A Company of Paratroopers
Easy Company was part of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, which belonged to the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army. Paratroopers are soldiers who jump from aeroplanes and land behind enemy lines. They are trained to be fast, tough, and able to fight without much support.
Easy Company was made up of about 140 men. They came from many different states across America. Some were very young — barely eighteen years old. They trained together in Georgia and England before going to war, and they became like brothers.
"We were confident. We trained hard and we knew that we were good. We just didn't know yet how hard it was really going to be."— Based on accounts from Easy Company veterans
The Men Who Led Them
Easy Company had several important leaders who kept the men together through the hardest moments of the war.
The most famous leader of Easy Company. Calm, fair, and brave. He led his men from the front and earned great respect from everyone around him.
Winters' closest friend and intelligence officer. He gathered information about the enemy and helped plan operations.
The original commander who trained Easy Company. He was extremely strict and not popular — but his hard training may have saved many lives.
The company medic who cared for wounded soldiers under fire. At Bastogne he worked without proper medicine or supplies, but never stopped helping.
From Training to Victory
Easy Company fought in some of the most important battles of the Second World War. Here is their journey from 1942 to 1945:
Training in Toccoa
Easy Company is formed at Camp Toccoa in Georgia. The men train extremely hard, running up and down Currahee Mountain every day. Their motto: "We stand alone together."
D-Day — Normandy
On the night of 5–6 June 1944, Easy Company jumps into Normandy, France — just hours before the famous D-Day landings. They capture a German artillery battery at Brecourt Manor, protecting the soldiers on Utah Beach.
Operation Market Garden
In September 1944, Easy Company jumps into the Netherlands as part of a large Allied operation. They fight in and around Eindhoven and Nijmegen, suffering heavy losses.
Bastogne — Bois Jacques
In December 1944, Easy Company arrives in Bastogne by truck — without proper winter clothing or enough ammunition. For weeks they live in foxholes in Bois Jacques, surviving freezing temperatures, constant artillery, and German attacks. This is their hardest and most famous moment.
Hitler's Eagle's Nest
Easy Company ends the war by capturing Hitler's famous mountain retreat in Berchtesgaden, Germany. The war in Europe ends on 8 May 1945 — Victory in Europe Day.
Band of Brothers
After the war, the men of Easy Company went home and returned to normal life. For many years, most people did not know their story.
That changed in 1992, when historian Stephen Ambrose wrote a book called Band of Brothers, based on interviews with the surviving veterans. In 2001, filmmakers Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks turned the book into a famous HBO television series — watched by millions of people around the world.
Today, Easy Company is remembered as one of the finest fighting units of the Second World War. Their courage, friendship, and determination — especially during those freezing weeks in Bois Jacques — will never be forgotten.
"We were cold. We were wet. We were exhausted. But we were still there."— Based on accounts from Easy Company veterans