With the filming of Steven Spielberg and Tom Hank's Masters Of The Air already wrapped up, the third installment of the World War II saga will deliver the true story of the US Army's Eighth Air Force, which helped with the war effort by battling in the European skies.
The prequel to this upcoming miniseries is Band Of Brothers, which depicts the tale of Easy Company, another valiant unit that fought on the front lines of the Allied campaign in Western Europe. The men from this elite airborne battalion faced the brutalities of the biggest war in history and together held their courage and dignity through adversity and suffering. Ranker users listed some of the best characters of Easy Company portrayed in Band Of Brothers.
Note: Ranker lists are live and continue to accrue votes, so some rankings may have changed after this publishing.
Lynn Compton
Known by the enlisted men as “Buck,” the Assistant Platoon Leader of Easy Company spent his time among the soldiers, looking after their wellbeing and morale. He always maintained a high spirit and inspired joy and confidence in his men.
But the psychological warfare that comes along with war can get the better of anyone. When “Buck” watches two of his closest friends both being mutilated by a German shell at the Battle of the Bulge, he loses his composure and is sent to the hospital for a break from the front line. But, same as he did, his men accompany him during his breakdown and eventually bring “Buck” up again.
Eugene Roe
“Doc” Roe was the medic that dedicated all of his will to taking care and healing the frequently injured soldiers of Easy Company. He seemed detached from the rest of the unit, to which he referred by their last names but was sure to always arrive rapidly when needed.
The highly regarded episode “Bastogne” focuses on his struggle to maintain his spirit when hopping through the front line under heavy fire to reach his injured companions. As the ferocity of the Battle of the Bulge starts to wear him out, he finds some solace in the company of a Belgian nurse who shares with him the burden of facing the aftermath of battle firsthand.
Lewis Nixon
During training in the USA and throughout the campaign in Europe, Nixon was the intelligence officer who assisted Richard Winters in his leadership of the unit and delivered calm and reason in the face of war.
In the episode “Why We Fight,” Nixon enters Germany anxiously searching for Vat 69, his preferred drink, and his cynicism overtakes him as he receives a letter from his wife telling him she will file for divorce and take his son and his dog. At the same time, he confronts the horrors the Nazis left behind, and he is struck by what war has made of him. However, he ends his expedition with a good taste in his mouth, as he finds Hitler´s personal wine cellar at the disposal of Easy Company´s war-end celebration.
George Luz
One of the best ways to stand against the surreal and harsh reality of war is through comedy, and George Luz knew it well. Famous amongst his comrades for his mimicking of higher-ranked officers, which often earned him reprimands that didn´t work, Luz was the humorous relief of Easy Company, a very needed quality in the demoralizing reality of war.
“What would I do without George Luz?”, joked Lieutenant Compton some time. Making fun of the absurdity of some of his superiors, of the approaching battle, or of his comrades, Luz brought light to the hearts of Easy Company.
Denver Randleman
First to take arms at the break of battle and to light up a cigarette right after, “Bull” was a crucial part of Easy Company. As he inspired his comrades with his joyful spirit and his ability to throw himself into the fire of battle and come out victorious, he elevated the already excellent battle performance of the squad.
In the episode “Replacements,” as the battalion is outmaneuvered by the enemy in a small town in Holland, Randleman hides in a barn as he is wounded on the retreat, and has to take his destiny into his hands as he spends the night surrounded by enemies. “Bull” is the battle-bound warrior that every company needs when outnumbered and outdone.
Donald Malarkey
“Don” was a cheerful mortarman that didn´t let the war interfere with his juvenile and curious spirit. During an assault, he risked himself in the open in the hopes of capturing what he thought was a Luger from a deceased German soldier.
The empathetic and friendly man he was, he grieved the losses of his friends during the campaign, but also made his best to cheer others who were in pain. He once chatted with a German prisoner of war and discovered he was originally from Oregon but was sent to “answer the call” by his family.
Ronald Speirs
Often in war, stories and myths run through the battalions and become a part of the soldier's experience and life on the front. Easy Company respected and feared that of Ronald Speirs, from who it was said that once he delivered a cigarette to each of 20 prisoners of war, and afterward shot them all but one.
Seen as an unreal and terrifying force whose focus was entirely on war, he portrays the obscure and savage philosophy some of the greatest warriors adopt. When encountered with a scared soldier during battle, he told him “The only hope you have is to accept the fact that you're already dead.”
William Guarnere
“Bill” started his voyage through Europe on a bitter note. He made his parachute drop hours after receiving the news of the killing of his brother in Italy, and once in Normandy, he let his rage fall upon a German patrol.
Despite this grievous beginning, Guarnere marched through his despair and found himself as a brave soldier willing to sacrifice himself for the Company. In the episode “The Breaking Point,” Guarnere risks himself by dragging his friend Joe Toye back to safety after having his leg blasted off in a Geman attack, only to suffer the same faith as his comrade. As he is carried away, he jokes with Toye, “I told you I would beat you down to the States.”
Carwood Lipton
From the first step put on Europe, “Lip” silently and methodically took charge of making sure every aspect of Easy Company was well and functioning, was it the logistics, the mission orders, or the men.
When the battalion saw itself under the orders of an ineffective and inexperienced Lieutenant Dike during the episode “The Breaking Point”, Lipton made sure everything kept on working, even under the uncaring absence of clear orders. When Ron Speirs is named Commander and Lipton communicates to him his relief for the presence of a leader, he is told that he was the one the men could always count on.
Richard Winters
Equal and friend to his men, but serious and disciplined when needed, “Dick” was the man that carried the lead of Easy Company from the first moment. He always followed his values all throughout the moral dilemmas of war, confronting his superiors when he felt like it was necessary or lifting his men up from the horrors of war.
When Private Blithe was at the infirmary claiming he couldn't see after a traumatic experience during battle, Winters attended him and calmed him, after which the soldier thanked him and said that he could see again. Much like Blithe, the main protagonist of this miniseries always attempted to see through the chaos of war, to guide the band of brothers as best as he could.