" I had seen enough of war," Winters wrote in his autobiography, Beyond Band of Brothers. Winters had never planned to return to the military, but the draft meant that he was still in the army reserves, and when the Korean War began in 1951 he was called to service again - much to his dismay. Winters realized he was " in for the duration."Īs depicted in Band of Brothers, Winters' accomplishments and his rise through the ranks meant that he was faced with a choice as World War II came to an end: stay in the military, or return to his original plan of a career in business. He opted for the latter, going to work at his friend Lewis Nixon's family company, Nixon Nitration Works. In 1948 Winters married a woman named Ethel, and they had two children together. Then I don't have to worry about interrupting my livelihood." Just a few months after he enlisted, however, Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese military, prompting America's entry into World War II. " And then when I have that taken care of, then go get a job. In 1941 Winters had just completed a business degree, but with the war going on and the possibility of America becoming involved, Winters was concerned that he might begin a career only to have it interrupted by the draft and compulsory military service. " I made a decision, 'Look, I'm going to volunteer, take care of this military obligation,'" Winters recalled in an interview featured in the documentary Dick Winters: Hang Tough. His decision to enlist was driven by the Selective Service Act of 1940, which required men between the ages of 21 and 35 to serve on active duty for 12 months if they were drafted. Though Richard Winters may seem like a born military leader in Band of Brothers, he originally had no aspirations to serve in the US Army.
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