Cole C. Kingseed

The more that I read about Major Dick Winters, the more that I want to get to know him. Colonel Cole Kingseed had the fortunate privilege to become friends with Winters and Conversations with Major Dick Winters: Life Lessons from the Commander of the Band of Brotherscaptures their friendship and life lessons. Who is Major Dick Winters? Winters stepped into the limelight when the Band of Brothers series came to be. Winters was one of the company commanders assigned to Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. When I say one, he is the one who is most commonly associated with Easy Company, even though others served longer in the position. Read more… (mehr)

I have been a very enthusiastic fan of Major Dick Winters ever since the release of the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers. Always interest to learn more about the Greatest Generation, I wasn't aware of the book Conversations with Major Dick Winters: Life Lessons from the Commander of the Band of Brothers by Cole C. Kingseed, until by chance I notice it on a small table at my local bookstore. I have to admit what caught my eyes first was the photo of Major Winters; I unmistakably knew that high sharp jawline, piercing dark eyes and the slow smile that spread across his thin lips. His photo always showed the face of a real American hero, but Major Winters reluctant to call himself a hero, cared only about the men he commanded in Easy Company and the concern of getting them home safely. This book tells the story's of Dicks leadership through the war and how he continued to be a remarkable man until he said farewell to this world, only to be reunited with the men of Easy Company forever.
Colonel (Retired) Cole. C. Kingseed, USA uses the four seasons to tell the details that made up Major Winters life. Starting with spring, Kingseeed accounts D-Day, and the fights Easy Company took to gain victory in World War II. Richly describing the brotherhood that was formed by the men, as we also see Major Winters feeling about certain individuals as they handled themselves in war. Summer brings into depth the great leadership, friendship, character, and courage that created a man like Major Dick Winters, as Kingseed shares anecdotes and answers from the Major. As the leaves being to fall every year in Autumn, in the book we begin to see the strong, remarkable woman that Dick chose as his partner in life, Mrs. Winter. And the legacy and solace they created in the final years of their lives. Always protective of her husband, Ethel Winters didn't easily welcome people into their world. The few that were lucky enough to enter Winter's world expressed a woman, that loved and cared about her husband in all aspects of his life. Unfortunately, all years must come to an end, and as the book enters into winter, we as the readers see the final days of Major Winters life and last good-byes from friend and family, along with a grateful nation.
In the postscript of the book, Colonel Kingseed lets the read know that this book was always a dream of Dicks to complete. Like their first book Beyond Band of Brothers that explored Major Dicks memoir through his wartime diaries, Winters also wanted the world to know about his friends. As quoted in the book, "He (Winters) was not concerned if he would be forgotten; he didn't want his friends to be forgotten." After reading Conversations with Major Dick Winters, there is no way Major Winters or his friends will ever be forgotten. They will forever be a productive part of the history of this great country, just doing what any person did when their freedom becomes tested in extraordinary ways, fight and "Hang Tough".… (mehr)