Band of Brothers inspiration dies

Hershey - Major Richard "Dick" Winters, the man whose quiet leadership was chronicled in the World War II book and television miniseries Band of Brothers, has died in central Pennsylvania.

Winters died January 2, a family friend confirmed on Monday. Winters was 92. He lived in Hershey but died in Palmyra, Pennsylvania.

In September 1944, Winters led 20 men in a successful attack on 200 German soldiers. He and his men later helped hold the Bastogne area of Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge.

The exploits of Winters and the other members of Easy Company were chronicled in the Stephen Ambrose book Band of Brothers and later the HBO miniseries of the same name. Winters also published a memoir in 2006 entitled Beyond Band of Brothers.

Winters was buried in a private funeral. Arrangements for a public memorial service are pending.