If you have seen Band of Brothers you know Major Richard Winters, the hero the HBO series was based on. I just found out today that he died on January 2 at the age of 92. He was a private man so his death was not announced until after his funeral. Based on his age, this news was not surprising, but nonetheless sad.
The other thing I learned today however was very surprising, to me anyway, and also very sad. Major Winters never received a Medal of Honor, and now his only chance unfortunately is posthumous recognition. Based on the kind of person Major Winters was, I’m sure this bothers me more than it ever bothered him. (He did receive the second top honor, the Distinguished Service Cross, a Purple Heart, and two Bronze Stars.)
Winters was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and lived most of his life in Hershey. He died in an assisted living facility in Palmyra.
If you would like show your support for Major Winters please consider signing this on-line petition: http://www.PetitionOnline.com/Winters/
You can also contact your U.S. Senator and Representative and encourage them to vote for initiative, H.R. 796.
If you have never experienced Band of Brothers I highly recommend it. It is a WWII documentary like no other. Even if you are not a WWII documentary person, this is an amazing story. You can also learn more about Major Winters in his memoir: Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters, which I plan to pick up sooner rather than later.
Read his obituary here. And there is also a website dedicated to him here.
Michele of Bethlehem 