Green Beret Reacts to Band of Brothers Ep: 2 Day of Days | Beers and Breakdowns 

Dick Winters was an excellent officer and a humble man. Per his request, his death wasn’t announced here in PA until after his funeral because he didn’t want people making a fuss over him.

The compass was hidden in the flap of his jump pants, meant to be a tool that remained hidden in case of capture and eventual escape, he’d have a tool to know which direction to go

Dick Winters should be studied by all Men.

Richard Winters was billeted with a middle-aged British couple, called Barnes who ran the local village Village Store, when stationed in Aldbourne, Wiltshire in the 9 months before D-Day ... he remained in touch with them by letter after the war until they passed. They first met when he noticed them tending their RAF son's grave after leaving a Sunday Church service. It gave him an appreciation of the sacrifice that the people of Britain had made .... the day Easy Company sailed for Aldbourne, 3rd Sept 1943 marked 4 years of war for the British people. On his first visit back in 1991, his first request was to spend a private half hour laying flowers at their graves .... The people of Britain are no strangers to military heroes, but Major Winters has the greatest of respect in these islands .....

Winter was, by pretty much all accounts of anyone who interacted with him, the greatest combat leader they had ever met. He was able to make decisions under stress, and lead his men effectively throughout the war. He was a legend among the most elite of the army at the time. His actions at Brecourt Manor are still taught at West Point as a textbook example of an assault on an entrenched enemy position.

Sadly, none of the men are still alive. We lost Brad Freeman last year and he was the last of Company E. There are men alive from other regiments like Vince Speranza, honor them all.

Well...this is when the shit gets real. "We're not lost private, we're in Normandy..." Shows an unarmed Winters ability to instill confidence in the face of chaos.

Winters was still a first lieutenant on D-Day. He was promoted to Captain on July 1, 1944 and the next day he received the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions taking the guns at Brecourt. He was supposedly considered for the Medal of Honor but got the DSC instead.

We're paratroopers Lieutenant, we're supposed to be surrounded

Paratroopers were issued a button compass just in case if they lost their primary or captured and escape and have some sort if equipment. Winters didn't make a compass, he just had a backup

There is a documentary called We Stand Alone Together I believe that is all of the veterans talking about their stories and after watching the show it is even more impactful

Great thing about BoB is to watch how leadership emerges organically from the situations. And great leadership isn't forced, so often our best leaders are the ones who start reluctantly. It comes from their inherent intelligence yes, but more importantly their natural work ethic, responsibility, humility and integrity.

The attack on those guns is crazy, Winters really was something special. Very rare to meet a person like him. One of the most crazy things about WW2 for me is that these guys were all just regular people, they were school teachers, factory workers etc before the war. Then they get thrown into horrific conditions and they absolutely thrive.

That assault on the guns of Brecourt became the literal text book small unit manuever for that type of assault. Also, that intel he retrieved were maps of all The German gun positions.

Another great episode that displays how great of a leader Major Richard Winters was is episode 5 "Crossroads". Can't wait for you guys to react to it.

LT Winters' assault in the artillery is still used today as the perfect example of small unit tactics overcoming a superior dug in force.

Band of Brothers and The Pacific are easily two of the greatest mini series ever created. I’ve watched both once a year since they came out. Timeless Masterpieces

I work for Stephen Ambrose Tours, there is nothing better than taking a tour and following in the footsteps of these heroes. Our guide knew many of the men very well. Many of the men were our friends. The mini series is fantastic but obviously some Hollywood in it. Wish we could take you men on a tour from Toccoa to the Eagles Nest.

In the GWOT our Battalion had relatively short deployments of 3 to 6 months and although we deployed every 9ish months we still knew when we would cycle back stateside but these guys fighting in Europe didn’t have that luxury. I can’t imagine dropping onto Point A and being told I could go home only after reaching point B (unless I was severely wounded) and then being told no one knows how far away point B is or how long it will take to get there. No matter how badass us post 9/11 veterans think we are we are nothing compared to our Grandfathers.

The research into this stuff was incredible. I'm a current Jumpmaster, and the commands in the aircraft are almost identical still to how it's called and done today.

I’ve binged this series A LOT! Along with the interviews they conducted with the actual soldiers, love it when there’s another military perspective about the details non-militants won’t ever know!

Band of Brothers is one of a kind.

I remember those little compasses. They were distributed in survival kits and other military surplus. You could buy a roll of them, maybe 8 or 10, wrapped up in a khaki colored wax paper.

The way you describe the interaction between winters and the boys after the battle is spot on and because of your experience it gives it so much more depth. Since it first premiered I said the exact thing to whom ever was watching it with me.

