Stephen E. Ambrose (1936-2002) was a historian and professor who wrote on military history, presidential history, and American expansion and foreign policy. Ambrose has been praised for his biographies of Presidents Eisenhower and Nixon, and for helping to galvanize interest in World War II. His most noted works include D-Day, June 6, 1944: The Climactic Battle of World War II, Band of Brothers, E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne: From Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest, later adapted into a HBO miniseries, and Americans at War. Ambrose was awarded the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service in 2000, and was honored by many institutions for his literary and historical work.