Tom Ridge
1st Secretary of Homeland Security
In office January 24, 2003 – February 1, 2005
President	George W. Bush
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Michael Chertoff
1st United States Homeland Security Advisor
In office October 5, 2001 – January 24, 2003
President	George W. Bush
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	John Gordon
43rd Governor of Pennsylvania
In office January 17, 1995 – October 5, 2001
Lieutenant	Mark Schweiker
Preceded by	Bob Casey
Succeeded by	Mark Schweiker
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 21st district
In office January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1995
Preceded by	Don Bailey
Succeeded by	Phil English
Personal details
Born	(1945-08-26) August 26, 1945 (age 66) Munhall, Pennsylvania, United States
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Michele Ridge
Children	Lesley and Tommy
Alma mater	Harvard College (B.A.) Dickinson School of Law (J.D.)
Religion	Roman Catholic
Military service
Service/branch	United States Army
Rank	staff sergeant
Unit	23rd Infantry Division
Battles/wars	Vietnam War
Awards	Bronze Star National Defense Service Medal Vietnam Service Medal Vietnam Campaign Medal Vietnam Gallantry Cross Combat Infantryman Badge

Thomas Joseph "Tom" Ridge (born August 26, 1945) is an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives (1983–1995), the 43rd Governor of Pennsylvania (1995–2001), Assistant to the President for Homeland Security (2001–2003), and the first United States Secretary of Homeland Security (2003–2005). Since re-entering the private sector, Ridge has served on the boards of The Home Depot, The Hershey Company and Exelon Corporation and as a senior advisor to Deloitte & Touche, and TechRadium. Ridge is also the founder and CEO of Ridge Global, LLC, a Washington, D.C. based security consulting firm. Ridge spent time campaigning with Senator John McCain during his 2008 bid for the presidency and was believed by some to have been in the short list of potential running mates.^[1][2]

Early life[link]

Ridge was born in Munhall, Pennsylvania, in Pittsburgh's Steel Valley, the oldest of three children. His parents were Laura (née Sudimack) and Thomas Regis Ridge, who was a traveling salesman and Navy veteran. Ridge's maternal grandparents were Carpatho-Rusyn immigrants^[3] from the former Czechoslovakia (now Slovakia), and his paternal great-grandparents emigrated from Great Britain.^[4] Ridge was raised in veterans' public housing in Erie, Pennsylvania. He was educated at St. Andrews Elementary School and Cathedral Preparatory School and did well both academically and in sports. He earned a scholarship to Harvard College, where he paid his way through with construction work, played intramural baseball and football,^[4] and graduated with honors in 1967.

After his first year at the Dickinson School of Law, he was drafted into the United States Army, where he served as an infantry staff sergeant in the 23rd Infantry Division^[5] during the Vietnam War. He earned the Bronze Star, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm, and the Combat Infantryman Badge. Later, he was offered a commission as an officer but turned it down when he learned that it would require an extra year of service.

A ruptured appendix cut short his tour and he returned home in 1970; service also aggravated a childhood ear infection. Since then Ridge has had a hearing aid in his left ear.

After returning to Pennsylvania, he completed his Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree at the Dickinson School of Law, graduating in 1972, and entered private practice.

Public service in Pennsylvania[link]

He became Assistant District Attorney in Erie County, Pennsylvania in 1980 and prosecuted 86 cases in two years. In 1982 he successfully ran for a seat in Congress from northwestern Pennsylvania, and was re-elected six times. Ridge was notable as the first enlisted Vietnam combat veteran elected to the U.S. House. As of 2009^[update], Ridge has never lost an election for public office.

In 1994, despite being little-known outside of northwest Pennsylvania, Ridge ran for Governor. He won the election as a pro-choice Republican. He was reelected in 1998 with 57 percent of the vote in a four-way race. His share of the vote in that election was the highest for a Republican governor in Pennsylvania (where Democrats outnumber Republicans by almost 500,000) in more than half a century.^[6] Ridge served as Governor until his resignation to become the Director of Homeland Security in 2001.

One of Ridge's more controversial actions as governor was his nomination of Dr. Peter J. Jannetta to be the State Secretary of Health. Jannetta was had previously been accused of committing perjury, with the State's Superior Court stating, "We have little difficulty in concluding that Dr. Jannetta's testimony at deposition was different than, or inconsistent with, the testimony at trial." Jannetta was not, however, ever convicted of perjury.^[7] Jannetta served as Health Secretary for 6 months.

