Yesterday, during the September 18, 2006 celebrations because of the liberation of Eindhoven, Dick Winters was awarded with the Medal of the City of Eindhoven.

A very unique award that is only be given to a very few people.

In this Award, all the men of E Company, 506 PIR, 101st Airborne Division, also known as "Band of Brothers" © and all Allied soldiers who were involved in the liberation of Eindhoven and the surrounding region, are honored too.

During the commemoration 4 E Co. veterans were present in Eindhoven: Bill Guarnere, Babe Heffron, Don Malarkey and Paul Rogers. Paul couldn't make it to the stand .

The certificate and golden pin that goes with this Award will be handed over in person to Richard Winters later on this year in the US by the Major of the City of Eindhoven, Drs. A.Sakkers.

The news of the Award was brought to Major Winters in a direct phone call to his home in Hershey, witnessed by all the people present at the Town Hall square in Eindhoven.

See the report and pictures on Peter Van de Wal's website this morning!

http://members.lycos.nl/bandofbrotherse506...rs%20engels.htm


Thank you Eindhoven

What a pleasant surprise!!!! We can't honour our heroes enough. Great pics as well. Too bad I missed it, wish I could split myself up in the september weekend.

How lovely, praise indeed.

Wow, splendid !

I am thankful ppl still recognize the contributions of these men. Love the pic of WB and his buddies.

I was in Eindhoven yesterday and I sat close to the flame, in the reserved seats section. It was very moving to hear Mayor Sakkers talking to Richard Winters. You could hear by Winters' voice that he was deeply impressed by this honour.

However, the mayor made two mistakes:

1. Easy Company was NOT the first company to enter Eindhoven, it was 1LT Frank McFadden's Fox Company with the 2nd Platoon (LT Russell Hall and LT Robert Perdue Jr.) in the lead.

2. The Netherlands were NOT invaded in April 1940, but in May 1940.

Nevertheless, it was a splendid evening and the atmosphere was magnificent. Especially the townhall reception which turned into one big party with live music and lots of beer, whine, etc.

Frank

Superb.

I'm very happy for Major Winters.

Fabulous, utterly fabulous!

Ade

I read in the local newspaper "Eindhovens Dagblad" that mayor Sakker is planning to go to The States to give the medal personally to major Winters. It shows how important this reward is.

What a wonderfully motivating and uplifting piece. Well done.

Great story! Glad to hear of the Major particpating in something like this. He's been silent and invisible for many months now.

And our friend Peter van de Wal looks pretty spiffy in his suit all gussied up for the occasion. Excellent! I'm so used to him in his 101st Airborne T-shirts and of course his Harley gear!

I must say I thoroughly enjoy all these connections that I've made among the WW2 buffs I've met these five years.

And finally, it's great to see Don Malarkey out and about with his buddies after the horrid year he's had. I hope he's doing as well as he appears. BK

Glad the Major, Babe, and Bill, got to go.

Boy would I have liked to have been sitting with them at the dinner!

Last September Mayor Sakkers of Eindhoven promised Major Winters to present him the city medal personaly, and he kept his promise. Last week a delegation of city officials traveled to Hershey to deliver their package.

There's a nice article in the Hershey Chronicle about this event

Well done !

Makes me proud reading this!

Thanks for posting.

This is just wonderful! I understand that the other veterans also will be getting a medal of some sort? They sure deserve it.

Jo