Major Dick Winters on Albert Blithe SURVIVING World War II (Band of Brothers)

Major Dick Winters has been a personal hero of mine ever since I've seen the show "Band of Brothers" as a young man. Here are some clips from an interview of Dick Winters done by Rep. John Payne, which was recorded in the early 2000's. Thank you Rep. John Payne for sharing this interview with the world.
Here's the links to his interviews:
Part 1: • A Tribute to Maj. Dick...
Part 2: • Rep. Payne's Legislati...
Part 3: • A Tribute to Major Win...
Part 4: • A Tribute to Maj. Dick...
Part 5: • A Tribute to Maj. Dick...

[@slowrunner23]

As a living relative of Albert Blithe (he was my dad's great uncle) and having the last name of Blithe, I'm glad to have found this video. I have been to Arlington and visited his grave. My dad's little brother was named after him. Thank you!!

[@bobloblaw2958]

Salute to him, salute to your family!

[@bobloblaw2958]

If you're as bad at knots, tanks, and drive ins you suck bro😂

[@douglasrice8201]

​@@JackAubreyy how so

[@JM-ct9mx]

Another BS comment of the “as a…” type.

[@aechangel627]

I’m truly glad that Albert Blithe survived his wounds and went to fight in Korea, such a brave man to keep fighting and truly will be missed…you and your family must cherish that name and carry on his stories to the next generation. I salute to you and your family as well

[@montieluckett7036]

Sixty years later, and this Officer is still looking out for the welfare of his men, even after their passing.

[@mikek5958]

That's what REAL leaders do; an amazing man.

[@toppyclashofclans8397]

When I listened to him, you could hear the steel in his voice when he knew one of his men had been wrongly portrayed. A great officer.

[@tspot816]

Beautifully said. I had not thought of it like that. Thank you! And I didn't think my opinion of Major Winters could climb any higher (was already sky high!).

[@jorgevillalobos1852]

Unparalleled leadership.

[@arhainofulthuan]

Now that's soldiering!

[@maartineriksson]

Imagine having that for the closing credits instead of the wrongly stated death: "Blithe joined the 187th Airborne as volunteer for the Korean was, where he earned the Bronze Star and the Silver Star. He was buried in Arlington with full honors in 1967." That would've had some punch to it.

[@chadhartsees]

It would have taken someone 10 minutes to fix this after the initial broadcast. And then 10 minutes to fix it when it went to DVD. And then 10 minutes to fix it when it went to Blu-ray. And then 10 minutes to fix when it was on streaming. Nobody has. It's ridiculous that the producers haven't done this.

[@geodes6722]

Agree. This most assuredly would have been most appropriate. While BoB was a great series there was a little bit too much “license” taken with the reputation of some of the characters, Blithe being one glaring example!

[@mikalando5588]

Come back to end all come backs. True legend and hero

[@geodes6722]

@@philm9593 The other two the series really did a number on were Sobel and Dyke. By all accounts of the men, Sobel was a very strict and petty disciplinarian who they had no confidence in as a combat leader but they also credited him with making Easy the fighting unit it became. In the series this only came out when it was mentioned by Col. Sink. The fact the men felt this way never came out. Also, the series made Dyke look like a coward in the segment about Foy. There are accounts that Dyke was anything but a coward but the series leaves the viewer with the lasting impression that Norman Dyke was just that. Not fair for a series to do that, especially when there is evidence to the contrary. Journalistic laziness or “yellow” journalism? You decide!

[@kaneo6162]

Silly committees, "we need an anti-hero".

[@tango6nf477]

We all know the John Wayne type of character, strong, brave who takes everything in his stride without batting an eye. But imagine being the guy who is terrified to the point of going blind, but who still goes into harms way, volunteers for a patrol, is almost killed and then signs up for another war? That is courage, dedication and duty, a man to be respected. HBO should publish a correction and apology for their incredibly unprofessional mistake.

[@rooroo8767]

I always had more in common with Blithe then the other troopers. God bless them all. All heroes

[@chipsthedog1]

As Nelson Mandela said Courage is not the absence of fear but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid but the man who conquers that fear.

[@texasaggie8449]

I think John Wayne said courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway.

[@rooroo8767]

@@texasaggie8449 interesting. John Wayne never went to war, ever.

[@texasaggie8449]

@@rooroo8767 you are correct

[@chrispierdominici3891]

Boy does this speak volumes about the kind of man and leader Dick Winters was, correcting the history and false impressions of a many unfairly depicted to a fair degree. It's nice to know that Albert Blithe overcame his early fears and became such a decorated soldier.

[@coltsfan79]

Doesn't it

[@charleshendrix232]

And you can see the innate intelligence in him. Sharp as a tack. Remembers details and thinks quickly even at his age then.