During his time as governor, Ridge promoted "law and order" policies, supporting a three-strikes law and a faster death penalty process. A death penalty supporter,^[8] Ridge signed more than 224 execution warrants^[9] – five times the number signed over a 25-year period by the two previous governors – but only three voluntary executions were carried out. On social issues, he opposed gay marriage, and, in spite of being a Roman Catholic, is pro-choice on abortion issues.

Over Ridge's tenure, the Commonwealth's budget grew by two to three percent per fiscal year and combined tax reductions totaled over $2 billion. Ridge created and grew a "Rainy Day" Fund balance to over $1 billion to be utilized during an economic downturn or recession.

Ridge pushed for legislation permitting competition among electric utilities and enhanced federal and state support for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). He also separated the Commonwealth's environmental regulatory and conservation programs into two new agencies; the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Ridge proposed the creation of public charter schools in Pennsylvania and in establishing alternate schools for disruptive students. He launched new academic standards that established academic expectations for what students were expected to know in different grades. Ridge also proposed a school choice demonstration program.

Ridge oversaw a number of e-government projects including renewing drivers' licenses and vehicle registrations to viewing historical documents and library catalogs. The Commonwealth's portal won several national awards. One of the nation's first electronic grant systems was put into place at the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Ridge also created the Link-to-Learn initiative to increase the effective use of technology in public schools and universities.

In 2001, he was named runner up "Politician of the Year" by PoliticsPA.^[10] In a 2002 PoliticsPA Feature story designating politicians with yearbook superlatives, he was named the "Most Popular."^[11]

2000 Presidential election[link]

Ridge was a potential running mate for Bob Dole in 1996, and served as a close advisor to GOP presidential nominee George W. Bush, a close friend from their simultaneous tenures as governors, during the 2000 presidential campaign. In return, Bush named Ridge to his short list for possible running mates, along with New York Governor George Pataki, Michigan Governor John Engler, Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating, former Missouri Senator John Danforth, and former American Red Cross President Elizabeth Dole.^[12]

However, Bush selected the man who was in charge of leading his search for the vice presidential nominee, former Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney, to be his running mate.

Ridge was also reportedly ^{[says who?]} Colin Powell's choice to be Secretary of Defense in Bush's new cabinet. With his reputation as a former Congressman and a strong administrator as governor, in addition to his friendship with Bush and Powell, he was seen^{[by whom?]} as a frontrunner for the post. But he lost this presumptive appointment after much decrying by conservatives over his lack of defense experience, particularly by Republican primary candidate Gary Bauer, who decried Ridge as a "peacenik-type of congressman during the Reagan years" and Robert Novak who wrote of Ridge's lack of defense experience and his opposition to the Strategic Defense Initiative. There was also rumored to be^{[by whom?]} a lot of animosity regarding the nomination between Powell and Dick Cheney regarding Ridge. With all of this Ridge promptly took his name out of the running and Donald Rumsfeld was eventually named as defense secretary.

Homeland Security Advisor and Secretary[link]

Tom Ridge and John Ashcroft (May 11, 2004, Washington, D.C.)

Following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, U.S. President George W. Bush created the Office of Homeland Security within the White House, and named Ridge to head it. The charge to the nation's new director of homeland security was to develop and coordinate a comprehensive national strategy to strengthen the United States against terrorist threats or attacks. In the words of President George W. Bush, he had the strength, experience, personal commitment and authority to accomplish this critical mission. Ridge formally resigned as Pennsylvania's governor on October 5, 2001.

In January 2003 and after the passage of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, the Office of Homeland Security split into a Cabinet-level Department, the Department of Homeland Security, and the White House Homeland Security Advisory Council. Ridge left the White House and became the first Secretary of Homeland Security. The Department's Mission "is to (A) prevent terrorist attacks within the United States; (B) reduce the vulnerability of the United States to terrorism; and (C) minimize the damage, and assist in the recovery, from terrorist attacks that do occur within the United States" (From H.R. 5005-8 the Homeland Security Act of 2002). The newly created Department was the most comprehensive reorganization of the Federal government since the National Security Act of 1947. The Department of Homeland Security consolidates 22 agencies and 180,000 employees, unifying once-fragmented Federal functions in a single agency dedicated to protecting America from terrorism. Ridge worked with the employees from combined agencies to strengthen borders, provide for intelligence analysis and infrastructure protection, improve the use of science and technology to counter weapons of mass destruction, and to create a comprehensive response and recovery division.^{[13][14][15][16][17][18]}

In January 2004, Ridge was named among others in a lawsuit filed by a Syrian-born Canadian Maher Arar who said he was tortured in Syria after being deported by American authorities.^[19]

