The World War II Foundation, a 501 c3 non-profit based in Kingston, Rhode Island is honored to announce that a formal date has been set for the dedication of the Richard Winters Leadership monument in Normandy, France.
On June 6, 2012, the 12-foot high monument, honoring all United States Army junior officers who led the way on D-Day, June 6, 1944, will be dedicated just outside the village of Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, Normandy, France. The dedication ceremony will be hosted by three-time World Series winning Major League baseball pitcher Curt Schilling and former Governor of Pennsylvania and Secretary of Homeland Security, Tom Ridge.
The monument will recognize (then) First Lieutenant Richard Winters, leader of World War II’s famous Band of Brothers, and the leadership abilities of all U.S. Army junior officers of all divisions and corps during the Normandy phase of Operation Overlord. Sainte-Marie-du-Mont was the objective of Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne on D-Day.
The statue will be designed by internationally known sculptor Stephen Spears of Fairhope, AL, and be the likeness of Lt. Winters, who passed away in early January of 2011. Mr. Spears is the sculptor of the United States World War I Doughboy statue in Cantigny, France and the U.S. Navy World War II monument, dedicated in 2008 outside the Utah Beach museum, Ste. Marie-du-Mont, France. The statue of Mr. Winters will be positioned in a leadership position (as a leader of men).
The statue will be identified as (then) 1st Lt. Richard Winters, E-Company, 506th PIR, 101st Airborne. The monument will prominently feature the words Leadership 6-6-1944 and a quote from Richard Winters below his likeness which will read: “Wars do not make men great, but they do bring out the greatness in good men.” The monument foundation will also have the words inscribed: Dedicated to all United States Army junior officers who led the way on June 6, 1944.
An HD Documentary Film is also part of the project. It will focus on Dick Winters’ leadership abilities in Europe in WWII, his ability to motivate, inspire and lead men when initial planning has broken down, all principles that are still important today to those who lead and set the stage for others to succeed. Interviews with E-Company men alive today and a never before seen interview with Major Winters will be utilized. The film will be narrated by actor Damian Lewis, who portrayed Dick Winters in HBO’s Band of Brothers.
Read the full press release at PR Newswire. For more on the Richard Winters Leadership Project, visit the The WWII Foundation website.