This may be my most favorite B&B thanks to Buck's great discussion around small but crucial aspects of leadership--the closing commentary around the truck scene is fantastic. Well done folks!

One comment from a member of Easy Company: Winters always led from the front. He was always there and took greater risks than his men. I am astonished he wasn't killed. Foolhardy, perhaps, but he knew the tension that filled the men under his command. They understood and followed him into hell. I look forward to your reaction to Bastogne and the attack on Foy.

Been waiting for this episode! Congratulations to all the Selected, now the hard part starts! Go get it y'all! 🤘🏼🇺🇲

The thing that really separates the biggest heroes from the rest of the good soldiers is their ability to shelve their fears of death and failure and just focus completely on the job at hand. You will see it time and again through this series and The Pacific (if you watch that too) and it's such an admirable quality. I don't think I could be like that, but most people who are say that you don't know until you are in that situation and often the most unlikely heroes are born on the battlefield.

You guys have convinced me to rewatch this series. Congrats on all your tremendous influence helping those to get selected. America needs all the badass it can get! 💪

I've got the dvd series in the metal collectors box. These reviews make me want to dig it up and watch it again.

I will put this up as one of the best episodes of Beer and Breaks. Buck, the fact that you show your inner self, respecting the fact that you can be terrified and perform is just amazing to me. I was sitting alert after 911. We were protecting where the "bomb" was invented. We watched the whole series back to back when we werent flying. Glad you approved of this because these guys went through 1/100th of the training you did. God bless the Republic, especially every branch of our military!

Winters was still a LT at this point. He was Easy Company's XO, until they were certain that Lt. Meehan was KIA.

Band of Brothers is my all time favorite historical docu-series! Loving the content, Keep doing your thing! Cant wait for episode 3! Carentan!

I'm not a military guy but you were talking about Winters' small unit tactics. As I recall, his men said that all during the two years of training, he never took leave time and would spend every spare minute studying tactics and everything he could about German tactics, equipment, etc.

Great review. My late Gramps was in the Pacific with the 7th ID but really identified with this series and loved watching it when he could get around to it. After he passed I learned I was the only one he talked to about his time in the service. Miss him.

Congrats to you all! Btw, this is one of the most underrated shows on youtube. I love this show. Was waiting for the next episode. I went back and watched almost all of the videos 😂 Can you guys please review the equilizer with Denzel? Or Safe House? That has Denzel and Ryan Reynolds. Both great movies. Thanks. Keep the vids comin'.

Another movie we watch endlessly at AG 1/30 in Benning 🤙🇺🇸

Winter's was the Real Deal !!!

I appreciate how you do these reactions. You don't focus on the drama parts, you pick the parts that teach a relevant lesson. Well done.

I read a lot about Major Winters after I watched this series. The man probably would’ve easily made four stars had he stayed in. Amazing leader.

I just finished this series for the first time a day ago. Good timing.

Wow this is probably the most informative reaction I've seen!! Thanks man - Love Winters!!

Boys, thanks for what you do and shining the light on the good, bad, and indifferent of Hollywood. Not prior military, prior PD medically retired. Come from military family WWII gpa POW bomber pilot, dad was brown water navy in Vietnam. Prior to gpa’s death he tried to watch band of brothers..it was too real and just menacing to him. Thanks for subjecting yourself to it for our entertainment.

I truly enjoy these breakdowns. Sometimes humorous but unique perspective that Buck brings from real world experience. Keep up the good work guys and we’ll be waiting for the notification bell 🤙🏻

In the book Band of Brothers, it's mentioned that the officers (at least) had a small button-like compass, a folding map (i think it was meant to be rinsed/destroyed easily), and a saw blade that could be broken down into 2 or 3 pieces. Winters hid the compass in the fly of his pants, the saw blade pieces in the heel of his boot, and the map in his belt. There were 2 lieutenants in each platoon due to the high expectation of high casualties in the Airborne units. The Airborne in this era (like the Rangers in this era) were given training inspired by British Commandos. It was theorized that there would be a minimum of 90% casualties in Normandy for the Airborne alone. Small unit tactics and night time training was heavily emphasized. They were expected to capture of destroy objectives based on the German's most likely avenues of counter-attack. Contrary to the movie Saving Private Ryan, the miss-drops didn't disrupt the Airborne much. Most of the primary objectives for Day 1 were accomplished. Linking the Utah and Omaha beaches at Carentan was the last major objective. All that success, with high casualties but nowhere near 90% as projected and despite unforeseen hazards like miss-drops into the ocean, dropping airborne paratroopers on top of enemy held towns (including trees and houses), despite a great number of paratroopers having a bright white parachute, despite the flooded fields that drowned paratroopers, and giant rods that tore up the gliders. A lot of lessons learned too from the quick-detach parachute rigging, to not using the leg bags, to disciplining the pilots (they didn't break formation in Market Garden), to day time jumps instead of night jumps, to constantly working on what can be carried in a glider. Lots and lots of lessons.