[@allws9683]

Maybe Winters should do that for Lt. Norman Dike as well. He was portrayed as a bad officer unfit for front service, while in reality he earned 2 bronze stars. in Holland for collecting and leading scattered troops against German attacks, and in Belgium for rescueing 3 wounded soldiers under fire. At the assault of Foy he had to be released, not for panic, but because of a shoulder wound. And they call him (and show him as) a cowardice 'Foxhole Norman' .

[@charleshendrix232]

@@allws9683 i did some minor research after reading your post. Apparently Winters was of the opinion that Dike was not a competent leader as reflected in Winters autobiography. He did not hold him in high regard. But you are correct that he was awarded commendations for bravery. I suppose both could be true. He had guts, but was not the greatest commander and may have risen a bit out of his depth. The nickname and the bull about cowardice seems grossly unfair.

[@robd1329]

I never understood why in the series they had given Blighte too many scenes only to have him die. I just found out he didnt die during the war...why do him in like that??

[@Droodog127]

Albert Blithe: On December 10, 1967, while on active duty in Germany, Blithe felt nauseated when he returned from a weekend at Bastogne, Belgium, where he had taken part in the ceremonies commemorating the Battle of the Bulge. On December 11, 1967, Blithe was taken to the emergency room at Wiesbaden Hospital, Germany, where he was admitted with a diagnosis of a perforated ulcer. He died in the intensive care unit on December 17 after surgery, and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery with full honors.

[@kittymervine6115]

thank you.

[@scotiadragoon5974]

“Nauseous” is the word that you want. While technically correct,“Nauseated”, suggests that he was disgusted or filled with revulsion regarding the Bastogne ceremonies. (I still gave a “thumbs up”)

[@Droodog127]

@@scotiadragoon5974 Quote from wiki so blame them 🤣

[@scotiadragoon5974]

@@Droodog127 Damned Wikipedia!!!😂

[@kascally]

​@@Droodog127 It's crowd sourced editing and an easy edit. Nobody to blame but the users.

[@ranger4375]

Gordon Blithe, Albert’s son, was stated saying, "I want people to remember my father this way: he was a true American paratrooper who put his life on the line for this country and thousands of other people in this world. He fought for people he didn't even know. I'm proud of him, so proud. That's how I want people to remember Albert Blithe." I hope we all remember him in this way, and not the way Ambrose or HBO portrayed him. He was a true soldier until the very end.

[@GFM_90]

I don't think they portraied him in a bad way. He was just a kid who had been through a lot of stuff. He recovered from shock and was able to serve again.

[@profedelasmontanas9023]

Blithe is my favorite character. They all had fear but he was able to overcome tremendous fear to perform his duty with honor

[@petesong7146]

Ambrose is a writer who could not help but sensationalize his storyline. Narcissist.

[@ahatcherlps]

For all of the things Band of Brothers got right, it still surprises me they weren't accurate about this, presumably on purpose.

[@le13579]

That episode and the depiction of Blithe came across to me as theatrical, so I've never judged based on it.

[@joachim2464]

The fact that HBO has never corrected the end title stating his death even to date is baffling to me.

[@KCBURD]

Yeah me too. They really did a good job of making me think the guy was a coward or something. They should be ashamed of themselves

[@bigc208]

Had he been Black they wouldn’t have allowed him to serve with Easy Company. Thanks for inadvertently shining a light on that.

[@timmyb7734]

@@disgruntledpedant2755 stolen valor much?

[@robd1329]

I tbought he died as a weak guy

[@lucassanchez9050]

As much as I dislike that the show got the details about his death wrong, I never understood it as him being presented as weak. Yeah, the whole blindness thing did occur, but after that, he fought, shot the German paratrooper, continued to fight, then got shot on the neck. I never thought he was cowardly at all. But yeah, the stuff about his death state still annoys me.

[@historiador1420]

Good man, defended the honor of his man long after their service.

[@mijicmugendo]

He admitted that his men murdered unarmed soldiers who where surrendering

[@stevenobrien557]

he helped smear a dead man then reversed when shown he hadn't died and went to Korea

[@robertlaube574]

@@mijicmugendo front line soldiers dont take prisoners. Eff a ww2 era german soldier.

[@mijicmugendo]

@@robertlaube574 You don't shoot unarmed soldiers that are surrendering or those that are in your custody. He admitted to both! That is a war crime! Just imagine if the Taliban killed unarmed US soldiers that had been captured and in their custody! What would you say then?

[@slcpunk2740]

@@stevenobrien557 it's not a smear if it happened, blithe had hysterical blindness and he got over it and still went on to fight, that's not a smear it's just reality, some people were scared to death and still fought but that doesn't make them any less courageous - it just makes them human

[@joshdalzelle70]

This is why Maj Winters was loved and respected by the men he led. To take the time to correct the record on Blithe was a class act.

