A Company of Heroes: Personal Memories about the Real Band of Brothers and the Legacy They Left Us

by Marcus Brotherton

THE "MUST-READ"* BOOK THAT INSPIRED THE EXTRAORDINARY DOCUMENTARY FOR PUBLIC TELEVISION

After the Band of Brothers went home, they never forgot the lessons of war . . .

After chronicling the personal stories of the Band of Brothers in We Who Are Alive and Remain, author Marcus Brotherton presents a collection of remembrances from the families of the soldiers of Easy Company--and how their wartime experiences shaped their lives off the battlefield.

A Company of Heroes is an intimate, revealing portrait of the lives of the men who fought for our freedom during some of the darkest days the world has ever known--men who returned home with a newfound wisdom and honor that they passed onto their families, and that continue to inspire new generations of Americans.


*Jake Powers, Official E/506th Historian

Genres: History, World War II, Nonfiction, War, Military History, Biography, Historical

368 pages, Paperback

First published May 4, 2010

About the author

Marcus Brotherton is a New York Times bestselling author and coauthor dedicated to writing books that inspire heroics, promote empathy, and encourage noble living. His commendations include the Christopher Award for literature “that affirms the highest values of the human spirit.”

His newest book, THE LONG MARCH HOME, (coauthored with Tosca Lee) was inspired by true stories of friendship, sacrifice, and hope on the Bataan Death March during WW2. It received 3 distinct starred reviews--from Publisher's Weekly, Library Journal, and Booklist.

Notable solo projects include:
* A Bright and Blinding Sun
* Blaze of Light
* Shifty's War
* Who Are Alive & Remain
* A Company of Heroes
* Feast for Thieves

Reviews

[Joanne | wellreadcoffeeaddict · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is my kind of book.

I found this book incredibly touching. The way the author presents every soldier and his story brings each man a little closer to home. Any one of these men could easily have been the "boy down the street", so to speak. It makes reading the section on the fallen that much harder. Each story is fairly short, yet captures the essence of every soldier's life and the legacy they leave behind. The author truly honours these 26 men in A Company of Heroes.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven’t read Band of Brothers or the film adaptation, but even without that context this book was an excellent read. The individual WWII stories and post-war joys/struggles (family, work, wartime friendships, PTSD, mental & physical health)- written by their surviving family members - were (mostly) inspiring, yet also very honest. These men were heroes, but they were also human, and the war took a toll on most of them for the rest of their lives.

[gardienne_du_feu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Im Anhang zu seinem auf Interviews mit noch lebenden Veteranen der "Band of Brothers" beruhenden Buch "We Who Are Alive and Remain" verwendete Marcus Brotherton auch die Erinnerungen der Angehörigen von drei Easy-Company-Männern, die damals bereits verstorben waren. Wie auch mich haben diese Abschnitte sehr viele Menschen berührt, so dass Brotherton anfing, die Familien weiterer Easy-Soldaten zu befragen und die Ergebnisse in einem weiteren Buch zu versammeln.

Jedes Kapitel ist mir auf seine Weise ans Herz gegangen, weil jeder der Männer das im Krieg Erlebte bis an sein Lebensende mit sich herumgeschleppt hat, ganz zu schweigen von den Nachwehen schwerer Verletzungen. Nicht wenige sind letztendlich noch viele Jahre später daran zerbrochen - mir fiel dazu ein Zitat von Nevil Shute ein: "Like some infernal monster, still venomous in death, a war can go on killing people for a long time after it's all over." Psychologische Betreuung war seinerzeit Fehlanzeige, so dass sich viele in den Alkohol flüchteten. Viele Ehen gingen in die Brüche, viele Kinder erinnern sich an ihre Väter als schwierige Persönlichkeiten und konnten erst viel später verstehen, wieso. Es gibt aber auch Erfolgsgeschichten zu lesen von denjenigen, die es irgendwie schafften, die Kriegsereignisse zu verarbeiten und so gut es ging hinter sich zu lassen.

Der letzte Teil des Buches ist dann denen gewidmet, die den Krieg nicht überlebt haben, aber nach so langer Zeit immer noch in den Erinnerungen ihrer Angehörigen eine wichtige Rolle spielen, oft verbunden mit der wehmütigen Überlegung, was aus ihnen hätte werden können.

