dropping from the skies. One of these was Easy’s command plane which meant; he realised that, when they landed, he was Easy’s commander. He mentions passing over Ste Mere-Eglise, lit up by a fire. Most planes missed their drop zones. Some by as much as fourteen miles but, as he points out, it was just as well. Many drop zones were surrounded by machine gun posts. Later in the campaign, Winters recalls an incident: “‘I can’t see. I can’t see!” he [Blithe] replied. I remember trying to comfort him by saying, ‘It’s okay, Blithe. Relax. They’ll soon have you out of here, and they’ll send yu back to England.’ As I started to move away, Blithe stood up, saying suddenly, ‘I’m okay. I’m okay. I can see now.’” Winters comment on the toughness, guts and determination. Terrified and blinded by fear, the thoughts of being airlifted to England, away from Easy, was too much. (P.185) It would be pointless to “rewrite” or attempt to summarise this book in order to understand Major Winters, Easy Company, War and what it does to people - on both sides. Winters’ detailed descriptions do all of that - and more. To end this review of a highly recommended, well-written book, he writes about his realisation of why they were fighting when they enter the Landsberg-Buchloe area and the discovery of the concentration camps. He comments that it is natural in war to ask: “Why am I here?” “The impact of seeing those people behind the fence left me saying, if only to myself: Now I know why I am here! For the first time I understand what this war was all about.” (P.215) A review would not be complete without mentioning Bastogne, Austria and Bechtesgaden and the Eagle’s Nest, each of which has made the 101st famous today. Winters describes each in detail from a commander’s point of view and illustrates what made him such a great CO. However, what fascinates me are his observations on war in general, people who wage it the effects it has; this is nowhere made clearer than P. 234, after the war, governing Austria. He meets a Nazi officer who, it turns out, had been fighting against him at Bastogne. Winters has great respect for his opponent and they strike up a friendship, during which the officer surrenders his side-arm, a Luger. “The day following our revelations [about Bastogne], he presented me his pistol as a token of friendship between us and as a formal surrender to his captor.He did so of his own volition rather than leaving his pistol on a desk in some office. When he handed me his sidearm , I noticed the pistol had never been fired. There was no blood on it. It remains one of the few momentos I have kept from the war. The pistol has still not been fired and it never will be. This is the way wars ought to end. Let the generals and politicians participate in elaborate ceremonies. At the soldier level, a peaceful transfer of weapons, a smart salute …” For anyone interested in D-Day, 101st Airborne, WWII, war in general, turning a book into a mini-series, learning about human nature or Major Winters himself, I highly recommend this book. NOTE: My paperback edition was published by Ebury Publishing, 2011, ISBN 9780091941581

Brother's love

good reading on this person during WWII.