[@robertlundquist5450]

“We would like to keep the record straight on that.” Wow, still looking after his men. That’s a leader.

[@fbcpraise]

Thanks for posting this. Anyone that saw the series felt for Blithe. It's gratifying to know the rest of the story.

[@darinsavoury4444]

Good to hear he won some metals. I liked his character something you can relate to. It’s fine to say I can’t wait to go into battle but you just don’t know how you will react on the battle field.

[@jarcdday]

but on the credits on that episode, they declare that he died, just like a fact, why on the series said that?? I'm confused

[@tylerdurden4121]

@@jarcdday mistakes...lol

[@catherinelw9365]

@@jarcdday Back then, there was no internet, no communication via mobile device, etc. Rumors ran rampant. Easy men thought Blithe died and since they never saw him again that rumor was never debunked until after the series aired.

[@hux2000]

@@jarcdday Because researchers make mistakes.

[@imyourgodmachine]

To live through World War II, get wounded, and then volunteer for the Korean War! That man literally has balls of steel!

[@Kevin-mx1vi]

Indeed, he was made from "the right stuff". I had an uncle who joined the British army in 1933 aged 17. Sent to the far East he became a prisoner of the Japanese at the fall of Singapore and suffered years of brutal captivity. Upon being freed he rejoined his regiment, later fighting in the Korean War, retiring in 1960 with the rank of Sergeant Major. He was a shining example to me. I have even more respect for Albert Blithe because he volunteered despite his fear.

[@markrossington6884]

“We’d like to keep the record straight in that.” ~ Dick Winters

[@noahellis3672]

Dick Winters was an exceptional leader of men as well as a soldier. For him to take the time to set the record straight regarding what happened to one of his men in combat and especially what actually happened to him later in life shows how he still cared about his men after all this time. That quality as well as the kind of man he was makes him an example for all men to be. He was a great man.

[@_________.]

The little interview doesnt do a lot compared to the misinformation he allowed on his entertainment

[@Trissana281]

​@@_________.He allowed? You think he had a saying in that?

[@_________.]

@@Trissana281 he absolutely did.

[@EarlBiggs]

Thr Quality of a man is shown through his Actions and and major Winters is one of the very best

[@MaksoTheBass]

You know he's actually not a HBO producer lol?

[@mstevens113]

Guys like Blithe are the true heroes who deserve to be remembered as much as the famous names. Not a natural warrior but overcoming extreme fear to still stand up and do their job in an environment totally alien to them. That is the true definition of bravery.

[@Brandon-oc5vw]

I was in the 506th and was deployed Iraq 05-06. My unit had the opportunity to meet Maj. Winters when we are all returned after coming off rotation. My platoon was ecstatic. Then word came down at month 11 that we were being extended to at least 13 months. We went over as a torch element, first boots on ground for our unit. Now we were to be the last to leave theater. My platoon never got to meet him. But we got to see all the pictures of our brothers and sisters that did. The biggest smiles, rosy red cheeks and red eyes from the tears. He moved mountains and souls. Such a great man. Our world is less without him. I am glad there are videos out there like this. Currahee!

[@newyorkgiantsfan5440]

HBO owes it to Albert Blythe and his living family to correct what happened to him.

[@joperhop]

Swear they did.

[@ottoskorzeny8701]

They lied about liebgott being jewish also. Liebgott was an Austrian catholic .

[@tonymanero5544]

This is based on Ambose’s story and like the police investigating leads, not every lead us chased didn’t I it’s end. HBO owes nothing here.

[@newyorkgiantsfan5440]

@@tonymanero5544 that makes no sense.

[@robd1329]

Could they have sued hbo for that? They made him look like a weak guy..he didnt even die in the war

[@peterplotts1238]

It's good finally to hear the true story of First Sargent Albert Blithe, United States Army, Airborne Infantry. All honor to him, and may he rest in peace.

[@fredrickmillstead6397]

Major. Winters is an outstanding American, an excellent leader, and a fine man.

[@feloniousintent]

Fredrick Milstead, Indeed, sir. Major Winters was one of the best of the Greatest Generation. He deserves the CMOH.

[@inthedarkwoods2022]

He was in the Klan. Ambrose neglected to mention that.

[@Alexs.2599]

@@inthedarkwoods2022That pure BS he was never in the Klan. Don't come here and disrespect his memory with lies.

[@inthedarkwoods2022]

@@Alexs.2599 Nope it's true. He fought against school integration.

[@Alexs.2599]

@@inthedarkwoods2022 That's not true. Where are you getting your info from?