On November 30, 2004, Ridge submitted his resignation to the President, saying, "After more than 22 consecutive years of public service, it is time to give personal and family matters a higher priority."^[20] In his book The Test of Our Times: America Under Siege...and How We Can Be Safe Again, Ridge says his resignation was due to an effort by senior Bush administration officials to raise the nation's terror alert level in the days before the 2004 presidential vote.^[21][22]

Controversies[link]

Support for the listed "terrorist" group People's Mujahedin of Iran[link]

Former Pennsylvania governor Edward Rendell included Ridge among a group of former U.S. officials who have been lobbying and building support for the "de-listing" of the People's Mujahedin of Iran (MEK, also PMOI, MKO) from the U.S. State Department's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations.^[23] MEK has been accused of successful and unsuccessful attempts to kidnap or murder U.S. officials in the 1970s. They joined Saddam Hussein's military to fight against Iran in the U.S.-backed 8 year war between Iraq and Iran that produced 1.5 million casualties. They have also been accused of partnering with Israel's Mossad in the assassination of several of Iran's nuclear scientists.^[24] Ridge has been among those investigated for receiving tens of thousands of dollars for their lobbying efforts for the organization.^[23]

Involvement with American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)[link]

It has been reported that Ridge was an American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) member, and that this was behind a prison-building spree during his tenure as Governor of Pennsylvania.^[25] ALEC is a conservative-leaning organization which facilitates meetings between corporate representatives and, most commonly, Republican politicians to draft legislation that is favorable to the interests of member corporations.

Work in the private sector[link]

Ridge is the founder and CEO of Ridge Global, an advisory firm in Washington, D.C.^[26]

Ridge served on a state-appointed incident review panel which investigated the Virginia Tech massacre of April 2007.^[27]

In July 2010, companies seeking to use hydraulic fracturing to extract natural gas from the Marcellus Shale formation engaged Ridge and his company at $75,000 a month to help them gain support.^[28]

Home Depot[link]

In February 2005, Tom Ridge was named to the board of Home Depot.^[29] Ridge's compensation was expected to be about $100,000 per annum for this position.^[30] Since April 2005, Ridge has also served on the board of Savi Technology,^[31] the primary technology provider for the wireless cargo-monitoring network for the United States Department of Defense.^[32]

Exelon Corporation[link]

In April, 2005, Ridge's appointment to the board of the Illinois/Pennsylvania/New Jersey electric utility was announced, with starting director compensation of $35,000 annual retainer plus a $1,500 meeting fee or per diem fee. Directors were also granted $60,000 in deferred stock units each year at that time.^[33]

In 2010, it was reported that Ridge had appeared on MSNBC Hardball With Chris Matthews promoting nuclear energy as part of a "green agenda [to] ... create jobs, create exports," without any revelation by him or the cable channel of his Exelon position. In the report, his cumulative Exelon-derived compensation was put at $530,659; and it was said that, as of March 2009, he held an estimated $248,299 in Exelon stock, according to SEC filings. Exelon was described as "the nation's largest nuclear power company."^[34]

Deloitte LLP[link]

In November 2006, Tom Ridge was announced as a Senior Advisor for Deloitte & Touche USA LLP.^[35][36]

The Hershey Company[link]

In November 2007, Ridge was named to serve on The Hershey Company's Executive Board. The Hershey Trust, the primary shareholder of Hershey, asked for a change in board composition after several years of poor stock performance. The board named Ridge to the board for his knowledge of economics.^[37]

TechRadium Inc[link]

Announced in January 2008, Tom Ridge will serve as a senior advisor to TechRadium, Inc., a Texas-based security technology company that provides its patented alert and notification system, IRIS (Immediate Response Information System), to a wide range of users including municipalities, public schools and universities, utilities, and military programs.^[38]

PURE Bioscience[link]

In September 2009, PURE Bioscience, creator of a patented antimicrobial, announced Ridge would serve on its Advisory Board along with former Wisconsin governor Tommy Thompson.^[39]

2008 Presidential election[link]

Tom Ridge served as a senior aide to Republican Presidential candidate Senator John McCain of Arizona,^[40] and was considered by some as a possible running mate for McCain.^[1][2]

Tom Ridge at rally for John McCain

Possible 2010 Senate candidacy[link]

