All across the country people remembered those who made the ultimate sacrifice. People in Ephrata, Lancaster County paid a very special tribute to a hometown hero who had a big impact around the world.
Major Dick Winters’s life during WWII was depicted in the 2001 HBO series ‘Band of Brothers’.
“His leadership efforts could inspire all generations,” said Scott Shelley, co-chair of the Winters’ Leadership Memorial and Veterans Plaza.
On this Memorial Day, they finally brought him home.
A statue of Major Winters, an exact replica of the one in Normandy, France, now stands tall in his hometown of Ephrata, Lancaster County. Two years in the making, it strikes a chord with his fellow brothers.
"The statue is just a stone's throw from the house he grew up in so this is a very appropriate place to have this memorial," said Bob Herson, a veteran.
Major Winters passed away in 2011. Those who knew him say he wasn't one to tout his accomplishments. They say he probably would not have been all that crazy about a statue of him standing in his hometown.
"Winter's story was not about being a war hero, it was about setting an example that the man in his command would respect and follow. It apparently lasted a lifetime," said Shelley.
People say this is now a place where folks can pay their respects to a humble leader.
"It has been said that an individual only dies when people stop talking about him. The same can be said of a legacy," said Robert Hoffman.
