Editing Richard Winters (section)

===The Second World War===
====Training====
[[File:Richard Winters.jpeg|thumb|left|Winters at [[Camp Toccoa]], 1942]]

Winters wrote in his memoirs that he chose to [[Selective Training and Service Act of 1940|volunteer for induction under Selective Service]] after graduating college and complete the required one year of service rather than waiting for a conventional call-up at a later date that might "interrupt a promising business career," subsequently availing himself of any future service commitment should the United States remain neutral; though Winters "felt a strong sense of duty," he "had no desire to get into the war." Winters was inducted into the Army on August 25, 1941, at the [[New Cumberland Defense Depot|New Cumberland Reception Center]] near [[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania]].<ref>'''Lancaster New Era''' (Lancaster, Pennsylvania), August 7, 1941</ref><ref>'''Lancaster New Era''' (Lancaster, Pennsylvania), August 25, 1941</ref><ref>[https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=5&cat=all&tf=F&q=richard+d+winters&bc=sd&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=3598743&rlst=1665468,3598743,1129024,4211009,7204658 WWII Army Enlistment Records]</ref> In September, he was assigned to [[Croft State Park|Camp Croft]], [[South Carolina]], for [[basic training]].<ref name="Beyond" />{{rp|7}} While the rest of his fellow trainees were deployed to units stationed in the [[Panama Canal Zone]] in early December, Winters remained at Camp Croft to help train draftees and other volunteers. In April 1942, four months after the United States entered [[World War II]], he was selected to attend [[Officer Candidate School (United States Army)|Officer Candidate School]] (OCS) at [[Fort Benning]], Georgia.<ref name="Beyond" />{{rp|8–9}} There he became friends with [[Lewis Nixon III|Lewis Nixon]], with whom he would serve throughout the war.<ref name="Beyond" />{{rp|13}} He was [[Officer (armed forces)|commissioned]] as a [[Second lieutenant#United States|second lieutenant]] in the [[Infantry Branch (United States)|infantry]] after graduating from OCS on July 2, 1942.<ref name="Beyond" />{{rp|13}}

During his officer training, Winters decided to join the [[paratrooper|parachute infantry]], part of the U.S. Army's new [[airborne forces]].<ref name=Beyond/>{{rp|12}} Upon completing training, he returned to Camp Croft to train another class of draftees as there were no positions available in the paratroopers at that time. After five weeks, he received orders to join the [[506th Infantry Regiment (United States)|506th Parachute Infantry Regiment]] (506th PIR) at [[Camp Toccoa]] in Georgia.<ref name=Beyond/>{{rp|14}} The 506th was commanded by [[Colonel (United States)|Colonel]] [[Robert Sink]].

Winters arrived at Toccoa in mid-August 1942 and was assigned to Company E, 2nd Battalion, 506th PIR,<ref name=Beyond/>{{rp|16–17}} which later became better known as "[[E Company, 506th Infantry Regiment (United States)|Easy Company]]" in accordance with the contemporaneous [[Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet]]. Serving under [[First lieutenant#United States|First Lieutenant]] [[Herbert Sobel]], Winters was made [[Platoon|platoon leader]] of 2nd Platoon, earning a promotion to first lieutenant in October 1942<ref name=Band>{{cite book|title=Band of Brothers: Easy Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest|first=Stephen E.|last=Ambrose|publisher=Simon & Schuster|location=New York|year=1992|isbn=978-0-7434-6411-6|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/bandofbrothers00ambr_0}}</ref>{{rp|25}}<ref name=Beyond/>{{rp|39}} and made acting company [[executive officer]],<ref name=bio/> although this was not made official until May 1943.<ref name=Beyond/>{{rp|39}} The 506th PIR was an experimental unit, the first regiment to undertake airborne training as a formed unit.<ref name=Band/>{{rp|18}} The training at Toccoa was very tough. Of the 500 officers who had volunteered, only 148 completed the course; of 5,000 enlisted volunteers, only 1,800 were ultimately selected for duty as paratroopers.<ref name=Band/>{{rp|18}}<ref name=Beyond/>{{rp|18}}
[[File:Richard Winters.png|thumb|Winters at [[Camp Mackall]], 1943]]
On June 10, 1943, after more tactical training at [[Camp Mackall]], North Carolina, the 506th PIR was attached to [[Major general (United States)|Major General]] [[William C. Lee|William Lee]]'s [[101st Airborne Division|101st "Screaming Eagles" Airborne Division]].<ref name=Band/>{{rp|39}} Later in the year, they embarked on the ''[[RMS Samaria (1920)|Samaria]]'', and arrived in [[Liverpool]] on September 15, 1943.<ref name=Band/>{{rp|44}} They proceeded to [[Aldbourne]], [[Wiltshire]], where they began intense training for the [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] [[Invasion of Normandy|invasion of Europe]] planned for spring 1944.<ref name=Band/>{{rp|45}}