Yep Band of Bros is awesome classic from HBO🎉

I LOVE how you break down the officer and your explanation of the military. Thank you!

Nice work guys - I've been waiting for this one!!

Sean's insights in this Band of Brothers is are so on point and revelatory. Ive watched a lot of these breakdowns for the interesting insights into stuff we dont normally get to hear. But the psychological breakdowns hes adding with this series is great.

Another great vid! Respect from Canada.

Great reactions and comments. Enjoyed what you said about the realities and the subtleties of what it's like in the field, didn't think much of this.

Hell yeah, one of my favourite series ever. Good reactions as always.

Memorial Day... almost 80th anniversary, came back for a rewatch

5:30 A button with a compass in it...a Really Basic compass...was issued to some Allied soldiers. I think we got the idea from Canadian or maybe British aviators, but don't quote me on that. Edit: Or, maybe what Lucas S says below this...

13:40 the german grenades did not have fragmentation as a standard, they have to put an additional sleeve on it for that which made it so that you could survive close calls more easily.

Congrats 🎉👏

Nice. Another one well done guys! ❤

Keep ‘em coming guys! Great content

I think that the opening scene with all the airplanes is one of the best ever shot. Yesterday I saw again another great war movie, Tom Hank's Greyhound, which tells the story of a US destructor escorting a convoy of ships across the atlantic ocean with a wolfpack preying on it. Cheers.

Great episode!! Thanks guys

I’m glad you guys are doing this show. You’re doing it a lot of justice. The only thing I wish you’d talked about was poor Sgt. Lipton always being late with the TNT. I don’t know if that actually happened, but in the show it provided really well placed comic relief.

Keep crushing it!!

It's one of those things that not a lot of people realize, but before Pearl Harbor and especially before the world knew about the concentration camps there wasn't universal agreement about attacking Germany or even getting involved in WWII. The country had some strong isolationist voices, and even though it wasn't anywhere near as virulent as in Germany there was also some anti-Semitism in the US (and in non-Germany Europe) as well. After the country was attacked and when people heard about the absolute horrors that the Nazis were committing support for involvement in the war became near-universal, but earlier, before Pearl, some German immigrants who left to fight for Germany may not have even thought of it as fighting against the US exactly. Not that that excused their actions, but things were a little murkier when the Nazis first started the war. Because of the many books and movies and shows that have been made about WWII we all know so much of what happened now, but back then many people didn't understand just how evil Hitler and the Nazis were.

Richard Winters was drafted as a private and went to officer training school. On D-Day, he was a first lieutenant, and the senior platoon Commander. That's why he took control of the company, when the captain's plane was shot down. I was never able to serve because of medical condition. From what I've seen and read, Winters was one of the best field officers off the war. I look forward to your feedback on Ronald Spiers, Louis Nixon, and some of the other officers and sergeants.

If y'all are ever in Gettysburg, stop by the military museum on the main drag. Dick Winters' military gear was donated there.

Great episode! Have you guys been to Normandy? It's amazing to see all the places Captain Winters and his men fought, especially around D-Day Anniversary with all the historic vehicles around

Another point of how much of a squared away badass of a soldier Winters was, was that he went through and passed Ranger School in 1951 at 31 years old. Guy was just built different.

Excellent commentary.

True leadership is a rare skill that not only saves men, but inspires them for a lifetime. I can remember watching this series in the middle of the Kuwaiti desert days before the invasion of Iraq. We sat in the back of a M113 with 8 dudes trying to watch a laptop. I recall our CSM checking on guys on the perimeter and seen us all piled in the back, he ask what we were doing and next thing I know he was squeezing himself in to watch the 3rd episode. We ended up making this a tradition before deployments and 20 years later some of the guys still do it every March 19th.

Jan 2nd on my birthday me and my family drove to Ephrata PA where Dick Winters huge memorial is and we also found his grave. I always wanted to because I live right outside of philly. It was a very emotional experience for me.

There are so many little details BoB included, it amazes me how dedicated the crew was to getting so many things right. The story about the paratrooper's leg is one I never knew and I've watched it religiously since the day it came out. I always figured his leg got caught falling into the tree and never realized he would have snagged it in his harness when he jumped. Damn I love this series.

