Robert Strayer

Robert Lytle Strayer March 2 1910 December 18 2002 was an American Army officer and World War II veteran He served as commander of the 2nd Battalion 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment 101st Airborne Division placing him in command of Easy Company during much of its training and combat service in Europe Born in Rutledge Pennsylvania Strayer joined the US Army in 1930 and later volunteered for the newly formed airborne forces In 1942 he was given command of the 2nd Battalion 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment and oversaw the unit during its training at Camp Toccoa Georgia and subsequent preparation for the Allied invasion of Europe Strayer commanded the 2nd Battalion during the Normandy campaign Operation Market Garden in the Netherlands and the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium He remained the battalion commander while Easy Company fought through these campaigns with Major Richard Winters serving as his executive officer In March 1945 Strayer was transferred to the regimental staff as executive officer of the 506th with Winters succeeding him as commander of the 2nd Battalion He later became a colonel and was appointed commander of the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment For his wartime service he received the Silver Star four Bronze Stars and the Purple Heart Strayer left the Army after the end of World War II and settled with his wife Mildred in Pennsylvania where he worked in insurance The couple later retired to St Petersburg Florida Strayers wartime experiences were featured in Stephen E Ambroses 1992 book Band of Brothers and the 2001 HBO miniseries based on it He also appeared as himself in the companion documentary We Stand Alone Together The Men of Easy Company In Band of Brothers Strayer was portrayed by Phil McKee Strayer died on December 18 2002 in St Petersburg Florida at the age of 92 He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery