Medal of Honor for Major Richard D. Winters
To: Secretary of the Army
Major Richard D. Winters, of Easy Company, 101st Airborne Division, 506th Regiment, is being made to wait for his Medal of Honor. Major Winters will never say that he deserves it, but the men who fought for him are doing so for him. Your office seems to be our only obstacle in getting Major Winters has Medal of Honor. We ask you, sir, why?
Guys Please Sign This
Thanks
Gut-
Signed.
Signed as well.
Im the 13154 signer to the petition.
For those that havent signed what are your objections? Just curious!
a) it is an Internet poll. These are either ignored, or used to harvest e-mail addresses for spam purposes. Or both.
b) if it wasn’t for a television dramatisation, this guy would have been unheard of. I find it rather tasteless that a petition should be made to nominate someone for one of the highest awards the US military can bestow on anybody on the basis of the publicity he received through a dramatisation of his actions on the television.
c) civilians have no right to nominate people for awards in this way. Well-meaning though they may be, who do these people think they are? If he wasn’t deemed deserving of one at the time, why does he deserve one now? But… his story was… dramatised on TV… and… and… he was a hero… and… etc etc etc…
d) it is probably a WAH anyway, or at least I’m hoping it is.
Signed. Number 13156. 
I’m in complete and absolute agreement with Stoat here. If he deserved the MoH he would have been awarded it.
You cannot change the values that defined an award 60 years ago just because you feel like it.
I am signed .
Can any of you who have signed please give a reason for doing so other than Band of Brothers was a good drama?
Without Band of Brothers, Major Richard D. Winters would be only a name in a history book (amongst thousands names) for me.
@Man of Stoat
a)Agree. But personally I don’t care. Or more, maybe it serves to a sociologycal purpose.
b)Agree partially (see above comments on Firefly). I’d comment that anyway, all nominations are made based on publicity (!!!) Think about medals awarded for real. If the mates wouldn’t talk about bravery, courage, situations, etc, and based on this wouldn’t be opened an investigation about, there won’t be any medal.
c)I voted with my heart not with my head. I felt that I have to sign.
On
who do these people think they are?
I want to remeber you that throughout the history these kind of actions had changed governments, societies and more important - conceptions.
Finally I want to say that I am not interested if the major will receive (rather impossible) the MoH, I was interested to express my feelings.
What about all the others who were equally, or more brave and accomplished who didn’t have a TV miniseries made about them?
As I said, this major would be only a name in a history book (amongst thousands names) for me, without the miniseries.
If somebody will decide to make a movie or to read a novel (both based on true stories!! - please note) about another “name” from those thousands (or millions) and his work will tell something to me, I’ll vote that without any hesitation because I learned about that name. He will be no more a name but a person.
The others, maybe more brave, will remain only names without their actions revealed even in a movie. Sad but true.
IMHO all men that have distinguised themselves in combat in the biggest and blodiest war this planet has ever seen, deserve the highesst decoration their country can award.
Also, since the men that fought with him agree about this decoration who are we to say that he doesn’t?
As I said, this major would be only a name in a history book (amongst thousands names) for me, without the miniseries.
If somebody will decide to make a movie or to read a novel (both based on true stories!! - please note) about another “name” from those thousands (or millions) and his work will tell something to me, I’ll vote that without any hesitation because I learned about that name. He will be no more a name but a person.
The others, maybe more brave, will remain only names without their actions revealed even in a movie. Sad but true.[/quote]
Edited off-topic: If “Bridge over the river Kwai” wouldn’t have been written, what you would felt about (rather than improving your knowledges reading few phrases in a history book)?
2nd edit: If my posts seems not fully understandable, I apologise. I will study English Grammar more intense
That film bears very little resemblance to reality, particularly in the portrayal of the British officers.
That film bears very little resemblance to reality, particularly in the portrayal of the British officers.[/quote]
Then how about “A bridge too far” novel? Would be Colonel Frost so well known (as well as operation " Market" and operation “Garden” joined together) without that novel?
Moving back to topic, was Band of Brothers much closer to reality?
That film bears very little resemblance to reality, particularly in the portrayal of the British officers.[/quote]
Moving back to topic, was Band of Brothers much closer to reality?[/quote]
I have no idea, and the fact that you asked the question at all shows that you know nothing about the man other than what was portrayed in the miniseries. This being the case, why do you feel the need to petition the U.S. Army to give him a medal? Do not think that they perhaps know more about him than you do?
Sorry if I am sounding harsh, but this whole thing seems extremely tasteless.
I already said that! Without the miniseries, this major would be just a name in a book. Now that I learned about him, he is no more a name to me, but a brave soldier who deserved a medal, you got it?
Generally, propaganda is based on human feelings, isn’t it?
For sure they know more than me. There is no doubt.
Because in my heart he deserved one (remember that I have said that I voted with my heart ). Besides that, it is my right to do this and I will be very pleased if this petition will receive ever an official answer. Even if it would be negative (and it will be negative!).
:lol: :lol: There is no problem MoS.
It is your opinion and I respect it.
More to add:
A particular reason should be also the fact that Gen. Sandworm, Tsolias, PzKpfw VI Tiger, Clauss and myself belongs to 101st Airborne usergroup.
To be mentioned that I respect as well Firefly’s opinion (who is a British member of 101st usergroup).
Having watched Band of Brothers (in the Gulf '03, it was about the only DVD we were given for entertainment, watched on my laptop by about 40 blokes!!! ) and read the link I feel compelled to say that I respect the said individual.
However I do not feel that we should be the ones to countermand a medal he has already won. Which is what you are doing if you sign this petition. If we opened the books in the cold light of day we would hand out many Congressional Medals of Honour, as we would Victoria Crosses and as many medals as you could say.
He did what he did and no medal will ever replace the admiration and respect of his fellows which he clearly has. I am sure he was not the only officer in his position at that time nor any time previous to cope as best he could and recieve the thanks of his men rather than the mere thanks of his nation.
Is it an injustice? Yes, but it would be unjust still to the other men and women who have not been awarded the appropriate medal for their actions. Perhaps the moreso as only popularity through a mini series has prompted such action for this particular man. Had the series been about Able company perhaps this thread would bear the name of yet another fine man who did his duty to the best of his ability, regardless of the bad hand he was dealt.
Medals are awarded by the Military and political body in the respective countries, not by the mob. There will always be those who win medals they do not deserve, those who don’t receive the medal they should and those who receive nothing.
But those who stand there wearing a lower medal than deserved or none, are still stood proud. It is not the monarchy, politicians or mob who award the highest award of all. Perhaps even god, who ever he/she/it is to you, doesn’t have a say. It is the men who relied upon you, or looked to you who award the greatest sign of bravery, a sign you will never see nor hold it but it is still there.