Lieutenant Colonel Herbert Sobel Was the Initial
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Herbert Sobel as a Captain with one of his baby sons Lieutenant Colonel Herbert Sobel was the initial company commander of the legendary ‘Easy Company’, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, during World War Two. He was a controversial figure and portrayed as a drill Instructor in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers by David Schwimmer. As a consequence, Sobel is better remembered as Captain Sobel, as the depiction caused much debate. Sobel was a harsh drill instructor and strict disciplinarian. He was constantly berating his recruits and punishing them for minor infractions. He was also known to be petty and vindictive, earning the hatred of many of his men. He also trained his men intensely and at an extreme rate, pushing their limits but hardening them into top soldiers. Sobel himself was extremely fit and in recognition for his ability as a physical trainer, was promoted to Captain. His company became the finest of the Battalion. However, after advanced infantry training in England his pronounced lack of understanding of basic infantry combat tactics, poor map reading and panicking in unforeseen circumstances worked against him. He was subsequently removed from command of Easy Company, which hit him hard. On 06 June 1944, D-Day, Sobel parachuted into Normandy as part of Regimental HQ Company. He earned the Combat Infantry badge and the Bronze Star Medal. He was later reassigned to command and supervise the training at Chilton Foliat Jump School, England. In contrast, Sobel had a good reputation as a civilian and family man. When he returned to the United States in 1945, he married an attractive woman. They had three boys and a daughter who died several days after birth. He worked as a mid-level credit manager in downtown Chicago. He was a staunch Republican who wore a suit every day and a clean white shirt. His son, Michael, didn’t recall a single day when his father was sick or stayed at home from work. Mrs. Sobel worked too. Every morning, Sobel got up early and made her breakfast. Every evening after work, he made a cocktail for his wife. Michael remembers him as a loving and attentive father. He never heard him swear or loosing his temper. On Sunday mornings Sobel made pancakes and welcomed every neighborhood kid who strolled by. Sobel saved money, making it possible for all three sons to attend college. He was recalled to active duty during the Korean War and served many years in the Army National Guard. He retired at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. In the 1960s, he met Major Clarence Hester, who was Sobel's first Company Executive Officer. Hester found that Sobel was still very bitter over the lost command of Easy Company and showed indications of mental problems from his war experience. At the height of the Vietnam War, Sobel became estranged from his family due to political views. One of his sons turned into a longhaired Berkeley student who was arrested during a war protest in 1968, which hurt Sobel and strained the family’s relationship. In 1970, Sobel shot himself in the head with a pistol but survived. The bullet entered his left temple (which was strange, for he was right handed) but severed his optic nerves, blinding him for life. He was later moved to a VA facility in Waukegan, Illiniois, but their living conditions were poor. Sobel and his wife divorced soon after. It is not clear who filed for divorce. He resided there, reportedly living in a semi-vegetative state, for his last 17 years. He died of malnutrition on 30 September 1987 at age 75. No funeral or memorial service was held and no family members were in attendance when he died. .