[@ltkreg]

Winters wanted to set the record straight on Blithe, how good a man he was. Pure class.

[@stevenobrien557]

lol after being caught out slandering a dead man.

[@Frserthegreenengine]

@@stevenobrien557 You mean Stephen Ambrose was?

[@stevenobrien557]

@@Frserthegreenengine he was told this by Winters and others in the company.

[@no9scrum]

After all those years, given how many men were under him... the depth of his knowledge on one single man is unbelievable

[@Efreeti]

My thoughts exactly. What a leader.

[@curtissjones9341]

I was wonderful friends with William Wingett who trained and fought with easy company. He was close friends with Blithe. Wingett expressed how Blithe was 100% reliable in combat, and sharp.

[@SherLock55]

Yeah it seems he was just a bit shook up after some combat and as Winters put it went blank for a while, nothing overly odd about that as combat especially the battles fought in WW2 must have been absolutely harrowing. Blithe was clearly a courageous solider because if he weren't there is no way he is volunteering to go back into combat in Korea.

[@-John-Doe-]

They tried to portray him as a victim of the horrors of war. Unable to handle it. That wasn't him. He was a deep thinker and agnostic, skeptical of others pushing things on him. He processed war to the point of being able to volunteer to go back to war, to drop behind enemy lines, and perform as a profound hero worth celebrating. Silver Star. 82nd Airborne paratrooper of the year.

[@clint9040]

Wow. Hurrah

[@goforbroke4428]

john doe he was an over thinker for a time, I suffer from the same thing. I can understand the hesitation when it comes to things as someone that questions everything and overthinks everything. I always thought the blithe story was one of the most powerful in the series.

[@barbarachambers7974]

Maybe he couldn't handle the war when he came in. The fact he was able to recover from his wounds, go back and participate again shows he was able to figure out how to handle it.

[@rymdalkis]

The story of Blithe, to me, is that good soldiers come in all shapes and sizes. Not all are born fearless and death-defiant as Speir. Not all are naturally dutiful and steadfast as Winters. Many are scared senseless, they freeze in the heat of battle, but they too can be good, dependable soldiers if they have the willpower for it.

[@dewdropper1348]

Well said. However I don’t agree with you calling him agnostic, there was never any evidence he was religious or not. For all we know he could have been a devout Christian

[@blueshattrick]

Speirs talking to Blithe in the forest, talking about giving up "hope" so you can be an effective solider, is one of the best scenes in the series!

[@joer1030]

Thought so to, could totally relate.

[@amuroray9115]

It’s also one of the most scary scenes.

[@spanqueluv9er]

@@amuroray9115 🙄🤦‍♂️

[@amuroray9115]

@@spanqueluv9er what did I do to you? Lmao. 😂

[@MrBUBBAKY]

Brutally Honest opinion based on the situation, and Speirs needed all the effective Soldiers in the fight, as possible. Probably shocked Blithe into stop thinking about himself instead of the tasks at hand, killing German Soldiers. No grand strategy for grunts, just each other.

[@michaelhayden725]

No soldier is "given" any decoration. It is "awarded" for the actions he performs. RIP Albert Blithe.

[@shooter7a]

It is a shame the BoB producers and researchers got Blithe's backstory / Epilogue so wrong. Mistakes happen, but it would have been quite impactful to note his participation in the Korean war, and his multiple Bronze and Silver Star awards...as opposed to erroneously stating he died in 1948.

[@stevenobrien557]

yeah it's such a "shame" it happened with Ambrose so much

[@shooter7a]

@@stevenobrien557 was it Ambrose that got sloppy? Been a while since I read the book.

[@stevenobrien557]

@@shooter7a Ambrose has a pretty chunky "criticism" section on his wikipedia page, might want to check some of that out. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_E._Ambrose#Criticism

[@MrBUBBAKY]

All they had to do was ask Major Winters for his input.

[@Frserthegreenengine]

It was Stephen Ambrose who made the mistake, not the producers. Though the producers should have checked.

[@Terensu-desu]

This is so great to hear. Blithe's story in the series was tragic and really hit me. Glad to know he did not pass so quickly after the end of the war and instead went on to achieve quite a lot.

[@thecrowmann1]

he became a hero mate nuff said

[@flinch9748]

When I hear this hero speak, I get goosebumps. One of the greatest men who ever walked the face of this planet. You will never be forgotten Major Winters. Rest in peace.

[@markneedham8726]

..and what of The Worlds Heroes, that we have never heard of. Sad.

[@aikighost]

Thanks for the upload, its good that Major Winters set the record straight here.

[@CaptCanuck4444]

I love that Dick Winters cared enough to set the record straight.

[@heyyoubuddy6749]

I’m so glad to hear that Blythe made it and had a good life. Thank you Sir for setting the record straight .