Diese rund 30 kurzen Lebensbilder sind eine sehr gute Ergänzung zu den anderen Büchern rund um die Easy Company, die ich bisher gelesen habe. Der Schwerpunkt liegt hier weniger auf den Ereignissen im Kampfeinsatz, obwohl diese natürlich auch Eingang finden, als auf den oft ziemlich emotional gefärbten Erinnerungen der Hinterbliebenen an ihre Ehemänner, Väter, Onkel oder Freunde. Besonders interessant war für mich, was aus den Überlebenden nach der Rückkehr in die USA geworden ist und wie ihr weiteres Leben verlaufen ist, und ich fand es sehr spannend, die jeweiligen Persönlichkeiten aus der Perspektive von Angehörigen näher "kennenzulernen".

Als Einstieg in die ganze Thematik würde ich das Buch nicht empfehlen, weil ohne etwas Hintergrundwissen viele Anspielungen (wie etwa auf die "Sobel-Meuterei") schwer zu verstehen sind, aber trotzdem lege ich es jedem, der sich für die Easy Company interessiert, wärmstens ans Herz.

[Andres · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is essential reading for anyone who is a fan of the 'Band of Brothers' (like me!).

I picked up this book years after reading the original Ambrose book and watching the HBO miniseries about the now famous Easy Company paratroopers. This collection of memories was a wonderful re-introduction to 26 of the men who made up the company, all from personal accounts by their surviving family members. Everyone's life before, during, and after are recounted here and are broken up into four sections: Enlisted men, NCOs, Officers, and those who were killed during the war.

I read this book at the same time I read In the Footsteps of the Band of Brothers by Larry Alexander, and that was the best way to read them: together. They complemented each other greatly by supplying details in one that may have been passingly referred to in another. Case in point: "Salty" Harris is mentioned in Footsteps as having died as a pathfinder but doesn't really elaborate. In this book, there is a whole chapter on Harris by his nephew.

Each chapter works wonders in filling in the gaps in knowledge about these individuals, many of whom did not live the happiest of lives after the war. As well, the book works to clarify misinformation from the original book and miniseries, the two biggest mistakes being the death of Albert Blithe (he did get wounded but didn't die of those wounds, and lived for a long time after) and the most surprising, that Joseph Liebgott wasn't Jewish (a fact straight from Liebgott's son).

I look forward to reading Brotherton's other book We Who Are Alive and Remain which is made up of memories by surviving members of Easy Company.

[Joanne Hattersley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A company of heroes is authored by Marcus Brotherton and centres beautifully around the legacy that has been left in their memories.

Band of Brothers came to the world in 2001, via HBO and our TV screens. It introduced us to Richard Winters, Lewis Nixon, Harry Welsh, Joe Liebgott, Mike Ranney, Eugene Roe and so many more.

In the just over ten hours of TV, that gave us these names and faces, we began to learn about the real Richard Winters. The real Eugene Roe and the real Joe Liebgott. Did they get through the war? Did they marry and have families? What legacies did they leave? This is where Marcus Brotherton steps in.



While other books concentrate on the military campaigns, this is the book to pick up when you want to know about the men. Who were the individual men of Easy Company? This book takes you in and answers every question you have, without you even having to ask it.

A company of heroes talks to the families of some of Easy Company. They share what their memories are of their fathers when they came home from the war, and their knowledge of them beforehand.

Similar threads cross every story, no matter which soldier is being discussed. I noted that the majority of soldiers declined to talk about the war when they came home. The soldiers also had severe difficulty in readjustment to normal life. That is hardly surprising.

What I like about this book is its respect. Respect to the men and the history behind them. The book honours the gentlemen of Easy Company. What it also does is allow their families time to share their memories and enable the world to understand who these men really were. We all watched Band of Brothers, but if we`re being realistic we all know that Hollywood can over-dramatise. I was pleased to see corrections from the series put right. After all, no-one knows these men like their family.

Thank you to the author for his time and respect with this book. These mens memories will never be forgotten.

To the families, thank you for sharing your memories.

To Easy Company. Currahee

[Lena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmm, in general, a good book with personal insights and it was interesting to know how the men featured were seen (and idolized) by their families. Also always mind-boggling how military service is put on a pedestal in the US.
But idk, I would’ve expected it to be a bit better? And I also would’ve expected it to feature more prominent Easy men? Like sure, the ones that are forgotten in the show deserve their spotlight too, and I guess it also depends on the availability and motivation to participate of the family members, but leaving out someone like Richard Winters, the undoubted hero of Easy, Lewis Nixon, who’s life story as a functioning alcoholic in active military service is really intriguing or David Webster, without whom the entire show and literary canon would not even exist.
Also, since all life stories are pretty much the same, it becomes kind of redundant.

P. S.: I would love to be able to read Pat Christenson‘s graphic novel. The whole idea of seeing his sketches done during the war and after, and reading the poems and explanations he added sounds so intriguing - and also something entirely new. For one because it’s a different medium than the ever-the-same (auto)biography and secondly, because it was finished before Band of Brothers aired, so probably untainted by the show (but that’s speculation).