According to Fox News, many Republicans hoped Ridge would run for the United States Senate against the newly turned Democrat Arlen Specter, who stated he would seek re-election in 2010 in the Democratic primary. Already seeking the Republican nomination was former Representative Pat Toomey, who narrowly lost to Specter in the Republican primary in 2004. Some Republicans thought Ridge would have a better chance against Specter than would Toomey. A Quinnipiac University poll conducted between April 30, 2009 and May 3, 2009 placed Ridge within three points of Specter in a hypothetical matchup between the two men.^[41] Some Toomey supporters criticized the idea of a Ridge candidacy because, although Ridge was still registered to vote in Pennsylvania, he was actually living in Chevy Chase, Maryland.^[42]

On May 7, 2009, Ridge announced that he would not be a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2010.^[43]

Memoirs[link]

Tom Ridge's book The Test of Our Times was published in September 2009.^[44] Written with Larry Bloom, it concerns Ridge's time as the head of the Department of Homeland Security. He explains the challenges and decision making processes of the newly formed department, and gives his own views as to the future of the security of the United States of America. The book further discusses

"the infighting he saw that frustrated his attempts to build a smooth-running department. Among the headlines promoted by publisher Thomas Dunne Books: Ridge was never invited to sit in on National Security Council meetings; was 'blindsided' by the FBI in morning Oval Office meetings because the agency withheld critical information from him; found his urgings to block Michael Brown from being named head of the emergency agency blamed for the Hurricane Katrina disaster ignored; and was pushed to raise the security alert on the eve of President Bush's re-election, something he saw as politically motivated and worth resigning over."^[22]

Ridge wrote in his memoir that then-Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and then-Attorney General John Ashcroft pressured him to raise the terror alert level, running up to the 2004 elections, because of a pre-election message critical of President Bush from Osama Bin Laden.^[21]

He now does after-dinner speeches around the world. In July 2010, a controversy surrounded Ridge's warning that countries would face the wrath of al-Qaeda and countries such as Ireland could be at risk of "terrorist" attacks.^[45]

2012 Presidential election[link]

Ridge originally endorsed former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman for president, in September 2011.^[46] Mitt Romney announced an endorsement from Ridge on March 14, 2012.^[47]

Recognition[link]

• Presented with the Woodrow Wilson Award by the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
• Erie International Airport was co-named Tom Ridge Field in honor of Ridge.
• The Tom Ridge Environmental Center at Presque Isle State Park in Erie, Pennsylvania is named after the former governor. Ridge was instrumental in securing funds for the center.
• His picture hangs in the moot court room at the Penn State Dickinson School of Law in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
• Presque Isle Downs in Erie, Pennsylvania runs the $100,000 Tom Ridge Stakes every meet.

Personal life[link]

Tom's wife, Michele Ridge, is the former executive director of the Erie County Library System. They have been married since 1979 and have two children: Lesley and Tommy.

Gubernatorial electoral history[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Tom Ridge

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post

v t e Governors and Presidents of Pennsylvania Presidents (1777–1790) Wharton Bryan Reed Moore Dickinson Franklin Mifflin Governors (since 1790) Mifflin McKean Snyder Findlay Hiester Shulze Wolf Ritner Porter Shunk Johnston Bigler Pollock Packer Curtin Geary Hartranft Hoyt Pattison Beaver Pattison Hastings Stone Pennypacker Stuart Tener Brumbaugh Sproul Pinchot Fisher Pinchot Earle James Martin Bell Duff Fine Leader Lawrence Scranton Shafer Shapp Thornburgh Casey Ridge Schweiker Rendell Corbett

v t e United States Secretaries of Homeland Security Ridge Chertoff Napolitano

v t e The Home Depot, Inc. Corporate Directors: Greg Brenneman · Richard H. Brown · John Clendenin · Claudio González · Milledge Hart · Bonnie Hill · Laban Jackson · Lawrence R. Johnston · Ken Langone · Tom Ridge Annual Revenue: $66.2 billion USD (13% FY 2005) ·  · Employees: 325,000 · Stock Symbol: NYSE: HD · Website: homedepot.com

