Colonel Robert Strayer Writes Richard Winters On Sobel, Speirs, Nixon - Band of Brothers (Complete)

[@donniepurcell9887]

Col. Strayer sounds like a top notch officer, knew his job, trusted those who worked for him but most importantly backed up those people and freely gave credit and praise and not hogging it for himself.

[@D2C3R5]

It’s obvious Sink knew Strayer was bad or he wouldn’t have promoted Winters to Bn XO so quickly. The fact that strayer let the winters courts martial go so far bears this out. He should have read Sobel the riot act and tossed the packet in the fireplace.

[@tonylittle8634]

When I was on active duty I was always taught to mentor and train your replacement. I was also taught that good leadership is shown when a leader’s subordinates do well and surpass you. Colonel Strayer was a good leader and fine gentleman. Sadly it’s hard for guys like him to excel in today’s military. Another awesome video. Thank you

[@nandi123]

Why is it harder today?

[@War_And_Truth]

Thanks Tony

[@jenningsrozzell7557]

"Two up, one down" levels of jobs you're expected to be capable of in the Army.

[@jenningsrozzell7557]

​@@nandi123Politics & Clicks...West Point vs. VMI, Airborne vs. regular, watched an officers career end because the CO didn't like him.

[@nandi123]

@@jenningsrozzell7557 It seems like a big advantage to graduate from one of the service academies if you planning on a career in the military. I imagine you also need social connections that support your advancement. That's in addition to good mentors. In every organization I know, aw talent and drive will only take you so far if you're a lone wolf.

[@dougbrowne9890]

This is the kind of information one cannot get inside the classroom. All of it is invaluable. Thanks for providing it to us.

[@War_And_Truth]

Thank you.

[@michaelmccotter4293]

Again, every time I encounter Strayer I come to the same conclusion. A class act.

[@tonylittle8634]

@@michaelmccotter4293 I was blessed to have been neighbors, friends and mentored by this generation. It was a different time and world. The qualities of Col Strayer such as 1.caring for his troops 2. Trying to keep his junior officers in a state of be a gentleman. 3. Encouraging and Inspiring his junior officers to excel to their full potential. 4. Placing his junior officers in a position that benefited both the army and troop morale. These are qualities that are seldom in one individual. It’s almost a crime that the series didn’t cover him more.

[@KOHTAOMURDERSDEATHISLAND]

👍👍 The letter is a gem. Strayer comes across as being diplomatic and very generous with his praise. His thoughts about Captain Nixon are far more flattering than other accounts you have published on your excellent channel. People’s opinions vary. That is to be expected. Strayer’s comments on Sobel demonstrate a profound awareness of both the man’s strengths and flaws. Thanks for publishing!

[@War_And_Truth]

I was very perplexed with Strayers comments re Nixon. I have a huge file on Nix so hopefully that will provide some answers.

[@alphalunamare]

@@War_And_Truth Jees that sounds so Soviet.

[@JAClary]

@@alphalunamare "Your attitude has been noted, you know. Oh yes, it's been noted!"

[@JeffM850]

All is Claus Der Kommissar?

[@MrSheckstr]

@@War_And_Truth when it comes to both Nixon and Winters there seems to be a level of flattery particularly his claim that Winters could have achieved the rank of a four star general…. I am not sure WHEN this happened but promotion of a general or admiral ABOVE the rank of Major General is by appointment not merit….. in much the same way that a First Sgt or Command Sgt major reverts back to Master Sgt or Sgt major upon leaving the post of the senior NCO of a company or larger unit a Lt General, or Full four star general reverts back to a 2 Star general once being relieve as Commander or Executive Officer of a particular posting …. The exception to this is when a Lt Gen or general is retiring and may (by executive order) is allowed to retire at his highest rank . That is because the number of general officers of all levels is capped and the pentagon or War and Naval Department where there became a infestation of Generals and Admirals with an abundances of stars from well earned experience, but whose experience and combat understanding was Outdated …. A Good example of this is the MASH episode Friends and Enemies where Col Potter Finds out his old WW1 buddy on a fact finding mission for the Pentagon Took charge ,and using Outdated tactics, led “his” men into a catastrophic debacle

[@DustDevilRage]

Probably the best KZbin video I’ve seen, actually mostly “heard” in months. Thank you greatest generation and thank you Easy Company.