[Rich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Afternoon Sunday Labor day review sports fans. This book was a nice follow up to several other books I have read related to the "Band of Brothers"of Easy company who parachuted into Normandy and fought the Germans through France, Holland, and Germany. It was interesting to read various elements that Ambrose got wrong in Band of Brothers in this book. Not a criticism so much as an eye opening read on how easy it is to get history wrong. Considering all of the fighters from Easy company have now passed away it was a sad read. This truly was the greatest generation, even for the soldiers of Easy company who came home and never left the horrors of combat they faced for two years behind. I found myself comparing these studs to the whiny beta bitches from the current millennial generation who don't want to leave the their houses and actually work in an office and am appalled at how far this country has fallen. While the writing at times was less than stellar, it is essentially a compendium of stories from family members edited by the author, the stories were powerful and in many cases amazing. Next time I tip a dram of quality single malt scotch it will be in remembrance of these heroes who saved a world from tyranny.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lately I've been reading quite a bit about WWII and the war against the Nazis. It's such a fascinating and important period in history, with so many brave individuals who risked their lives to fight against tyranny and oppression. I find myself drawn to stories of resistance, resilience, and heroism.

A Company of Heroes : Personal Memories about the Real Band of Brothers by Marcus Brotherton tells the story of some of the paratroopers who served in Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division – the infamous "Band of Brothers" who were immortalized by Stephen Ambrose's book and HBO miniseries.

Brotherton weaves together personal interviews with surviving members of Easy Company and their families to create a gripping and emotional narrative. The reader is taken on a journey through their training, bonds formed between comrades, grueling battles fought in Europe, and the aftermath of war.

A Company of Heroes is a testament to the unbreakable bonds formed between soldiers in times of war. It serves as a reminder that behind every soldier there is a unique story worth telling.

[Jeffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

“A Company of Hero’s”, a story of the men who served in WWII, specifically Easy Company is a collection of individual stories told by the family members of these men. The first half are the ones who returned and how they adjusted, or didn’t, back to civilian life. The second half is about the ones who did not return but gave up their lives on a foreign soil.

Many came back and lived good lives and many came back unable to get past what they had experienced overseas.

Having a father who served in the army I recognized the pattern in more than a few of the men who returned and had trouble coping with their experiences of the war. William Sherman said “War is Hell” and many of the men were unable to stop fighting that war until their death. As one daughter stated: “I was with him in the hospital room, sitting near him at the bottom of the bed. My sister was sitting beside him holding his hand. I watched him take his last breath. The first thing that came to my mind was ‘My dad’s no longer fighting a war ‘“.

This is a goodread.

[Pei-jean Lu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Band of Brothers depicts the story of a group of men who triumphs and tragedies on the European battlefront from D-Day all the way to the Eagles Nest.
What though became of the men who survived? How did their experience of seeing their friends shape their life after V-E Day and how did that affect the lives of the people who knew them best?
I’ve said before that war leave scars both physical and non-physical and in the case of the men of Easy Company this is no exception.
This books seeks to tell the story too of the lives of the family members of those who did not survive and how they came to terms with the death of their loved ones.
Most poignant for me is the post war life of Joe Toye who lost his leg during the Battle of the Bulge and the knowledge that despite his disability he would devote the last years of his life to caring for his incapacitated son.
These men indeed were the ‘Greatest Generation’ and their status as heroes should never be forgotten

[Alaina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This will be my best non-fiction read of 2025.

Of all the BoB books I have read now (and it is somewhere in the 9-10 range), this one is one of the best. Written from interviews with relatives of BoB soldiers, it gives a brief biography of both well known and lesser known members of Easy Company.

This is a difficult read. The miniseries ends with the remaining soldiers playing a lighthearted game of baseball while more information about a few of the more well represented characters plays across the screen.

In reality, a sad number of these men struggled with alcohol abuse, family strife, PTSD and other effects of the war.

A Company of Heroes offers a more realistic description of the results of war and their effect on the men who participate in it.

The epilogue from Marcus Brotherton was inspired and provides the framework to try and understand how great heroes can also be great sufferers.

As one family member states in the book, "My father fought the war from 18 to 81 and he never won."

[Joy Kidney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Family members remember their dad or uncle or grandfather who served with Easy Company during WWII. Most who are profiled survived the war, with different outcomes of being able to handle the horrendous memories of combat. The rest were related to someone who was a war casualty, especially interesting since I lost three uncles during the war, ones I never had the chance to meet. Photos of the men are included.