v t e Cabinet of President George W. Bush (2001–2009)   Cabinet Secretary of State Colin Powell (2001–2005) Condoleezza Rice (2005–2009) Secretary of the Treasury Paul O'Neill (2001–2002) John W. Snow (2003–2006) Henry Paulson (2006–2009) Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld (2001–2006) Robert Gates (2006–2009) Attorney General John Ashcroft (2001–2005) Alberto Gonzales (2005–2007) Michael Mukasey (2007–2009) Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton (2001–2006) Dirk Kempthorne (2006–2009) Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman (2001–2005) Mike Johanns (2005–2007) Ed Schafer (2008–2009) Secretary of Commerce Donald Evans (2001–2005) Carlos Gutierrez (2005–2009) Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao (2001–2009) Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson (2001–2005) Mike Leavitt (2005–2009) Secretary of Education Rod Paige (2001–2005) Margaret Spellings (2005–2009) Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Mel Martinez (2001–2003) Alphonso Jackson (2003–2008) Steve Preston (2008–2009) Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta (2001–2006) Mary Peters (2006–2009) Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham (2001–2005) Samuel Bodman (2005–2009) Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony Principi (2001–2005) Jim Nicholson (2005–2007) James Peake (2007–2009) Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge (2003–2005) Michael Chertoff (2005–2009)   Cabinet-level Vice President Dick Cheney (2001–2009) White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card (2001–2006) Joshua Bolten (2006–2009) Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Christine Todd Whitman (2001–2003) Mike Leavitt (2003–2005) Stephen L. Johnson (2005–2009) Director of the Office of Management and Budget Mitch Daniels (2001–2003) Joshua Bolten (2003–2006) Rob Portman (2006–2007) Jim Nussle (2007–2009) Director of National Drug Control Policy John P. Walters (2001–2009) Trade Representative Robert Zoellick (2001–2005) Rob Portman (2005–2006) Susan Schwab (2006–2009)

v t e United States Deputy National Security Advisors for Homeland Security Homeland Security Advisor 2001-Present Ridge • Gordon • Townsend • Wainstein • Brennan Deputy National Security Advisor for Homeland Security 2009-Present Brennan

Richard Winters
Nickname	Dick
Born	(1918-01-21)January 21, 1918 New Holland, Pennsylvania
Died	January 2, 2011(2011-01-02) (aged 92) Hershey, Pennsylvania
Place of burial	Bergstrasse Cemetery in Ephrata, Pennsylvania
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1941–1946 1951–1952
Rank	Major
Unit	Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of Normandy Operation Market Garden Battle of the Bulge Western Allied invasion of Germany
Awards	Distinguished Service Cross Bronze Star Medal (2) Purple Heart
Relations	-Richard (father) -Edith (mother) -Ethel (wife) -Tim (son) -Jill (daughter)
Other work	Businessman, West Point lecturer

Major Richard "Dick" D. Winters (January 21, 1918 – January 2, 2011)^[1] was a United States Army officer and decorated war veteran. He commanded Company "E", 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, during World War II.

Winters parachuted into Normandy in the early hours of D-Day, and fought across France, The Netherlands, Belgium, and eventually into Germany. Later in the war, Winters rose to command the 2nd Battalion. Following the end of hostilities Winters was discharged from the army and returned to civilian life, working in New Jersey.

In 1951, during the Korean War, Winters was recalled to the Army from the inactive list and briefly served as a regimental planning and training officer on staff at Fort Dix, New Jersey. Although issued orders for deployment, he was not sent to Korea. After his discharge he worked at a few different jobs before founding his own company and selling farming products.

Winters was featured in a number of books and was portrayed in the 2001 HBO mini-series Band of Brothers by Damian Lewis. He was a regular guest lecturer at the United States Military Academy at West Point. He retired in 1997. He was the last of the Easy Company commanders to die.

Youth[link]

Richard Winters was born in Ephrata, Pennsylvania to Richard and Edith Winters on January 21, 1918.^[2] He moved to nearby Lancaster when he was eight years old.^[3] He graduated from Lancaster Boys High School in 1937 and matriculated to Franklin and Marshall College.^[2][4]

At Franklin and Marshall, Winters was a member of the Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity and participated in intramural football and basketball as a member of Upsilon Chapter. He had to give up wrestling, his favorite sport, and most of his social activities for his studies and the part-time jobs that paid his way through college. He graduated in 1941 with the highest academic standing in the business college. The war had broken out in Europe, and he enlisted in the Army.^[5]

Military service[link]

World War II[link]

Winters enlisted in the army on August 25, 1941, in order to shorten his time in service.^[4] In September he underwent basic training at Camp Croft, South Carolina.^[6] Afterwards he remained at Camp Croft to help train draftees and other volunteers, while the rest of his battalion was deployed to Panama. In April 1942 he was selected to attend Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia.^[7] It was there he met his friend Lewis Nixon, with whom he served throughout the war in the 101st Airborne Division.^[8] He was commissioned as a second lieutenant after graduation from OCS on July 2, 1942.^[8]

During the course of his officer training, Winters reached the decision that he wanted to join the parachute infantry.^[9] Upon completing training he returned to Camp Croft to train another draft as there were no positions available in the paratroopers at that time. After five weeks he received orders to join the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment at Camp Toccoa (formerly Camp Toombs) in Georgia.^[10]