[@War_And_Truth]

I appreciate that.

[@DustDevilRage]

@@War_And_Truth You’re welcome. Well done.

[@jimpowell2296]

I watched Band of Brothers and truly enjoyed it. As I watched I wondered if all that was in there happened as portrayed. In WWII the ground war was brutal on a large scale. So things could be looked at from different view points. The main thing I got from it was how these guys gutted it out together. Brave men who believed in each other, fought for each other and probably loved each other. My father and all my uncles served in WWII, albeit in the Navy. My father-in-law was a waste gunner on a B17 and was shot down in October 1942. He was in a German prisoner of war camp, stalag 17B. I was fortunate enough to learn much from these all these men. They didn’t talk much but enough. The greatest generation is a great description of you guys. Thanks for the series.

[@Lt-Dan]

You can ask 10 people what happened 20 years ago and they all remember it differently.

[@frostyrobot7689]

Another excellent video. As an aside, I live in Edinburgh and used to see the actor who played Col. Strayer in one of the local gyms here (won't say which). I recognised him and didn't bother him, but he often had people come up and say hello to him and was always very friendly and respectful in his responses. You could tell a lot of those who approached him were saying 'Are you... ?' and he just kind of nodded, smiled and exchanged a few words. Seemed like a top bloke.

[@RayBecker]

These videos are a fantastic view into the actual workings of the 506th. As a Veteran, I want to thank you for posting these videos!

[@War_And_Truth]

Thank you, and for your service.

[@stefaniecosme4774]

I’ve Gotta tell you War & Truth, as I’ve commented before, as an Avid WWII Enthusiast for about 2 decades now, when your new videos come out, they Immediately make my day! As soon as they pop up on my daily feed, I have to Drop what I’m doing to watch it!! And, as I’ve also commented before, your B of B videos are my Absolute Favorite! So, again, THANK YOU W & T for your Amazing Videos that I Always learn something New and Fascinating from- Wishing you and your family Many Blessings and Please Keep up the Great Work!!

[@War_And_Truth]

I always appreciate your comments.

[@trevormccarthy9019]

What a timeless masterpiece BOB has become.. the backstories and complexities of the infantryman and his cohorts at war have never been so compelling and well told. So grateful as a former 11B, Who never had to endure what we trained for.

[@jackwalker9492]

11B(P) 8yrs AD 19 ARNG Salute!

[@klay369]

I wish we had more books like this. So many stories lost to time now.

[@wmsd45]

Obviously LTC Strayer was an excellent officer and leader and your efforts to show us the real story are greatly appreciated. Obvious he placed great confidence in Winters especially concerning Nixon.

[@betrue-845]

I agree. I think Strayer was an excellent reader of men, especially under extreme stress and difficulty. If we are ever involved in another war, I hope and pray we have men cut from the same cloth as Easy Company. What an amazing letter to a fellow soldier. I have to transcribe this conversation and place it in my copy of BOB.

[@tonycoulter2416]

A well respected officer. Nixon was not the total falling down drunk like so many fans think he was.

[@jk-76]

Soldiers who were there say otherwize.

[@Teh_Goat]

Capt Sobel fighting for his men casts the man in a totally different light. In the book, and in the TV series, Sobel is portrayed as an unredeemable pain in the ass which was reinforced by his not mixing with the veterans at Easy Company reunions. His life after the war was tragic and I feel sorry for him especially after this new information provided by Col Strayer Great video and valuable information Thanks

[@mikehoncho7252]

I find more and more my life is turning out more like Sobels then I like or care to admit.

[@annm9589]

His son attended the reunions and they took time to say he was a great trainer but not a combat leader. But the men said he was indeed a pain in the a.

