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

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.