Enjoyed your reaction. Nice job!

Love your stuff. Might even sub to see the whole videos. Love your insights.. Little tidbit, the attacks that he did on those bunkers are supposedly still used today to explain how to take that type of position.

Been waiting for this!!!

These button compasses were used if you lost your regular compass, or if your compass was taken during capture and the button compass was a lot more easily hidden, though due to it’s small size it wasn’t too accurate.

That artillery position is Braycourt Manor. They had two .30 cal mmgs to cover their advance. To this day it is the example on how to take a during position 1st Lt. Dick Winters and 1st Lt Harry Walsh lead the attack . There was one KIA.

I don’t know about ww2 parachute equipment, but today the parachute cord is pretty long (3-4 m’)for it to pull your chute out

Great show. Winters is amazing.

The Airborne received a mini compass that Winters attached to a button if I recall.

Good break down guys

"E" company was the battalion 'special weapons and tactics' company. They were the "Assault Muscle" that took the difficult assignments, neutralize the guns at Brecor Manor, lead the assault on Carentan, assault the Eagles Nest, lead assault on Foy, and the list goes on. They were real life bad asses! There were other 'Rifle Companies" but "Easy" was the Battalion 911 force.

Band of brothers and Saving Private Ryan are , in my opinion, some of the best theatrical depictions of WW2 and combat arms.

Worth watching

That was a real compas, i my grandpa gave me the one he used when he served.

Those small unit tactics you talked about that helped Easy secure the Guns at Brecourt got taught at West Point.

Buck I told Kevin that you sent me and he said he’s never heard of you 🤣 just kidding love the videos and keep up the great work helping people guys 💪🏻

Was waiting for this to drop

Something to add about the cast, so you get why Band of Brothers is so good. The cast went through a boot camp, did real tactics in the same place as the real Easy company. They had the originals doing the boot camp. The replacements came in half way.. were not trained as much and it was left to originals to teach (just like Easy company did). They had as best as they could match the equipment. Even did parachute training in the same place Easy company did. All of them fell into their characters with dedication and wanted to give it proper justice. They met with the real easy company and got their stories. From that the cast meet every year as a reunion. Some of the cast attribute this show saving their lives and turning them around. It's just brilliant on what they did and why. It's not just another war film. This is a work of memorial.

Amazing series. Hope you can finish it.

Keeping crushing it. As a civilian I really appreciate your points of view on entertainment

Loved this reaction !

LT/Capt/Major Dick Winters was one of the greatest commanding officers in military history IMO, exemplary conduct and genuinely cared for his men.

Dick Winters was 1st lieutenant of Easy Company during Operation Overlord. The reason he had combat command was 1st Lieutenant Meehan was promoted to combat command of Easy but not as a Captain of the company. His transport was shot down during the operation which is why Winters earned field command of Easy Company. A month later July 1st Winters was officially promoted to Captain. Later on during Operation Market Garden he became Battalion XO which normally held by a Major he served the position as a Captain. Winters finally promoted to Major during the 101st Airborne Division served in Germany. Shortly afterward he took command of the 2nd Battalion.

dont know why these episodes arent as long but whatever yall can do every episode from both bob nd pacific lets get it

Dick Winters and the NCO's and different leaders of E Company were what I hoped my leadership would be like when I joined up. Man was I wrong haha. Set my expectations WAY too high. But I always remembered the things he talked about in his book about being a leader, and once I got my stripes it was such a great experience to be a leader. I only wish I could have done it longer.

5:40 winter is actually "only" af lieutenant here, he becomes a captain after the Normandie campaign in July if im not mistaken. One thing that is sad is that they didn't have a scen where he gets promoted to captain since we see from 2nd to 1st lieutenant and from captain to major.

I read a book based on the guys in Easy Company who didn't appear in the show and there was an excerpt where one of them remembered when they jumped on D-Day another paratrooper accidently landed and was standing on his parachute as they were still falling and he had to scream at the guy to get off his chute!

Band of Brothers is gold. You gotta send it because you have a long way to go.

Great video on Episode 2, brothers! Thank you!

Couple of interesting facts about Wild Bill Guarniere: when the actor who played him asked him for tips on how to portray him, Wild Bill said "Like the very devil, because that's what I was." And when the special effects guys asked him about the ack-ack they jumped into, he told them to take the biggest Fourth of July fireworks show they had ever seen, and then multiply it by 100. And even then, it would not come close to what they jumped into.