[@jharchery4117]

Thanks very much for continuing to find new information. You are doing excellent work.

[@War_And_Truth]

Much appreciated

[@thebernice6062]

What an absolute gentleman. It sounds like he was a very adept judge of skill and personality. I wish we could still manage our military in the way he did.

[@jacquesstrapp3219]

Always love to hear the different perspectives. This one was particularly interesting because Colonel Strayer is only peripherally covered in the book and series.

[@pointingdog7235]

From what I’ve read about Sobel is that he WAS an exceptional training officer yet lacked the ability to be a good combat leader. He had a way of being petty in the way he dealt with the men. What he tried to do to Winters was a prime example of why he shouldn’t have been a combat leader. Yet his ability to be organized and effective was a good reason for his becoming a logistics officer.

[@BrentDnD]

I have a huge problem with looking it the situation like this and giving him credit as a good training officer, etc. Did he make the men better as a result of his terrible leadership skills, his pettiness, his immaturity, and the list can go on. The answer is probably yes. But the issue is that the same results can be achieved by a good leader through inspiration and leading by example. Good leaders don't need to be assholes. Good leaders don't need to be a terrible person. It's actually probably true that good leaders can achieve even better results without resorting to that type of behavior. I served under both types. And in my personal experience, the good leaders were much more effective than the bad leaders, even with regard to training.

[@billbogard5806]

A true officer, he did not speak ill of anyone and I don’t believe he gave any unnecessary accolades. He laid it out simply in the way he saw it, but he took care of all of his men in what he said . good guy. magnanimous.

[@enoraskye6020]

I would consider my life fulfilled, if someone I knew wrote a letter to me like this one. Both men are amazing people

[@ypaulbrown]

Bravo on your coverage of this subject....

[@War_And_Truth]

Cheers

[@Spy_Tales]

You made an outstanding video. I’m a former paratrooper and big nerd about everything WWII since I’ve been a kid. I’ve never heard of this letter.

[@War_And_Truth]

Thank you. I love hearing from vets. I have hundreds of these letters so stay tuned.

[@broswater9359]

We all hated our platoon commander in boot camp. We were the platoon that spent the longest time being restricted to be in our barracks at all time, except for instruction or cafeteria. Still. In the few weeks I spent there, it got me from a child to being a young man (I was still only 17 and quite dumb lol)

[@wmorris3484]

Sobel made easy company. Winters perfected Easy company. Strayer brought them together. Explanation. Demonstration. Application

[@vinniemoran7362]

If ever we needed proof that this was the greatest generation, this is it. What a class act.

[@Casperthefriendlyghost82]

Im glad to have heard this. Brings alot together. Thank you for this

[@War_And_Truth]

Thanks for listening

[@MARYREED-nh7gb]

Thank you for posting this. Alot of the guys simply did the right thing as a matter of course. That's what is one of the remarkable things about the military. I do think is does bring out the best in most people. After all, these guys lived together for 2 years in the old barracks situation, so they knew the smallest thing about each other, even it seems the officers.

[@GC_420]

Strayer wrote a beautiful letter. Amazing prose.

[@anthonyodonnell6105]

Very interesting, and reflects well on Strayer himself.

[@juliancate7089]

Yep, I've said this several times on this channel. Sobel was given the positions he had based on his strengths. He was a deeply flawed man, but clearly had aspects of character and personality that suited him to training and staff work - and that's where he spent most of his time during the war. There are flaws that make a man unsuited for any responsibility, but none that afflicted Sobel. Also, I think Strayer's list of citations and awards speaks for him as far as how much time he spent in the fighting.

[@user-md7cs9yr2s]

He was allegedly challenged by map orientation which is an absolute deal breaker for Pilots and Grunts.

[@MrSheckstr]

@@user-md7cs9yr2s not just map reading, basic unit tactics….. “they are somewhere , over there, lets just go get them!”