[@troy9477]

I have heard some of this before. I knew Blithe fought in Korea. Did not know about his medals. It is a sign of Winters' massive integrity and his ongoing concern for his men that he sets the record straight and restores Blithe's reputation. A true leader and a man of the highest principles.

[@RogueCylon]

Blithe was a true hero. We all feel fear, it’s part of being human.

[@jgsarchangel]

A real Leader, even after all of these years, he is still looking after his men. Wow.

[@joshschneider9766]

RIP Blithe. Your struggles are remembered with gratitude.

[@donaldcarpenter5328]

We REMEMBER and NEVER shall we FORGET what Donald J. Trump said about such HEROES, he said they were 'CHUMPS"! The ONLY CHUMPS are people who SUPPORT/VOTE for such a TRAITOR and the CHUMP in CHIEF, Donald J. CHUMP!!!

[@TEGRULZ]

Some men never wear General stars, some men just don’t stay in long enough or anything like that, there are unlimited reasons. I can safely say that his leadership, his honesty, his character and his strength, this is a man who would have put many Generals in history to shame. Good and bad. I can only be thankful that it was men like this that saved the world! They didn’t ask for empire! Or billions! Or even power at home after the war! They just fought like lions against a horde and again, saved the world.

[@stevenobrien557]

and some make so much trouble to shirk their duty in Korea they just get let go to save trouble.

[@MrBUBBAKY]

Especially Generals now, in Senior leadership

[@WolfHowl71]

Too bad there aren't more people like Maj Winters. The world is at a loss for having so few like him.

[@glosfishgb6267]

Albert Blithe medals list in full# Silver Star Bronze Star (3) Purple Heart (3)[1] Army of Occupation Medal Master Parachutist Badge Combat Infantryman Badge Commendation Medal Good Conduct Medal with 3 clasps National Defense Service Medal years of service 1942 - 1967 longest servicing member of E company apart from Spiers

[@kittymervine6115]

thank you

[@brittsmith8260]

Sounds like he had at least two combat jumps as well.

[@glosfishgb6267]

@@brittsmith8260 just 1 but was also u.s paratrooper pf the year in 1958

[@joeberger3441]

that's incredible considering that scene where Speirs talked to him privately when they were in Normandy and told him how he needs to act like he's already dead, in order to function in combat. wonder if that conversation took place in real life

[@e.a.corral4713]

HBO & THE WRITER NEED TO APOLIGIZE FOR THIS OUTRAGE? WAS THIS ANOTHER SOLDIER THAT MAY HAVE HAPPENED TO HIM?

[@sunrein]

While my Uncle didn't accomplish what Major Winters did, he was a an officer landing on DDay. He lost most of his men coming off the LST (?), those few left made it to the fence and used a bangalore as well. His other story was being separated from his men, and spending the night in a doorway, while the Germans passed through the town in Holland he was in. I am thankful that this man from the greatest generation shared his stories with me. He has always been my hero! Thanks for posting!

[@TheSaturnV]

Thank you Albert Blithe, we know what you did and will never forget you.

[@NowLoading247]

I really respect the way he takes responsibility and acknowledges how many people "he had wounded". Mad respect!

[@licmir3663]

It’s a shame that they haven’t changed the wrong information in the epilogue of that episode. They could fix the error in future releases of the TV series. After all, it wouldn’t require re-shoots, just changing the text.

[@Inkslinger123]

I salute you sir, you were looking out for your men long after you were responsible for them.

[@andywilliams7323]

It's a continued disgrace that recent prints of DVD and BluRay disks and current digital stream releases of Band of Brothers. Still contain the title card at the end of episode 3 wrongly stating that Albert Blythe died of his wounds in 1948. This is most disrespectful to Blythe's legacy and memory. HBO really should do a new updated release of Band of Brothers with that title card amended. Correctly stating how: Blythe was awarded a Silver Star, and a Bronze Star with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters. Served in Korea. And died in 1967, whilst still on active service, and just after attending ceremonies in Bastogne commemorating the Battle of the Buldge. It would not be difficult or time-consuming to do. George Lucas re-released the Star Wars trilogy multiple times with multiple significant changes. All HBO needs to do is modify a bit of text written on a title card. But even after all this time they still can't be bothered.

[@blobgooll9395]

Not surprising. I made the mistake of subscribing to HBOMAX. Once I realized how much of it is SJW woke crap I cancelled immediately. Even the "sports" content is infected with it. Not even worth the $15 a month.

