On the hellish battlefields of World War II Europe, Major Dick Winters led his Easy Company-the now-legendary Band of Brothers-from the confusion and chaos of the D-day invasion to the final capture of Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest.

But Winters’ story didn’t end there; it was only the beginning.

He was a quiet, reluctant hero whose modesty and strength drew the admiration of not only his men but millions worldwide. Now comes the story of Dick Winters in his last years as witnessed and experienced by his good friend Cole C. Kingseed.

Kingseed shares the formative experiences that made Winters such an effective leader. He addresses Winters’ experiences and leadership during the war; his intense, unbreakable devotion to his men; his search for peace, both without and within, after the war; and how fame forced him to make adjustments to an international audience of well-wishers and admirers, even as he attempted to leave a lasting legacy before joining his fallen comrades. Following Winters’ death on January 2, 2011, the outpouring of grief and adulation for one of this nation’s preeminent leaders of character, courage, and competence shows just how great a mark he left on the world.

This is a story of leadership, fame, and friendship and the journey of one man’s struggle to find the peace that he promised himself if he survived World War II.