[@dlxmarks]

Thanks for finding these primary source documents; we need to hear the men's own words as much as possible. It's too bad that seemingly so few of them had the time or inclination to keep wartime diaries. Even those records wouldn't have been free from bias and incomplete information but they would have helped greatly to resolve a lot of these timeline issues.

[@cwaddell3721]

best coverage on KZbin

[@War_And_Truth]

Thanks!

[@Lt-Dan]

You can ask 10 people what happened 20 years ago and they all remember it differently.

[@firstpresbyterianchurch5555]

It certainly filled in a lot of the questions that the book and the series did not fill in. Great job!

[@War_And_Truth]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@josiah5776]

Strayer sounds like a top-notch man of high character.

[@davidrobinson8337]

Colonel Strayer was on target. He was precise and on point.

[@The_Octopus]

I would’ve really loved to hear Dick Winters talk about receiving that letter from Strayer, because he had a lot of respect for Strayer.

[@bobbarclay316]

Band of Brothers was about the experiences of E Company, from the perspective of those men. Ambrose knew that those men had a set of opinions about many officers and recounted their memory. There was never an attempt at full historical accuracy but Ambrose did a good job reporting what those men believed. Sobel, Nixon, Sink, Lt. Dyke all come in for criticism from the men who relied on rumor and 2nd hand accounts. That's war. The Generals never fully know the troops, and the troops never fully know the officers.

[@alphalima6810]

Very fine narration, and the subject matter is much appreciated.

[@drewber565]

My dad flew fighter planes for the navy in WW2, in the Pacific. He went on to serve in Korea. Several of his contemporaries, who stayed in through Korea, and then Vietnam, made Admiral. In the Army, not always, but often, Infantry officers are the ones who make 3 and 4 Stars. So, as a combat infantry officer, and a paratrooper, who took part in the things, he did, the way he led, if he had stayed in, achieving that rank is certainly a possibility. Plus, he was very well respected and well liked by fellow officers and enlisted/NCOs.

[@Unkn0wnGuy]

Thanks for this. Great video and great comments from strayer

[@War_And_Truth]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@rickb1973]

This really illustrates the different frames of perception of events....Looking at Band of Brothers as a Company Grade book, from the experiences of O-3s (one in particular) and on down to the Privates....Col. Strayer looks at things in his "field of fire": Battalion, Regiment.....The echelon that one operates at defines their perception of the same historical, factual events. I know this effect well from my own time in the Infantry.

[@beccawolfe777]

Great post. Thanks.

[@johnmoore9404]

It was great to hear some of the inside facts from Lt. Col Strayer regarding Easy Company. I just wish Band of Brothers was a longer series, and had the time to dive deeper into more of the men from 506th like Lt. Col Strayer. Overall, Band of Brothers was one of the best mini-series that I ever saw and the book was equally good.

[@GMad-sc4uk]

Outstanding commentary…. Well done!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@War_And_Truth]

Thank you kindly!

[@nacholibre1962]

Having been an NCO (up to Regimental Sergeant Major) and battalion CO (Lieutenant Colonel) myself, I can attest to the difficulty of such decisions and the thought processes and considerations that are involved. This is a great letter. It shows humility and it shows tenacity at the same time. To admit he didn’t know what was going on in his battalion takes some doing. I admit that I didn’t always know what was going on but so many battalion commander pretended to. His character is flawless in that regard. That he listened to his officers and made timely and correct decisions face if difficult circumstances is testament to his abilities as a leader. He essentially got what he wanted and argued for the best able outcome, but he was also able to work with compromise in the face of authority and with regard to the wishes of the more junior officers. He went to bat for his troops!! The book is about 98% accurate and that to me is good enough. Either poetic license or myth and mystery will take care of the rest. One person’s memory can be at odds with another’s. It’s all a matter of perspective and experiences can feel different when you talk about them, especially some time after an event. So I think this is an excellent book. Unfortunately, I lent mine to a fellow soldier who didn’t return it and it’s now gone.