In November and December 1943, while Easy Company was at Aldbourne, the tension that had been brewing between Winters and Sobel came to a head.<ref name=Band/>{{rp|47–52}} For some time, Winters had privately held concerns over Sobel's ability to lead the company in combat. Many of the enlisted men in the company had come to respect Winters for his competence and had also developed their own concerns about Sobel's leadership.<ref name=Band/>{{rp|48}} Winters later said that he never wanted to compete with Sobel for command of Easy Company; still, Sobel attempted to bring Winters up on trumped-up charges for "failure to carry out a lawful order".<ref name=Band/>{{rp|51}} Feeling that his punishment was unjust, Winters requested that the charge be reviewed by [[court-martial]]. After Winters' punishment was set aside by the battalion commander, Major Robert L. Strayer, Sobel brought Winters up on another charge the following day. During the investigation, Winters was transferred to the Headquarters Company and appointed as the battalion mess officer.<ref name=Band/>{{rp|52}}

In the wake of this incident, several of the company's [[non-commissioned officer]]s (NCOs) delivered an ultimatum to the regimental commander, Colonel Sink, threatening to surrender their stripes unless Sobel was replaced. Winters tried unsuccessfully to talk them out of taking this step.<ref name=Band/>{{rp|53}} Sink was not impressed by the threat, and several of the NCOs were subsequently demoted or transferred out of the company. Nevertheless, he realized that something had to be done and decided<ref name=Band/>{{rp|54}} to transfer Sobel out of Easy Company, giving him command of a new parachute training school at [[Chilton Foliat]].<ref name=Beyond/>{{rp|57}} Winters' court-martial was set aside and he returned to Easy Company as leader of 1st Platoon. Winters later said he felt that despite his differences with Sobel, at least part of Easy Company's success had been due to Sobel's strenuous training and high expectations.<ref name=Beyond/>{{rp|287}} In February 1944, First Lieutenant Thomas Meehan was given command of Easy Company.<ref name=Beyond/>{{rp|57}}

==== Summer 1944 ====
Meehan remained in command of the company until the invasion of Normandy, when at about 1:15&nbsp;a.m. on June 6, 1944, [[Normandy landings|D-Day]], the [[Douglas C-47 Skytrain|C-47 Skytrain]] transporting most of the company Headquarters Section was shot down by [[Wehrmacht|German]] [[anti-aircraft]] fire, killing everyone on board.<ref name=Beyond/>{{rp|78–79}} Winters [[American airborne landings in Normandy|jumped that night]] and landed safely near [[Sainte-Mère-Église]].<ref name=Beyond/>{{rp|80}} Losing his weapon during the drop, he nevertheless oriented himself, assembled several paratroopers, including members of the [[82nd Airborne Division]], and proceeded toward the unit's assigned objective near [[Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, Manche|Sainte-Marie-du-Mont]].<ref name=Band/>{{rp|76}} With Meehan's fate unknown, Winters became the ''[[de facto]]'' [[commanding officer]] (CO) of Easy Company, which he remained for the duration of the [[Operation Overlord|Normandy campaign]].<ref name=Band/>{{rp|92}}