At the end is the author's exemplary epilogue, pondering Stephen Ambrose's two questions, "To whom do I owe thanks that I should live in such opportunity?" and "Will I have the courage when the time comes?" The men in the stories weren't perfect but they gave what they had so that we Americans can live for what matters. It ends with a call to action because of their examples.

[Miguel Poveda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tras la épica de la historia bélica de "Band of brothers" lo que viene es el antes y el después de la vida de aquellos héroes. Quizás eso sea lo más reseñable de lo que se cuenta en este libro, la descripción de la vida ordinaria de todos esos tipos que rezumaron valentía y gallardía en la II Guerra Mundial. Mi abuelo era de una edad parecida a la de cualquiera de los protagonistas, y es fácil sentir la cercanía de lo que cuentan sus familiares y cómo se sentían antes y después de luchar. Algunos triunfaron en la vida y otros no, lo que te da un enfoque incluso más real de lo que es la vida, seas un héroe de guerra o no.

[Matt Brandt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Book. I paralleled this book while watching the Band of Brothers series, which was cool to see the events in the book get played out on the big screen. All of these guys are great heroes and should always be remembered. It was really interesting to hear from their relatives and to learn about their lives after the war. It’s sad and heroic how many good young men had their brilliant futures cut short; making the ultimate sacrifice for the rest of us.

[Paul Carr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fans of the miniseries and book Band of Brothers will like this book, which provides more information on the lives and deaths of many Easy Company men, with new facts on well-known soldiers including Lipton, Spiers and Liebgott. The subtext is mentally challenging, leaving me wondering how I’d handle similar situations, both during and after war, and making me appreciative of their sacrifice so I don’t have to face those questions.

[Brook · Rating 5 out of 5]

After the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers, the stories of Easy Company 506 PIR 101st Airborne Division became popular around the world. Easy company veterans gained considerable fame, which they never experienced before. Unfortunately, when Band of Brothers became widely known, many Easy company veterans had already passed away, never able to share their stories anymore.

That's why this book drew my attention: based on interviews with family members or relatives of those veterans, the author tries to tell us their stories. We can find stories about Carwood Lipton, Ron Speirs, Joe Toye, Floyd Talbert and so on, who are very familiar if you've read Band of Brother book previously.

The book is divided into several sections, containing enlist men, non-commissioned officers, officers and those who didn't survive the war. Each chapter tells a story of a man. The stories are based on what the family members heard or remembered. They focus on veterans' family life after war, and how they behave as a father. That's inevitable. The wartime life or battlefield experiences are usually brief. Sometimes an important event in Band of Brother book is described within one or two sentences here.

There are 26 chapters in total, each one a mini biography. But we also notice that it only covers a small amount of Easy Company veterans. That's really a pity.

[Darren Sapp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read everything related to Band of Brothers, I assumed I'd knew it all. This book peeled back even more layers into characters we all know but also those we don't. The poignant memories from loved ones added a personal touch just as if I had an opportunity to visit with these families in person.

[Elissa Noel · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's hard to review a book that is about real human beings and the experiences they went through. All I can say is that this book was full of stories about exceptional yet ordinary people who fought a difficult war, both overseas and at home. Their legacies will live on through this book and they will never be forgotten.

[Abby Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good one about my beloved Band of Brothers. Introduces some not so well known men, rounds out stories of some popular guys, and shares the stories of guys who didn't make it. Many heartbreaking moments.

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book if you enjoyed Band of Brothers and want to learn more about the characters in real life. I enjoyed how each chapter is a different person's story so you are able to skip around and read about each person individually.

[Brittany Schneider · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like the mini series Band of Brithers, you will love this. All the extras found here from the group of men is great. You get a great sense of each of them and what they felt and went through.

[Agata · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book, great memories from the families of these soldiers. Very interesting, I simply couldn't put it down.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

These men are truly the greatest generation. Enough said.

[Jeff K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I watched the Band of Brothers series and then went right into this book, which gives both inspiring and heartbreaking accounts of the Easy Company hero’s lives after the war. An excellent read!

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this collection of memories. Very well put together and interesting.

[Trudy Dowling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great way to learn about some of the fighting in WW2 Europe.

[kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s such a good read for all of my band of brothers lovers, especially if you want to get to know the real soldiers that fought for our lives.

[Ness · Rating 5 out of 5]

Its one of those reads that stays with you!!

[Jana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. I've seen Band of Brothers and knew almost every name in here. I loved the post-war perspective from the family - it gives a new light on these men and what they went through.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well written book detailing the lives of men who put their lives on the line for us and our freedom.