Hang Tough

The WWII Letters and Artifacts of Major Dick Winters

By: Jared Frederick, Erik Dorr, Bradford Freeman - foreword

Narrated by: Roger Wayne

The compelling WWII correspondence of Major Dick Winters, commander of the Band of Brothers.

Major Dick Winters of the 101st Airborne gained international acclaim when the tale of he and his men were depicted in the celebrated book and miniseries Band of Brothers. Hoisted as a modest hero who spurned adulation, Winters epitomized the notion of dignified leadership. His iconic World War II exploits have since been depicted in art and commemorated with monuments.

Beneath this marble image of a reserved officer is the story of a common Pennsylvanian tested by the daily trials and tribulations of military duty. His wartime correspondence with pen pal and naval reservist DeEtta Almon paints an endearing portrait of life on both the home front and battlefront - capturing the humor, horror, and humility that defined a generation. Interwoven with postwar reminiscences and rich historical context, Winters' letters offer compelling insights on the individual costs and motivations of World War II service members.

©2020 Erik Dorr and Jared Frederick (P)2020 Tantor

Not the Dick Winters we knew from HBO

I was caught off guard by the tone and tenor of the letters, then it struck me that the letters were a reflection of the times based on how my grandfather’s generation survived the times.

It is a good listen.

It is worthy of sharing with younger generations.

A good insight into Winters personality

It’s a good story. But the narrator can’t correctly pronounce a name to save his life.

Outstanding look into 2 lives

I really enjoyed the insight in to two peoples lives and the bonds created. This give a historical look into the war

A Wonderful Tribute Tarnished by Mispronunciation.

One would think that an effort would have been made to correctly pronounce the names of locations that figure so prominently in the war time experiences of this amazing man. Alas, nearly every place name is butchered by the narrator, inducing a cringe each time. (Frankly, the narrator should be ashamed.) Nevertheless, the book is a wonderful tribute to Dick Winters, and a unique window into his war time experiences.

Awesome

It was fascinating to read not only the Majors own words, but those written at the time they occurred. We hear the real Major, with his flaws and imperfections. He displayed the overt sexism of the era in a most unabashed way. Different times to be sure.

My one complaint is the annoying mispronounced words uttered by the narrator.