Nation's Oldest Medal Of Honor Hero Dies In Hospital With Dozens Of Veterans At His Side
Though Oresko had no living immediate family, he was surrounded in his final days by veterans and military personnel of various branches who visited the hospital after learning of his hospitalization via social media.
"They understood the type of person we were talking about and said, 'We can't let him die alone,'" Richard E. Robitaille, one of Oresko's friends, told NorthJersey.com. "He's loved throughout the Army. He's an American hero."
Born in 1917, Oresko joined the Army in 1942 and was sent to France after the Normandy landings. He earned the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest award for valor, for his heroic actions on Jan. 23, 1945 near Tettingen, Germany as a platoon leader.
On that day, Master Sgt. Oresko braved machine-gun fire to attack and destroy two German bunkers. During his assault, he was shot in the hip and knocked down, but he continued - and even refused medical evacuation until "assured the mission was successfully accomplished," according to his award citation.
"The machine gunner who shot me thought I was dead," Oresko told NorthJersey.com. "I was able to move around, sneak around, so they didn't see me. They saw me go down. They thought they'd killed me, but they didn't. I slipped around and somehow got around, and they were in a bunch."
He was hospitalized at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center in New Jersey after he fell and hurt himself at his assisted living center, according to CT Post. He died at 6:30 p.m. from complications from surgery of a broken right femur - the same leg injured in his heroic 1945 assault.
Funeral arrangements are still pending, but he is to be buried at George Washington Cemetery in Paramus, N.J. next week, according to NorthJersey.com.
- Top 10 must-visit destinations in Lonavala in 2024
- India's merchandise exports to rise 12-15%, reach USD 400 billion this fiscal: FIEO
- T20WC broadcasters announce special feed for hearing and visually impaired fans
- Motorola Edge 50 Fusion with 144Hz pOLED display, 5,00mAh battery launched starting at ₹22,999
- Today's Silver Prices (May 16, 2024): Updates for Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Chennai, and other Indian cities
- Nothing Phone (2a) blue edition launched
- JNK India IPO allotment date
- JioCinema New Plans
- Realme Narzo 70 Launched
- Apple Let Loose event
- Elon Musk Apology
- RIL cash flows
- Charlie Munger
- Feedbank IPO allotment
- Tata IPO allotment
- Most generous retirement plans
- Broadcom lays off
- Cibil Score vs Cibil Report
- Birla and Bajaj in top Richest
- Nestle Sept 2023 report
- India Equity Market