He arrived at Toccoa in mid-August 1942 and was assigned to Company E, 2nd Battalion, 506th PIR, serving under First Lieutenant (later Captain) Herbert Sobel.^[11] Company E was also known as "Easy Company" per the contemporaneous Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet. Initially he served as a platoon leader in charge of 2nd Platoon, but later, in October 1942, he was promoted to first lieutenant^[12][13] and became the acting company executive officer,^[2] although this was not made official until May 1943.^[13] The 506th PIR was an experimental unit, being the first regiment to undertake airborne training as a formed unit.^[14] As many of the men had very little previous military experience the training at Toccoa was necessarily very tough and as a consequence there was a high level of personnel wastage. Indeed, of the 500 officers who had volunteered, only 148 successfully completed the course. The enlisted men had it equally tough, with only 1,800 men being selected out of 5,300 volunteers.^[14][15]

On June 10, 1943, the 506th PIR was officially attached to the 101st Airborne Division.^[16] Later in the year they embarked on the Samaria bound for England, arriving there on September 15, 1943, and disembarking in Liverpool.^[17] They then proceeded to Aldbourne, in Wiltshire where they began an intense training program designed to make the regiment ready for the invasion of Europe that was planned for 1944.^[18]

It was while Easy Company was based at Aldbourne that the tension and competition that had been brewing between Winters and Sobel came to a head in November–December 1943.^[19] Winters had privately held concerns over Sobel's ability to lead the company in combat for some time before this. Many of the enlisted men in the company had come to respect Winters for his competence and had also developed their own concerns about Sobel's leadership.^[20] Winters stated that he never wanted to compete with Sobel for command of Easy Company. However, the situation became out of hand when Sobel attempted to bring Winters up on charges for failure to carry out a lawful order.^[21] Feeling that his punishment was unjust, Winters requested that the charge be tried by court martial. When Winters' punishment was set aside by the battalion commander, Sobel proceeded to charge Winters with another, separate charge the following day. While the investigation was being undertaken, Winters was transferred to the headquarters company and appointed as the battalion mess officer.^[22]

Following this, though Winters tried to talk them out of it, a number of the company's noncommissioned officers (NCOs) gave the regimental commander, Colonel Robert Sink, an ultimatum: either Sobel be replaced, or they would hand back their stripes.^[23] Sink was not impressed and several of the NCOs were subsequently demoted and transferred out of the company. Nevertheless, he realized that something had to be done and decided Sobel had to be replaced.^[24] Sobel was transferred and given command of a newly formed parachute training school.^[25] Winters' court martial was set aside and he returned to Easy Company as platoon leader of 1st Platoon. Despite their personality clash, Winters later stated he felt that at least part of Easy Company's success had been due to Sobel's strenuous training and high expectations.^[26] In February 1944, First Lieutenant Thomas Meehan III was given command of Easy Company.^[25]

Meehan remained in command of the company until the Normandy invasion, when at approximately 1:15 a.m. on June 6, 1944, the C-47 Skytrain transporting the company headquarters section was shot down by German anti-aircraft fire, killing everyone on board.^[27] Winters jumped that night and landed safely near Sainte-Mère-Église.^[28] After having lost his weapon during the drop, he was able to orient himself, collect several paratroopers, including members of the 82nd Airborne, and proceed toward the unit's assigned objective near Sainte-Marie-du-Mont.^[29] With Lieutenant Meehan's fate unknown, Winters became the acting commanding officer of Easy Company for the duration of the Normandy campaign.^[30]

Later that day, Winters led an attack that destroyed a battery of German 105 mm howitzers which were firing onto the causeways that served as the principal exits from Utah Beach.^[31] The Americans estimated that the guns were defended by approximately one platoon of 50 German troops, while Winters had 13 men.^[31] This action south of the village of Le Grand-Chemin has been called the Brécourt Manor Assault. Aspects of the attack have been taught at the military academy at West Point as an example of an assault on a fixed position.^[32] In addition to destroying the battery, Winters also obtained a map detailing German gun emplacements in the Utah Beach area.^[33]

On July 1, 1944, Winters was told that he had been promoted to captain.^[34] The next day he was presented with the Distinguished Service Cross by General Omar N. Bradley, who was then the commanding officer of the First Army.^[34] Shortly after the 506th was withdrawn from France and returned to Aldbourne in England for reorganization.^[34]

