R.I.P. Major Richard D. Winters (1918 - 2011)

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Major Richard D. Winters (born January 21, 1918) is a former 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.

Company E, also known as "Easy Company" (per the contemporaneous Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet), 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.

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 discharge he worked at a few different jobs before founding his own company and selling farming products.

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

He passed away this week after a long illness. May he rest in peace.