Thank you Major, Easy and all who fought for our freedom.

[Evovii]

Dear Major,
I really hope that you read this letter so that you may know the deepest repect and admiration I have for you and all that fought alongside you. My name is Owen and I am 25 from a small town in the middle of Wales, UK. I have always had a keen interest in the second world war and until the Band of Brothers book was realeased I only really then had a real understanding of what it was like to be in the frontlines from a soldiers point of view, the terror, the bravery and the courage it took to be there standing your ground for freedom and country. I remember all previous films I had seen were all gung ho with men like John Wayne taking on the Germans almost single handedly but then Steven Spielberg directed Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers and showed the realities of what you and other brave young men went through. I must say Sir my respect and admiration goes to you whole heartedly, not only did you have to deal with your own thoughts and fears but also bear the fears of all your men, but, being the great man you are, you strived, lead by example and did what you had to do and that is purely inspiring.
I never take anything for granted, I enjoy my life and I enjoy the freedom I have, I can do what I want when I want (sometimes), but I know what sacrifices had to be made for me to enjoy my freedom, I know so many lost their lives so I can enjoy mine. May God forbid that anybody forgets what happened, that it becomes just another chapter of a school text book. I feel in my heart what millions gave up for future generations to gain and until I draw my last breath I will continue to tell of yours and all your generations struggle to ensure our freedom.
May I also take this chance to say that, I remember when you said about your grandson asking if you were a hero, you corrected him and said "no, but I served with a company of heroes". Well Sir you are a hero, you are my hero and the hero of an endless number of people that will never be able to find the words to really thankyou for what you did.
Sir may I give you my total gratitude and repect.
GOD BLESS YOU!

Sincerely.
Owen Gareth Harries

[tallgeorge]

Hello for all of those participating in discussions on this site. I want to apologize for my English, but I am trying to recover from this. I read this discussion for many months. Now it is my first contribution. I appreciate enormously Ms Linda. She is truly exceptional. Thus the main reason for my visit to this site is primarily a group of exceptional. I consider our common extremely lucky that some of the exceptional group are still with us. 6 years ago, I visited Normandy for the first time. Since then there has been much, as well as in the Ardennes, in Berchtesgaden, at Hamm in Luxembourg and the Netherlands. I was extremely lucky last year. In August, I met at the American cemetery at Omaha Don Malarkay and Buck Compton. A month later, on the Utah beach Edward Heffron. For the next month in Malmedy Earl McLung and Paul Rogers. In December, I spoke in Bastogne with Ed Shames, Herbert Suert and Frank Sobolewski. It is not about to write. This must be experienced. You all know what I mean. Words can not express my feelings towards the U.S. soldiers who have their suffering and pain create conditions for free life for us. Yours sincerely thank you. Thank you for my parents. Thank you for my friends. Thank you for my daughters to know Saint Marie du Mont, Brecourt Manor, Saint Come du Mont, Carentan, Bastogne, Foy, Noville, Hamm and Berchtesgaden. I believe that my daughters will be one to tell their children about Band of Brothers, and thus will be filled with one my dream. You are and will remain in our hearts.
Thanks for FREEDOM.
Jiří Klepsa - tallgeorge
Czech Republic
Jaroměř

[Connie]

Compliments to both Owen and Jiri.... such lovely posts, so well said. Thanks for contributing and I hope we hear more from both of you.
Connie

[Linda]

Thank you both for these touching words gentlemen...

tallgeorge: thank you for the compliment on my address Thanks

[ShellyeChyree]

I know this is a bit late, but I just noticed this thread and I must express how absolutely ellequent your posts were, and it's overwhelmingly refreshing to hear those two little words that mean so much to the men who fought for freedom and from ordinary Americans who sometimes wonder,especially now, if the appreciation is still there from those that benefit from the bravery of our Armed forces. It's holds greater value to hear this from the younger generation who take the actions of such brilliant soldiers and living in peace for granted. I make sure my children know why we went to war with Japan and Germany not to occupy but to liberate innocent people and stop tyranny. I wish we could be more grateful to our soldiers who continue to fight for freedom and liberate oppressed countries, instead of making them feel like what they are doing is considered murder back home. Anyway, my point is this, thank you for being thankful to Easy and all the men of the greatest generation. Your post's made me smile and brought a tear to my eye. I hope we never forget what these men did for us, and for the countries they freed. I also wanted to add what I think needs to be mentioned and that is we musn't forget Englands role in the victory of WWII. Churchill was a wonderful P.M. who loved his country and the UK was lucky to have the brave men who fought along side America to accomplish VE day.

[bc56]

Thank you to Owen and Jiri for your wonderful thoughts and comments. It is great to see someone as young as Owen who appreciates the sacrifices made by the greatest generation.

I don't know how you can say thank you in an adequate way to these great men. They were willing to sacrifice everything for their country. We take so much for granted everyday. Americans have such a good life for the most part and we have so many things available to us that we can't imagine it any other way. These things and this freedom we have didn't come easy. It was through the sacrifices of men like Major Winters and Easy Company that we enjoy the things we have today. I just can't get over how much they accomplished, how far they went, how hard it really must have been and how determined they were at such a young age. They literally changed the world! Have you ever considered how things would be now if they were not willing to do what they did? Everyone of us should realize that in many ways our lives, our children's lives, our friend's lives are richer and so much better because of them. And you see someone like Major Winters speak with such humility...if you've ever wanted to point a young person towards a role model or a true hero, you couldn't do any better.