[@danielsimmons7397]

This is awesome being able to hear what Col. Strayer had to say about everything, and heaeing the way he commended Maj. Winters! He's alao probably right, had Winters chosen to continue serving, he would've been wearing Stars at some point & probably prior to the Vietnam Era.

[@RayPierreWhit607]

There’s one scene in BoB where Strayer is portrayed as being just a bit too scared to come out from being cover. Given his record, this really annoys me. It’s been covered elsewhere that the battalion CO shouldn’t be up front. I liked the way some else put it: if the CO is engaged in combat, something has gone terribly wrong. They note that Winters is hit just after. Strayer was behind cover, just don’t like the way they portray him when he asks (twice) whether it’s safe. Rant over.

[@americanmade6996]

Yes. In the TV series at least his next comment to Winters explained that he wanted to move the wounded. The show characterized him as being hesitant and obscured his intent to avoid getting the wounded shot some more.

[@duanephillips2343]

Thank you for posting this. I always wanted to know more about LTC Strayer. As battalion commander, I thought he should have gotten more air time especially in the HBO series. Also I wonder why he thought CAPT Sobel was a great trainer and disciplinarian, but not a leader of troops. Did he mean combat leader? Would love to see Sobel's OER. I think he was a patriot and meant well and I am sorry his story ended sadly. Yet he made LTC himself at some point.

[@ningenJMK]

Strayer was a great writer

[@JoeCarpenter-yt7sq]

I think that these young super-troopers in the 101st and 82nd were all heroes...even Sobel. They volunteered

[@Robbie7441]

Brilliant, thank you

[@War_And_Truth]

You're very welcome!

[@mpojr]

as a vietnam veteran and speaking from experience its hard to judge on something so far back,one would almost have to be there to make any judgment call

[@murderbot4313]

Truly a different generation.

[@mpk5637]

Damn, my father was in Regimental HQ, 506th PIR. Would be great to have been able to talk to him about the war.

[@eloquentsarcasm]

I served under some outstanding Officers and NCOs and some not-so-outstanding ones as well. I learned from all of them, but a few like Captain Foster and 1LT Goelke and SSG "Pappa Smurf" (due to him being incredible short) Casey and my mentor in all things regarding proper leadership 1SG Carpenter will always hold a special place in my heart and memory. Those four men all helped shape who I am today, 30 years later, and I will forever be thankful that I was able to learn from them. Good Officers and NCO's are like our school teachers when we were kids, but those military men taught us about war and how to survive it. Those WWII gents set the standard for everyone, they survived the worst of times, and somehow kept enough of their humanity to return to civilian life and in most cases find some measure of peace and happiness after the horrors of war.

[@War_And_Truth]

Thanks for your service.

[@30AndHatingIt]

That was an extremely enjoyable listen!

[@War_And_Truth]

Thanks for listening

[@pilot968]

Thanks for providing again another perspective unknown to most of us. Sounds like Strayer is saying diplomatically that Ambrose's book was a great story that justifiably handed out accolades in many areas but was not on point on some assessments. For one, Ambrose seems to have lost track of what Strayer was doing, and where. Strayer sticks up for Sobel though recognizes he was not combat material; interestingly, he ignored the Winters court martial. He admits turning a blind eye from accusations against Speirs. His praise of Nixon seems a little fulsome given the man's severe problems with alcohol, but he may have recognized the relationship between Nixon and Winters and thought it best to let things lie.

[@ikigai47]

Thanks for this. To hear Strayer tell it, seems the mini series sold Nixon short. Not that they made him out to be incompetent, but they sure didn't make him out to be a great leader of men. HBO made him seem like a nice, regular guy with a far greater emphasis on his drinking than "soldiering."

[@War_And_Truth]

According to some though, Nixon was so drunk at times while on duty he couldn't even stand up. I have a huge number of files on Nixon to get through so hopefully his story will become a little clearer.