In September 1944, the 506th PIR took part in Operation Market Garden, an airborne operation in the Netherlands. On October 5, 1944, a German force launched an attack on the 2nd Battalion's flank, and threatened to break through the American lines. At the same time, four men in an Easy Company patrol were wounded.^[35] Returning to the headquarters, they reported that they had encountered a large group of Germans at a crossroads about 1,300 yards (1,200 m) to the east of the company command post.^[36] Realizing the seriousness of the situation, Winters took one squad from 1st Platoon, and moved off toward the crossroads, where they observed a German machine gun firing to the south, toward the battalion headquarters.^[36] After surveying the position, Winters then led the squad in an assault on the gun crew.^[37] Soon after taking the position, the squad took fire from a German position opposite them. Estimating that this position was held by at least a platoon, Winters called for reinforcements from the rest of the 1st Platoon, and led them in an assault. Later it was discovered there were at least 300 Germans.^[38]

On October 9, Winters became the battalion executive officer.^[39] Although this position was normally held by a major, Winters filled it while still a captain.

On December 16, 1944, German forces launched a counter-offensive against the Western Allies in Belgium. After the 101st Airborne was moved by truck to the Bastogne area on December 18. Still serving as executive officer of the 2nd Battalion, Winters took part in the defense of the line northeast of Bastogne near the town of Foy during what became known as the Battle of the Bulge.^[40] The entire 101st Airborne and elements of the 10th Armored Division battled about 15 German divisions, supported by heavy artillery and armor, for nearly a week before the U.S. Third Army broke through the German lines surrounding Bastogne.^[40]

After being relieved, the 2nd Battalion carried out an attack on Foy on January 9, 1945.^[41] On March 8, 1945, following the 2nd Battalion's move to Haguenau, Winters was promoted to major^[42] and shortly afterward he was made acting battalion commander of 2nd Battalion, when Lieutenant Colonel Strayer was elevated to the regimental staff.^[43][44] Second Battalion saw little combat after this.^[44]

In April the battalion carried out defensive duties along the Rhine, before deploying to Bavaria later in the month.^[45] In early May the 101st Airborne Division received orders to capture Berchtesgaden.^[46] The 2nd Battalion set out from Thalham, Germany, through streams of surrendering German soldiers, and led the way to the alpine retreat, reaching the town at noon on May 5, 1945.^[47] They were still there when the war in Europe ended three days later on May 8, 1945.^[48]

After the end of hostilities Winters remained in Europe as the process of occupation and demobilization began. Even though he had enough points to return to the United States, he was told that he was needed in Germany.^[49] Later, he was offered a Regular commission, but declined it.^[50] He finally embarked from Marseilles aboard the Wooster Victory on November 4, 1945.^[51] He was separated from the Army on November 29, 1945^[51] although he was not officially discharged until January 22, 1946 and he remained on terminal leave until then.^[52]

Winters was recommended for the Medal of Honor for his leadership at Brécourt Manor, but due to the quota system which limited the distribution of the award to only one per division, and since one Medal of Honor had already been awarded—to Lieutenant Colonel Robert G. Cole—the recommendation was downgraded to the Distinguished Service Cross, the U.S. Army's second highest award for combat valor.^[53] After the release of the Band of Brothers television miniseries, a letter-writing campaign to have Winters awarded the Medal of Honor began, but so far without success.^[32] Currently, Rep. Tim Holden (D-PA) introduced HR 3121 (111th) "To authorize and request the President to award the Medal of Honor to Richard D. Winters, of Hershey, Pennsylvania, for acts of valor on June 6, 1944, in Normandy, France, while an officer in the 101st Airborne Division." The bill has been referred to the House Armed Services Committee and the House Armed Services Committee, Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

Korean War[link]

Winters in 2004

Following the end of the war in the European theater, Winters worked for his close wartime friend Captain Lewis Nixon at Nixon's family business, Nixon Nitration Works of Edison, New Jersey, rising to become general manager in 1950.^[54] On May 16, 1948 he married Ethel Estoppey^[2][55] and continued to pursue his education through the GI Bill, attending a number of business and personnel management courses at Rutgers University.^[55]

In June 1951 he was recalled to active duty in the Army during the Korean War.^[55] He was ordered to join the 11th Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, but he was given six months to report and in this time he traveled to Washington, D.C. to speak to General Tony McAuliffe, in the hope that he could convince the Army not to send him to Korea.^[55] He explained to McAuliffe that he had seen enough of war and apparently McAuliffe understood his position, but explained that he was needed because of his command experience. Winters then reported to Fort Dix, New Jersey, where he was assigned as a regimental planning and training officer.^[56]