Later that day, Winters led the [[Brécourt Manor Assault]] which successfully destroyed a [[Artillery battery|battery]] of German 105mm [[howitzer]]s,<ref>{{cite news |author=Perl Finkel, Gal |url=https://www.jpost.com/Opinion/75-years-from-that-long-day-in-Normandy-we-still-have-something-to-learn-592307 |title=75 years from that long day in Normandy – we still have something to learn|work=[[The Jerusalem Post]] | date=June 12, 2019|df=mdy-all}}</ref> which were firing onto the causeways that served as the principal exits from [[Utah Beach]].<ref name=Band/>{{rp|78–84}} The Americans estimated that the guns, which were south of the village of Le Grand-Chemin, were defended by about a [[platoon]] of 50 German troops, while Winters had 13 men.<ref name=Band/>{{rp|78–84}} The attack has since been taught at [[United States Military Academy|West Point]] as a textbook example of an assault on a fixed position by a numerically inferior force. In addition to destroying the battery, Winters also obtained a map that showed German gun emplacements near Utah Beach.<ref name=Beyond/>{{rp|88}}

On July 1, 1944, Winters was told that he had been promoted to [[Captain (United States)|captain]].<ref name=Beyond/>{{rp|112}} The next day, he was presented with the [[Distinguished Service Cross (United States)|Distinguished Service Cross]] (DSC) by [[Lieutenant general (United States)|Lieutenant General]] [[Omar Bradley]], then the commander of the [[First United States Army|U.S. First Army]].<ref name=Beyond/>{{rp|112}} Shortly after, the 506th Parachute Infantry was withdrawn from France and returned to Aldbourne, England, for reorganization.<ref name=Beyond/>{{rp|112}} The citation for his DSC reads as follows:

{{Quote|The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to First Lieutenant (Infantry) Richard D. Winters (ASN: 0-1286582), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with Company E, 2d Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, in action against enemy forces on 6 June 1944, in France. First Lieutenant Winters with seven enlisted men, advanced through intense enemy automatic weapons fire, putting out of action two guns of the battery of four 88-mm. that were shelling the beachhead. Unswerving in his determination to complete his self-appointed and extremely hazardous task, First Lieutenant Winters and his group withdrew for reinforcements. He returned with tank support and the remaining two guns were put out of action, resulting in decreased opposition to our forces landing on the beachhead. First Lieutenant Winters' heroic and determined leadership exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, the 101st Airborne Division, and the United States Army.<ref name="Valor"/>}}

==== Autumn 1944 ====
In September 1944, the 506th PIR parachuted into the Netherlands, near the village of [[Son, North Brabant|Son]], north of [[Eindhoven]], as part of [[Operation Market Garden]], a combined airborne and [[Armoured warfare|armored]] operation. On 5 October 1944, a German force attacked the 2nd Battalion's flank and threatened to break through the American lines. At the same time, four men in an Easy Company patrol were wounded.<ref name=Beyond/>{{rp|136–137}} Returning to headquarters, they reported that they had encountered a large group of Germans at a crossroads about {{convert|1300|yards|m}} to the east of the company command post.<ref name=Beyond/>{{rp|137}} Realizing the seriousness of the situation, Winters took one [[squad]] from 1st Platoon, and moved off toward the crossroads, where they observed a German machine gun firing to the south, toward the battalion headquarters, from a long distance.<ref name=Beyond/>{{rp|137}} After surveying the position, Winters led the squad in an assault on the gun crew.<ref name=Beyond/>{{rp|138}} Soon after taking the position, the squad took fire from a German position opposite them. Estimating that this position was held by at least a platoon, Winters called for reinforcements from the rest of the 1st Platoon and led them, and a platoon from Fox Company in a successful assault. Later it was discovered there had been at least 300 Germans.<ref name=Beyond/>{{rp|145}}

On October 9, Winters became the battalion [[executive officer]] (XO), following the death of the battalion's former XO, Major Oliver Horton.<ref name=Beyond/>{{rp|147}} Although this position was normally held by a major, Winters filled it as a captain. The 101st Airborne Division was withdrawn to France soon afterward.