[@ikigai47]

@@War_And_Truth - Yeah, probably one of those times where the truth lies somewhere in the middle. BoB did cover his demotion so I'm guessing he'd have been great if not for the liquor. Strayer probably dealt with him on his great days

[@pvtjohntowle4081]

The major thing I learned about Nix was he was a drunk and liked VAT 69. He didn't appear to be a leader of men. He was never in combat in BoB that I remember. This vid paints a different picture.

[@RW4X4X3006]

@@pvtjohntowle4081 To be Battalion S-2, Nixon had to lead patrols around and into enemy lines. Period. I think they covered that in one of the later episodes.

[@NickC84]

@@pvtjohntowle4081 He was one of the only Easy Company man to have 3 combat jumps, not to mention the patrols mentioned above as being S2. BoB doesn't show a lot of it as it's focused on Winters and the NCOs/Enlisted and not the other officers, but there was a lot of other things that happened that weren't shown.

[@rupertofhentzau920]

He was a gracious man.

[@jimgiordano2576]

Great job !.

[@jasong9774]

Refusing to mentor yet expecting excellence is both foolish and superstitious. Simply waiting for someone to just 'get it' is lazy and probably arrogant and self congratulatory. To be frank with someone regarding strengths and weaknesses and not confuse the mutable with immutable may take more sacrifice and investment, especially non presumptuous talks. Misunderstanding isn't always the fault of the hearer. Great investment may bring great results, but risk is a reality. This was great. Thank you

[@MarkGrudt]

I'm so blown away y these men.

[@Spark_Chaser]

From everything I've seen, read, or heard about Sobel is pretty much summed up by what Strayer said here. He knew how to get people trained up and united, even if it meant making an enemy of himself, but that animosity going into the field would have lead to conflicts, and you can't have that in the field. He made a great training officer, but I'm uncertain he'd have been as good in the field with Easy as things went with Winters.

[@richardmardis2492]

I remember in Germany hating my Squad leader- now I think I was a dumb punky kid, that didn’t know anything 🤣 …and maybe he wasn’t so bad. 40 years of introspection 😂

[@BrianMoore-uk6js]

Age will do that to you.

[@MilitaryJokes]

While Strayer recognizes Ambrose’s Band of Brothers as an excellent work, he also notes that there are minor inaccuracies in the depiction of historical events. This reflects the challenge of writing history with high accuracy, especially when events took place decades ago.

[@War_And_Truth]

I think Strayer was being 'polite'. I think he was extremely disappointed with the book.

[@prospero7849]

@@War_And_Truth And how do you infer that exactly? This was a private letter written to Winters not to Ambrose, why would he feel the need to be polite about his opinions? If he was 'extremely disappointed' why would he feel the need to hide that from Winters? There is nothing in this letter to suggest he meant anything other than simply what he wrote.

[@War_And_Truth]

@@prospero7849 Winters and Ambrose were one and the same with the project. Strayer knew he wouldn't get far if he wasn't on their side. I have a lot more detail, ill get to it eventually.

[@acefalcons4903]

Winters would’ve made a great next generation 4 stars “Ike”, but he wouldn’t have the desires nor the stomach to deal with the political and brass leaders he’d have to contend with. He was a needed leader for the men he served with and the grateful nation that needed leaderships like him to ensure the best chance for their young men.

[@stuartellison6895]

Really insightful this is. Thanks

[@War_And_Truth]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@stevegillespie6424]

Awesome! Subbed.

[@War_And_Truth]

Thanks for the sub!

[@joshkarena3058]

The movie and the character who portrayed Winter's showed signs of pleasure when been promoted but to me, he also displayed a sign of frustration knowing very well the higher in rank he went the less direct responsibilities he had with his men which he proved his knowledge and skill in a first hands on command. Four Star General, one or two star, yes.

[@War_And_Truth]

I have little doubt he would have made General had he stayed in.

[@davkatjenn]

Col. Strayer sounded like the type of officer I would feel good about serving under, as was Lt. Winters.

[@csjrogerson2377]

WW2 having run its' course for 5 years by then, the dross in the officer Corps of all forces had been removed. Those in positions of authority and ability were now in place by right, including Col Strayer. He new his men well and he understood their strengths and weaknesses. He was spot on.