There are a lot of things wrong in the world today and seemingly getting worse everyday, but it is men like this that give us hope. Is there any better gift?

If you look up the word "hero" in the dictionary, there is a picture of Major Dick Winters surrounded by Easy Company. If that's not the true definition of the word, I don't know what is.

May God Bless You Major Winters and All of Easy Company.

[johnuk]

I'd already left some of my thoughts sharing my gratitude for the Major and his men for what they did for us in WW2 some months ago, but I just wanted to echo the thoughts of ShellyeChyree who was reassured by others' gratitude shown.

I think it's particuarly difficult sometimes to witness some of the things the people of this world display and that's what makes the Major's story so stand out; they didn't have to be there to do what they did, the volunteered for it. How many of us young folk would volunteer for that and have the same courage and strength?

I do think that one day similar experiences will await us to those that easy company went through. Unfortunately the nature of man is they will always war with one another. I know that if I ever have to face anything of that magnitude, I will take courage from the stories I have read and watched.

I often reflect on this story and use it to draw strength when trying to consider the direction and decisions I take in my own life. I think it is important to mention to the Major's and his men that we're not only grateful for what they did, but inspired to be better as a result of it. I have a little motto printed out that I keep on my desk to remind me to question myself frequetly as whether or not I am currently living worthy of the sacrifice those before me have made. This forum really is fantastic because it's so great to know of people who feel the same. Although I don't post frequently, as I'm not really of huge military background, and feel I don't have a lot to contribute I often check in to read what's going on.

I don't know if I'll get to meet any of the D-day easy company heroes in this life but I'm grateful my beliefs give me the hope that one day even in the next life I'll have that chance.

[ShellyeChyree]

I watch my Band of Brothers DVD's every day, I'm not joking, everyday, I watch and pray we are as brave as this generation was if it was to ever happen again. I admire the military with my entire being after learning more about what these brave, volunteers went through, for me to live without fear. I get so upset at people who say "I support the troops, but not the war." This makes absolutely no sense, what-so-ever to me. How can you support a soldier if you don't support the job he is doing? War, in my opinion, is a necessary evil. No body likes war, especially the country in which it is happening, and the warriors and their families who are either maimed or killed in action. Sometimes it is something that cannot be avoided, and I thank the good Lord we have people who are brave enough to do the job. Being grateful for every military action America has endured is something my children have been taught since they could talk. They understand people will die, but they also understand how important the sacrifice of a soldier is to their future, and I will always carry on that message. My family is not from a military background. My daddy did serve with the Big Red One in Viet Nam, but I did not have a family member fight in WWII, yet I think of them, including my dad, as heros. I did not know them, they did not know me, but I sure am glad they fought for a complete stranger in order for my family to live and prosper in America. Free and safe is what I love about my Country, and I try every night to say thank you in my prayers, to those who laid down their lives for me.

[Connie]

Those last two posts are so well "said" that I don't think a thing could be added to them. Well done.
Connie

[ShellyeChyree]

I always think about what Eisenhower said the night before the Normandy liberation. "We will never see the likes of these men again." Of course we can't say now that the men of the greatest generation were the only soldiers who were brave, our soldiers through out every war, or conflict have shown great courage in the face of danger. My hope for my children and grand children is to never forget the men who fought for their freedom, and always remember to appreciate the sacrifices made for complete strangers, without question, saving all from the tyranny that blanketed the Europeon Theater and the Pacific Theater. My words will never express the gratitude I really feel. I love all soldiers, Thank you from the bottom of my heart and the depths of my soul for what you do everyday and the days gone by.

[Max_Stolyar]

Dear Mr. Winters!
My name is Max Stolyarov. I'm 36 and i live in Ukraine. I will not tyre you with the long letter. Before the day of the Great Victory (on May, 9th) I wish to thank you on behalf of all Ukrainians, remembering those great battles for the contribution to a victory over Germany. I very much regret, that my grandfather has died before I have learnt about You and feats of Easy Company. And then yet so the Internet was widely used. I will be happy, if you read this letter, and will find time to read about feats of my grandfather. Here the link (http://www.iremember.ru/content/view/190/82/lang,en/).
You the wise man and you understand that I feel to all heroes who have passed that meat grinder. I do not have necessity write long letter to paint the gratitude and admiration.
My grandfather would be proud of acquaintance with you.
Give Lord to you the health and as early as long years of a life.
With deep respect
Max Stolyarov
p.s. sorry for my english

[stigno89]

I just wanted to say that major winters, easy company and every man who faught in the war has my gratitude and respect. Although you may not believe it yourself, Mr Winters, you are truely a hero, to millions of people, including me. I'm only 19 yet I find you and your men a true inspiration. And this is a small way of me thanking you and everything you did during the war. I just wish I could do more.