[@SamSalsa411]

Not only that mistake, but the mistake where the show claims Hitler died on April 20th. That mistake happens during the Concentration Camp episode. Basically, the episode starts out with the date card of April 20th, and at the end of the episode one of the soldiers says that Hitler killed himself in his bunker. While they got the basic info on what happened right, it doesn’t line up with the date, as Hitler killed himself on April 30th, a full 10 days later. The last photo of Hitler was taken on April 28th, so we know he lived until that point Edit: So this was apparently a mistake on behalf of the editors. The very beginning and very end of the episode, where a few of the men are overlooking the town, takes place on May 1st. This date was accurate in the script, but since the episode flashes back a bit, they put a wrong date at the beginning. They were going to have a separate date card for the flashback section, but I guess somebody made a simple mistake.

[@rayglaze4720]

Well said !!!

[@moosejohnson6098]

Han shot first

[@m.q.7149]

I was surprised that at the very least they couldn't fix that on the streaming platforms. A simple fact check would have fixed this. That no one bothered to fact check it during production of BoB is ridiculous. It was pretty lazy of Ambrose to write that as well.

[@justsmashing4628]

What a man!

[@treebrother]

Wow! Thank you Major Winters for setting the record straight. Even years later you're still looking after your men, Your Brothers. Just goes to show how a series or movie can shape perception of someone for the positive or negative. Blithe looks to have turned out closer to Spears in the end hey. Whatever you said to him in that moment must of been pretty profound. At least to Blithe. Great to hear that he found his way and was able to come home and enjoy some peace.

[@f.o.n.1244]

I loved Blithe in band of brothers. I get that they portrayed him somewhat poorly, but the fear they showed through him, how it applied to all the soldiers, and their different ways of handling it. Happy to know Blithe came back and showed what he could do in the world rather than be remembered for his fear.

[@lowkeygames2274]

The world is much less now that Winters and great men like him are gone

[@MacClashy]

My god......... I have so much admiration for this man and his men.... setting the record straight on situations like this is so heartwarming - he will not let a misunderstanding / mistake / untruth, taint Albert - jeez we need more & more people like these guys today......... Rest easy E-Company you all did it for me and I appreciate it, I understand it, I hope nobody ever goes through it again, and I salute each & every one of you. Thank you for ensuring we all got to know about it, for it is up to us all to never repeat it....

[@DMUSA536]

Wow! What a man Blythe was. RIP

[@mikeodonovan9299]

This was the only part of Band of Brothers that I didn't like, after I learnt of Alberts active and fighting service in the Korean war & silver star. Albert Blithe was a damn hero.

[@michaelmccotter4293]

Winters great Integrity shows through again.

[@donstaunch7895]

This is not what was said about Blythe in the tv show...sad that it was so wrong. He overcame his fear. True hero. Absolute bravery.

[@mikfhan]

AB is pretty much the DEFINITION of courage - overcoming your fears - going to Korea even after all that, damn.

[@opalprestonshirley1700]

Thank you for setting the record straight.

[@celticman1909]

Yes, Blithe was a good soldier, good man. He overcame whatever his psychological issue was in Normandy and went on to serve his country more than most were willing to.

[@stevenobrien557]

including Winters, who shirked his duty in Korea

[@celticman1909]

@@stevenobrien557 I dunno about that, I seem to recall that the Army called him back as a training officer for US Army Rangers. That is where the Army needed him, and he complied.

[@echo21bravo]

@@stevenobrien557 I respectfully disagree. Anyone who fought in WW2 has done their duty for 10 lifetimes and need not do more.

[@stevenobrien557]

@@echo21bravo that isn't what his contract said and isn't what the US army said. That beats your childish appeal to emotion any day, "respectfully".

[@stevenobrien557]

@@celticman1909 they intended to send him to Korea to serve, he did everything he possibly could to avoid Korea including whining to a general and being as difficult as possible until they allowed him to quit. He was told he was needed in Korea, he did not "comply".

[@kurtneumann140]

As the old saying goes, you need to walk in his shoes. As a army veteran I'll take Blithe as my comrade 24/7 !

[@jiminycricketsr5050]

Winters, even at the time of this interview - shows why he was so loved and respected by his men - truthful, moral, honest, brave, and courageous for his lifetime ! Bringing up those later facts about Albert warmed my heart, and showed he had it within himself to fix his weaknesses!

[@danletter9357]

In the series it did show he snapped out of it and volunteered for the patrol that ended with him wounded. Even volunteered for point on that patrol. That ain’t no small thing. No one can blame a young man for being scared out of his wits, literally.

[@kittymervine6115]

I don't think anyone was prepared for what WWII was like, including the Germans. There are home movies of Germans going out to invade Russia. They start out all happy, and by the end, they are a record of misery and confused young men that never imagined THIS.

[@E7VZ]

After watching Band of Brothers for what seems like hundreds of times since I was a kid, it makes me so happy to know he survived.