While at Fort Dix, Winters became disillusioned with his job, finding that he had little enthusiasm for training officers who lacked discipline and did not attend their scheduled classes. As a result he volunteered to attend Ranger School.^[56] He then received orders to deploy to Korea and travelled to Seattle, where during pre-deployment administration he was offered the chance to resign if he wanted to.^[56]

Later years[link]

He was discharged from the army and became a production supervisor at a plastics adhesive business in New Brunswick, New Jersey.^[56] In 1951, he and his wife Ethel bought a small farm where later Winters built their farmhouse and together they raised two children. In 1972, he went in to business for himself, starting his own company and selling animal feed products to farmers throughout Pennsylvania.^[56] Soon afterward, he moved his family to Hershey, Pennsylvania.^[2] He finally retired in 1997.^[57]

During the 1990s, Winters was featured in a number of books and television series about his experiences and those of the men in Easy Company. In 1992, Stephen Ambrose wrote the book Band of Brothers: Easy Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest, which was subsequently turned into an HBO mini-series Band of Brothers.^[2][58] Winters was also the subject of the 2005 book Biggest Brother: The Life of Major Dick Winters, The Man Who Led the Band of Brothers, written by Larry Alexander. His own memoir, Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters, co-written by military historian and retired U.S. Army Colonel Cole C. Kingseed, was published in early 2006.^[2][59] He also gave a number of lectures on leadership to cadets at the United States Military Academy at West Point.^[58]

On May 16, 2009, Franklin and Marshall College conferred an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters upon Winters.^[60]

Despite the many accolades he had received, Winters remained humble about his service.^[61] During the interview segment of the miniseries Band of Brothers, Winters quoted a passage from a letter he received from Sergeant Mike Ranney, "I cherish the memories of a question my grandson asked me the other day when he said, 'Grandpa, were you a hero in the war?' Grandpa said 'No… but I served in a company of heroes.'"

Winters, a resident of Hershey, Pennsylvania, died on January 2, 2011, at an assisted living facility in nearby Campbelltown, Pennsylvania.^[1] He had been suffering from Parkinson's disease for several years.^[62] Winters had requested a private, unannounced funeral service, which was held on January 8, 2011.^[63]

Winters was buried in the Bergstrasse Evangelical Lutheran Church cemetery in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, in a private ceremony.^[64] He is buried next to his parents in the Winters family plot. His grave is marked Richard D. Winters WW II 101st Airborne.

Medals and decorations[link]

	Combat Infantryman Badge
	Parachutist Badge with 2 combat stars
	Medal of the City of Eindhoven

	Distinguished Service Cross
	Bronze Star with one Oak Leaf Cluster
	Purple Heart
	Presidential Unit Citation with one Oak Leaf Cluster
	American Defense Service Medal
	National Defense Service Medal
	European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 3 service stars and arrow device
	World War II Victory Medal
	Army of Occupation Medal
60px	Croix de guerre with palm
	French Liberation Medal
60px	War Cross (Belgium) with palm
	Belgian WWII Service Medal

See also[link]

• Greatest Generation
• Harrison C. Summers
• List of Easy Company (506 PIR) veterans

References[link]

	Biography portal
	United States Army portal
	World War II portal

Bibliography[link]

• Ambrose, Stephen E. (1992). Band of Brothers: Easy Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-0-7434-6411-6. 
• Ambrose, Stephen E. (1994). D-Day, June 6, 1944, The Climactic Battle of World War II. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-0-7434-4974-8. 
• Winters, Major Dick, with Cole C. Kingseed (2006). Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters. Berkley Hardcover. ISBN 978-0-425-20813-7. 
• Alexander, Larry (2005). Biggest Brother: The Life of Major Dick Winters, The Man Who Led the Band of Brothers. NAL Hardcover. ISBN 978-0-451-21510-9. 

External links[link]

• Campaign for Winters' Medal of Honor
• Richard Winters at the Internet Movie Database
• Anderson, Christopher J. (2004). "Dick Winters: Reflections on the Band of Brothers, D-Day and Leadership (interview)". American History Magazine. http://www.historynet.com/wars_conflicts/world_war_2/3029766.html. Retrieved 2007-06-02. 
• Beyond Band of Brothers : The war memoirs of Major Dick Winters
• Winters' military records, courtesy of the national Archives
• Dick Winters: Reflections on the Band of Brothers, D-Day and Leadership
• Medal of Honor Recipients and Nominees Depicted on Film
• Website about E-Company and liberation of Eindhoven with lots of photos
• Men of Easy Company website