[@dusterowner9978]

I'm surprise Strayer did not mention the canceled second patrol in Haguenau and what he would thought then and now !

[@War_And_Truth]

I'm not sure he ever found out. He may have thought it was pointless as well so kept the secret.

[@82lowe36id]

I’m not super men like this will ever exist again. The greatest generation for sure.

[@ningenJMK]

Sobel fought for his men!

[@darksidemachining]

Superb video. @04:54 Does Lt. Col. Charles Chase bear a striking resemblance to Donnie Walberg who as we all know played Sgt Lipton. Or is it Donnie Walberg playing Sgt Lipton who is playing Col Chase. 😮

[@nacholibre1962]

Exactly what I was thinking.

[@specag31]

Man, they look good in their Ike jackets. I have one of my Dads, still has the SHAEF patch on it.

[@MauriceJacob21]

Funny how Col. Chase (4:49) looks exactly like Donnie Whalberg, who played Sgt. Lipton in the show 😂

[@jeffcurrent5593]

All of these letters continue to fill in the tapestry of history. This letter in particular seems to corroborate many of the bits and pieces you have captured in other videos. As an observer and consumer of history I find this all very interesting. I try not to judge, but rather let the tapestry tell its own story.

[@derek89273]

I did over 30 years in the army and there’s one thing that comes to mind. Not everyone can lead and not everyone should lead. You need the delicate balance of gaining respect from the troops and superiors which isn’t easy to do. You’re giving them orders which can lead to death. A good leader needs to sell the plan and have the troops believe in it and even sacrifice their lives for it. Sobel appeared to be a good garrison officer but not effective as a combat officer as he lacked the flexibility and didn’t seem to trust his subordinates.

[@dodgermartin4895]

It seems that Strayer's presence and importance was overlooked in the book and the series, if he truly was onsite and in command of the battalion.

[@glorian2458]

I have reviewed much about Capt Sobel. I would have to agree that he was a fantastic training officer. I have no opinion of his leadership in combat or training exercises. I have sought more facts in drawing a conclusion. I must admit that Col Strayer has made a very good case for Easy Company and his contributions during WWII

[@AquaAdventure-o5v]

This letter certainly provides some interesting insight into these figures, beyond perspective of Stephen Ambrose. Captain Sobel is shown to be devoted to the men which he led and willing to advocate on their behalf. Captain Lewis Nixon is also shown to be very capable and a valuable officer, not merely the angry, alcoholic friend of Richard Winters. A personal story related by Buck Compton demonstrated that Nixon could be real jerk, and it was said that Donald Malarkey confronted Nixon at a reunion after Nixon criticized Compton's bravery during the war. This letter also suggests that there is truth to Ronald Speirs having shot German POWs, which may explain why Spiers only became a Lt. Col. after decades in the Army, not withstanding his WW II achievements. On the other hand, with multiple wars over the next 25 years, it is entirely possible that Richard Winters would have become a general officer had he stayed in the Army.

[@allanfranklin9615]

Another great leader and soldier was Felix Sparks, read the book "The Liberator" for his story, a great leader of men and true hero.

[@barrynewman4456]

One company out of how many ?

[@Mjones8383]

After fighting the last 3 days of WW1 i was lost then when WW2 broke out i joined the navy. I was a navy pilot and flew 45 sorties before i signed up for UDT and that where i finished the war. I was the last UDT soldier in Vietnam before i finally retired. I seriously thought of reenlisting after 9/11 but my hearing is shot in my right ear and felt id not be combat effective. 🇺🇸

[@DMC_Oorah]

Great leaders. I agree with his opinion on the Generalship as well as his assessments. That's what made Strayer a great leader of men. AIRBORNE

[@SilverDreamer62]

I take absolutely nothing away fron Band of Brothers, and all the people who made this possible, including the Vets of Easy Co. Rather than spending a lifetime picking it apart, could we not explore the deeds and background stories of great units like Carlson's Raiders, Merrill's Maruderers or the Alamo Scouts, not to mention The Flying Tigers? There were many bands of brothers. Let's discover more of them.