[@errickflesch5565]

I have watch thousands of hours of war footage.....I think I might have froze and $h!+ my pants. I do not see fault in anyone that has had their moment of being paralyzed with fear. Mr. Blithe had his moment and overcame.......that takes courage. Rest in peace Mr. Blithe and Mr. Winters. You guys live in my heart and as long as I breath, are still alive. What you did in life, echo's in eternity.

[@badweetabix]

This man is the very embodiment of leadership. Even after the war and more than 50 years, he is still looking out for his men. Knowing this man and what he did, it is obvious why America and the Allies were victorious. His generation is aptly named, The Greatest Generation.

[@ingowill9597]

Ich liebe die Serie "Band of Brothers" und ich wäre gerne bei der "Easy-Company" gewesen. Die Interviews mit Mayor Winters und die Art und Weise, wie er diese Interviews gegeben hatte. haben einen nachhaltigen Eindruck auf mich gemacht. RiP Mr. Winters

[@mcm95403]

Every time I see a video with Major Winters I'm both inspired and brought to tears.

[@alanhelton]

I never thought less of Blithe. Man served. Man was wounded in service of this Nation. As a fellow AIRBORNE o7

[@captainlou9677]

I think the portrayal in the series can be unfair if you are judgemental of Blithe. But if you're sympathetic of Blithe, the tale can be inspiring and very moving. The man was afraid and that is relatable. He found his courage despite the fear and that is very inspirational. I am glad to hear that the man also volunteered for his country later in the Korean War. And that he received the recognition from his country for his bravery. And I'm glad to see Winters defend his men so many years later. Winters was a leader in every sense of the word. I hope his story and his interviews are around for a very long time.

[@JLange642]

I so wish I had gotten a chance to meet Dick Winters- such a humble and amazing man. Don't take my word for it- his fellow soldiers showed how much respect they had for him for their entire lives! RIP Major Winters!

[@Gkitchens1]

I'm so happy to hear him address the fact that the movie got blithe's death wring. The man was a hero and the movie depicted him otherwise.

[@Frserthegreenengine]

Again - Ambrose was the reason for the error not the show.

[@AC-SlaUkr]

Wow, really fortunate to have this recorded for posterity. ❤️

[@alantaylor7407]

Once a leader always a leader. So nice to hear defending the honour of his men.

[@morkanz6998]

Captains little smile while describing Blithes voluteering, so proud of his men

[@robertkees6048]

BOB is my favorite "film" ever, ok 10 films, but truth is I could listen to Dick Winters all day long. It's hard not to be in awe of such a good and true man, this is who we should emulate in life. Integrity is his name.

[@simonmark9214]

Doesn't the series say blithe died of his wound after the war? Never mentioned he fought in Korea and won the silver and bronze stars. Portrayed him very unfairly.

[@Juan-md5fb]

They made a mistake in the end of that episode.

[@skyblue2708]

Yeah they say he died in 1948 from his wounds I believe.

[@coling3957]

HISTORY BUFF brings up errors in band of brothers. Check is channel. He brought up this story. And an episode set in late April where Niton tells his men "the wars over, Hitler shot himself"..?? How? Hitler shot himself April 30th. Noone knew anything until days after and his cause of death not known until war ended. 8th May. Still a great TV series but some odd things in it.

[@dustinlerch9272]

It was a story with creative license like any thing else; there were no “mistakes” as everything was well planned and discussed. It is still TV

[@Brendissimo1]

@@dustinlerch9272 That is incorrect. They made several factual mistakes in making Band of Brothers, despite the generally high quality of the show. The incorrect caption about Blithe is just the most noticeable one. I don't know where you are getting your information but virtually every historical drama contains mistakes that are not deliberate creative choices.

[@AsukaSucks]

This whole time I believed Blithe died 3 years after the war, now to receive definitive testament proving that is incorrect after so long is crazy. The fact that he SERVED IN ANOTHER WAR AND DIED 20 YEARS LATER THAN WE WERE TOLD! IM FLOORED!

[@ottoskorzeny8701]

Joe Liebgott wasnt Jewish either. He was an austrian catholic

[@Patrick-mg7kc]

Listening to this man speak and how he talks about his soldiers you can truly tell he was a good leader.

[@blyxx7450]

I've watched that series so many times. Glad to see he actually lived through it.

[@mikemarthaller8789]

Thank you sir for keeping the record straight It matters

[@Docasin]

I checked out the wiki page of Albert Blithe after I finished watching Band of Brothers a 4th time. He was always one of my favorite characters (the part with the flower was really good). The Wikipedia page of him talks about his journey after WWII, he is a bad ass.

[@lancomedic]

Yes, but the wiki page incorrectly states that is decorations were a result of his service in WWII not Korea as Maj Winters states here.