==== Winter 1944–45 and spring 1945 ====
On December 16, 1944, German forces launched a [[counter-offensive]] against the Western [[Allies of World War II|Allies]] in Belgium, starting the [[Battle of the Bulge]]. The 101st Airborne Division was trucked to the [[Bastogne]] area two days later. Still serving as XO of the 2nd Battalion, Winters helped defend the line northeast of Bastogne near the town of [[Foy, Belgium|Foy]].<ref name="Band" />{{rp|179–212}} The entire 101st Airborne and elements of the [[10th Armored Division (United States)|10th Armored Division]] battled about 15 German divisions, supported by heavy artillery and armor, for nearly a week before Lieutenant General [[George S. Patton|George Patton]]'s [[United States Army Central|U.S. Third Army]] broke through the German lines surrounding Bastogne, reopening ground supply lines.<ref name="Band" />{{rp|179–212}}

After being relieved by Patton, the 2nd Battalion attacked Foy on January 9, 1945.<ref name=Band/>{{rp|205}} On March 8, 1945, the 2nd Battalion was moved to [[Haguenau]] in [[Alsace]], after which Winters was promoted to major.<ref name=Beyond/>{{rp|200}} Shortly afterwards, Robert Strayer, now a [[Lieutenant colonel (United States)|lieutenant colonel]], was elevated to the regimental staff and Winters took over as [[Acting (rank)|acting commander]] of the 2nd Battalion.<ref name=Band/>{{rp|221}}<ref name=Beyond/>{{rp|202}}

In April, the battalion carried out defensive duties along the Rhine before moving to [[Bavaria]] later in the month.<ref name=Beyond/>{{rp|209–213}} In early May, the 101st Airborne Division received orders to capture [[Berchtesgaden]].<ref name=Beyond/>{{rp|216}} The 2nd Battalion set out from the town of [[Thale]] through streams of surrendering German soldiers and reached the alpine retreat at noon on 5 May 1945.<ref name=Beyond/>{{rp|217}} Three days later, the war in Europe ended.<ref name=Beyond/>{{rp|224}}

==== Post-war assignments ====
After the end of hostilities, Winters remained in Europe as the process of occupation and demobilization began. Even though he had [[Adjusted Service Rating Score|enough points]] to return to the United States, he was told that he was needed in Germany.<ref name=Beyond/>{{rp|243}} Later, he was offered a regular (non-reserve) commission, but declined it.<ref name=Band/>{{rp|283}} He finally embarked from [[Marseille]] aboard the ''Wooster Victory'' on 4 November 1945.<ref name=Beyond/>{{rp|254}} He was separated from the Army on November 29, 1945,<ref name=Beyond/>{{rp|254}} although he was not officially discharged until January 22, 1946, and he remained on terminal leave until then.<ref name=Beyond/>{{rp|255}}

Winters was recommended for the [[Medal of Honor]] for his leadership at [[Brécourt Manor]], but instead received the U.S. Army's second-highest award for combat valor, the Distinguished Service Cross.<ref name=Band/>{{rp|85}} After the release of the ''[[Band of Brothers (TV miniseries)|Band of Brothers]]'' television miniseries, Representative [[Tim Holden]] (D-PA) introduced a bill asking the President to grant the Medal, but the bill died in the House Armed Services Committee [[United States House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel|Subcommittee on Military Personnel]] in 2007.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/111/hr3121 |title=H.R. 3121 (111th) |publisher=Govtrack.us |access-date=May 16, 2015}}</ref>