[@GravesRWFiA]

Winter's book makes a good argument his men were the first to the eagle's nest- they plundered it-he argued could the french have possible left everything behind?

[@genegarren833]

I totally agree, as a 100% service connected combat veteran!

[@Collusion10]

That’s every veteran who served during no wars now. VA is overwhelmed. Serve 4yrs full 100%

[@WilliamStahl-qp4vm]

My question is if Ambrose ever contacted Colonel Strayer for any imput for his book or movie? If not, I wonder why not?

[@War_And_Truth]

No. He wrote about Strayer from 2nd hand information. Strayer wrote Ambrose to clear it up after he read the draft but Ambrose still wrote it incorrectly.

[@Eupher72120]

My .02 Zlotys (Polish currency, though I'm not Polish) -- again, Strayer is being very charitable and gracious and details some of the issues he saw in his position as 2nd Bn CO. I don't think those were even broached in the series much less focused upon. I'd have to re-read the book to understand the business about the fight with a general officer, but there is no doubt Strayer is correct. Had there been a fight at all, he would've been cashiered. Regarding Sobel, Strayer did with Sink as any competent commander would do -- render his opinion to the decision maker and if accepted, OK, fine. If not, that's the regimental commander's prerogative. Also, fine. No huge deal either way, especially as they were getting read to deploy and there was no time for bullshit. I do find it odd, however, that Nixon's drinking wasn't mentioned in this dispatch to Winters, but I assume that once again, Strayer was being gracious. No sense in dissing a guy who was still alive (Nixon passed 3 years after this letter was written) because at that point, most of that was irrelevant. Nixon no doubt used his prodigious intellect to at least demonstrate his competence -- and probably did his drinking of Vat 69 not in pubs, but in his quarters. Even still, his demotion back to 2nd Bn S-3 was probably intended to get his attention -- which ultimately failed.

[@bdcochran01]

I did not know Mr. Sobel. I simply say that the Army eventually came to an understanding that it was not a good idea to send the training officer as a command officer into combat. The US military changed over the years and most do not know the following facts: 1. In most instances from 1776 through WW1, most units were raised locally in militias, state guard units, and local communities. The officers were local men. 2. Conversely, when a training unit has people from all of the country, with different backgrounds and no pre-war familiarity with officers, certain resentments are generated. This is why if there were a war in 2024, the training officers would never go overseas with the unit that they trained.

[@Unkn0wnGuy]

I thought the picture of chase was walburg

[@daniels.3062]

This letter is proof there's two sides to every story.

[@zebradun7407]

I did four years in the Marines, There were Officers I admired and would wade though hell for if he ordered it. There were also officers who I despised, one Captain I recall vividly. We all hated his guts unless the man was a Brown nose. A real Jag Off.

[@grast5150]

Wow that was a great letter. Winters would have been a great General. My opinion on Sobel has soften in the past years. I think with the comments from E Company and Winters about Sobel. Strayers evaluation is the best. Sobel was good training office but not a commander of men. The does not mean Sobel should be degraded. He did his job like many others.

[@moynge]

Regarding Strayer's comment about Captain Speirs, I'm curious about the context. According to Major Winters, Speirs acknowledged that the rumors pointed to truths, but the whole thing seems a red herring given that General Taylor's orders were to take no prisoners during the D-Day invasion. Band of Brothers portrayed Speirs taking out German POWs during the invasion, so I'm wondering why Strayer -and the Band of Brothers characters- are squirrely, surprised, stupified about the fact that Taylor's orders were carried out widely during the invasion.

[@War_And_Truth]

Strayer wrote a lot with tongue in cheek. I have to wonder if this was another example. I can't imagine that he could care less if Speirs shot a few prisoners during D-Day. Especially after they saw what the Germans did to troopers who were caught in trees etc.

[@kimepp2216]

Its pretty hard to argue with the man that was there.