[@kittymervine6115]

so glad that is correct and thanks for checking it out. Wikipedia depends on the readers to keep them straight.

[@Topcat1952]

In the series he was portrayed by Marc Warren. He later starred in a a police detective series on TV called "Van Der Valk" which took place in Amsterdam. I thought he did a good job there as well.

[@mikew735]

thank you for these, all of them gratitude.

[@Alway213]

Thank you for putting the record straight on Blithe….RIP.

[@andrewmallard2301]

So glad the story of Blythe was put straight

[@TR00P]

God bless this man. True hero of the greatest generation.

[@jonathanpeterson1984]

I never thought less of the man watching the retelling. I could only put myself in his place and try to understand that NO human is constructed to deal with horrors like the ones these men faced.

[@ianplowman8689]

Thank you for posting this, and setting the record straight. A real hero.

[@dussan2]

I loved that episode on Band of Brothers. I thought Blithe showed a human face to war and I didn't feel he was cowardly at all. Just a very real and human response to all that horror around him. I will admit I came away thinking better of Winters than I did of Blithe but still I had no ill feelings towards the man.

[@charleshendrix232]

I agree. I have always said that all the men that served in that war in combat were heroes at least to me they are

[@Mark-jp9dz]

True bravery is not gung ho defy the odds go for it, it is the overcoming of personal demons and fears and still doing it.

[@hillbillyreefer8996]

Looking out for his men till death.....I salute you!

[@NicholasAdeptus]

Major Dick Winters and family, I and my nation are incapable of repaying the debt owed to you as it is an impossible debt to pay. All we can offer is our eternal thanks and most humble gratitude for the gift you have so graciously bestowed upon us. Not a single drop of blood spilt upon the altar of freedom shall ever be wasted.

[@clozrod8948]

What an honorable man. He is a true vision of the greatest generation. Protecting his men honor.

[@MrKmoconne]

Thank you Albert for your service. He earned the Red Badge of Courage.

[@lightningbrigade4722]

I want to thank all the men in women who have served this country during times of peace and war. To all the combat veterans who have faced hell and suffered survival guilt, Thankyou! And my biggest gratitude and heart felt thanks goes to the fallen who have sacrificed their lives so that I can endure freedom. Much love and respect to the military wives and husband's who wait for their loved ones to come home unharmed. My heart weighs heavy on the families of the fallen, for they surfer the loss of a loved one that they will never hold in their arms again... Thankyou and Godbless ( I love my athiest veterans as well)💜 🇺🇲🦅

[@Ray-dv3nz]

I believe Major Winters passed away in 2012, but this man IS a hero, who served with a company of Heroes.

[@hmedina79]

Major Winters was beyond heroic, and beyond patriotic. There were so many of his generation like him and no one will wonder if they were Democrats or Republicans. Think about that!

[@christiankrueger2330]

These days they'd probably be republicans or independents TBH

[@Blindeyedog]

Thanks for this. This is not an insult to HBO, it's a reminder that E-1s through E-5s in the Army admin can be bad record keepers. I served 2 combat tours, my second tour I received 2 awards that never made it on my DD-214 because our administration cared more about "Video Game" Night than doing their jobs. 😡

[@0xb1sh0p8]

Who TF dislikes these videos? This guy is a hero. All of us born after this generation can't hold a candle to them.

[@BigBlackGlock]

Leftists mostly

[@dermotshaw5722]

Maj. Winters, what an absolute legend

[@photodom2000]

Every biography of Easy Company I have read said that Blithe died in 1948 from the effects of the wounds he sustained in Normandy. It was even mentioned at the end of an episode of Band of Brothers. It's even in the book. After hearing this, I wonder why people don't go to the source to get the correct information and why it has never been corrected officially.

[@barbarachambers7974]

One thing I know for sure about history: it isn't always 100% accurate. Some soldiers said they went to his funeral before Korea, some said he was actually shot in the shoulder, etc. Memories can be foggy and hazy for any number of reasons. The fact this misinformation continues is hard to fathom

[@suzannepatterson5548]

When the book was written there was no internet. Old timey research and every soldier’s “different” memories of the same event.

[@gijoker1150]

I'm so glad I got to see this. I am a backstory guy and to hear the remainder and the CORRECT story on Albert Blithe is very satisfying. I'm glad he did well after WWII and forward. Thank you for sharing this.

[@dogred431]

In BoB the Blithe episode really got to me. I just can't imagine as a Gen X having to do or see what he did. A utter hero, and fortunately never forgotten, as are his brothers.

[@rockymnthodad3047]

When good men set the record straight on Blithe ...etc.. While the "movie' industry continues to tell half truths , making distortion and deception their way of life. Rip Mr. Winters.