You can now listen to Fox News articles! Capt. Herbert Sobel was a controversial figure among his troops in World War II. As the commander of Easy Company, 506th PIR, 101st Airborne, also known as the Band of Brothers, Sobel was both despised and admired. Some veterans I’ve interviewed described him as an incompetent leader with poor judgment, while others saw him as a strategic and integral part of shaping the company. However, there is much more to Sobel’s story that hasn’t been accurately portrayed in the past.
In my bestselling book “We Who Are Alive & Remain: Untold Stories from the Band of Brothers,” I had the opportunity to interview Michael Sobel, son of Capt. Herbert Sobel, and uncover the truth about his father’s life. Herbert Sobel was born on Jan. 26, 1912, in Chicago. He attended the Culver Military Academy and excelled in swimming. With his Jewish ancestry, Sobel stood at a height of 6 feet and bore a striking resemblance to actor David Schwimmer, who portrayed him in the HBO miniseries “Band of Brothers.”
After graduating from the University of Illinois, Sobel enlisted before the attack on Pearl Harbor. Leading Easy Company during basic training at Camp Toccoa, Georgia, he had a reputation for being strict, petty, and struggling with map reading. Just before the invasion of Normandy, all of the non-commissioned officers under his command resigned in protest, leading to his dismissal as company commander. He later led an airborne school in England.
Following World War II, Sobel returned to Chicago and married an American nurse who had served in Italy. They had three sons, but tragically, their daughter died shortly after birth. Sobel never spoke about the war and remained in the reserves, eventually retiring as a lieutenant colonel. According to Michael, his father was a loving and attentive father who was deeply in love with his mother and never lost his temper.
As time went on, Michael grew apart from his father due to their differing political beliefs. After retiring from a job in management, Sobel attempted suicide, shooting himself in the head and severing his optic nerves, resulting in blindness. He was moved to a VA assisted living facility in Waukegan, Illinois, where he lived in poor conditions. It was there that he passed away, with none of his immediate family in attendance. A memorial service was never held.
Sobel’s death certificate listed malnutrition as the cause. Despite their differences, Michael had patched up his relationship with his father and visited him in the hospital before his passing. A small memento and money were given as a gesture of love and respect. In 2002, Michael attended a reunion of the Band of Brothers, where he was approached by a fellow veteran’s son who credited his father’s survival to Capt. Herbert Sobel.
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