He Ain’t Heavy. He’s My Brother

Lipton on Speirs again. Lipton/Guarnere Interview Pt 2

Atlanta Journal - Dec 4, 1942 covering the March to Atlanta

Richard Winters with Bob Frailey, USMC Jan 1943. They were best friends in High School. Frailey would be KIA on Siapan 1944. Bob Frailey was a Marine Raider. He is on all the USMC Raider rosters. These two were both best friends and wrestlers on the Lancaster HS wresting team. The Major told me once that Frailey was his best friend. He also said that when Major Dick Winters mother took this photo in January of 1943, they said to each other "See you after the War". obviously not the case. - From Jake Powers FB

so there's on-going filming for a docu-series called "currahee to normandy" with the band of brothers cast and it's supposed to cover, "actors' deep connection to their roles and the history they represent and the continued connection and friendships that endure to this day"

sooo hilarious to me that ron livingston isn't on the current roster of actors participating. that's so nix of him <3

From John Orloff’s instagram profile.

Ambrose envisioned a book about their exploits as a filler, Winters later recalled, something to write and get out on the market while he worked on his lengthier D-Day project. Winters, Gordon, Guth and Lipton split the company roster into equal portions and began contacting their comrades, asking for their memories. Almost all seemed to be enthused, although some needed prodding. “Malarkey would write and come in with good stuff, but he was always a step late,” Winters remembered. “Like, we were on Holland, and he’d come in with Normandy. I’d say, ‘Shit, Don, get on the ball and get me Holland. We’re gonna hit Bastogne next.’ ”

~ Larry Alexander

Cleadith C. Smith (1922-1945) of West Virginia was killed in Belgium Jan 2, 1945.

This is the Sgt. Smith that is referred to in several letters by Ronald Speirs, i.e. the 'Sgt that died in my arms'. (Also meantioned in Fierce Valor.)

He is listed as a Corporal on official documents, but as a Sergeant on his obituary. His headstone marker lists him as a member of Dog company, 506 PIR.

His Bronze Star, Purple Heart and personal effects are viewable here.

His gravesite here.

Ron Speirs's mentions of him here.

It is possible Smith received a promotion and wrote home about it, but paperwork was never officially done. (Or he could have been demoted as well) In the grouping of his medals there is a photograph of a German officer and his wife that he took off the man after he killed him, sent that back home with a note about the wife probably needing a new man. Seems like a kid that would have gotten along well with Sparky.

Interestingly Nix didn’t talk to Ambrose directly but Dick conferred with him to confirm details of the events so in some small way he is involved…

I actually believe Nix had so much information if he talked my head is gonna explode like he must have known the drama and gossip at both battalion and regiment, had dirt on Strayer or Sink maybe? Not to mention what he knew just from being an intelligence officer

Dick's backing up Speirs with help from Nixon on the first letter dated January 21, 1993 (Hell of a birthday, Richard. Did Nix call and wish you happy birthday only for you to be like 'Nix, what happened with Speirs on D-Day I need to write Steve'. )

Then, not two weeks later, he sends this to Ambrose:

'Speirs would have killed them if they spoke out and he's paid for his killer instinct ever since that day. '

Richard. Not even two weeks? Did Steve even read the last letter before this one arrived?

From Winter's Files at USAHEC, the gift that keeps giving.

Dick's letter to Ambrose and he mentions conversations with Ron Speirs. Winter's Files.

When I asked Sparky about his memories of Bastogne the attack on Foy + Noville. His answer surprised me, he said "honest the only recall I have of Foy was that I was one scared boy. I have no recall at all. Now if you would ask me about Korea I could give you all the information you want. I wrote my letters home from Korea on the back of my maps." What a great idea wish I would have thought of that.

From Smokey Gordon's Interview.

Stanhope's Momma defends her baby boy.

David Kenyon Webster described him this way: “120-pound Liebgott, ex–San Francisco cabby, was the skinniest and one of the funniest men in E Company. He had the added distinction of being one of the few Jews in the paratroops. Both he and [Thomas] McCreary, ancient men of thirty, were the company elders.” There are just two problems with Webster’s description, according to Liebgott’s family. He was a barber by trade, not a cabby. Although he drove a taxi for a short time in San Francisco before the war, it was never his life’s goal or profession, as has been perpetuated. That’s a minor issue. The bigger issue is that Liebgott was not Jewish; he was a German Roman Catholic.

Jack Foley's recollections of Grant being shot.