CRESWELL – He fought the good fight.
Col. Richard “Dick” Michael Heyman Jr. successfully completed every mission placed in front of him .. except for one.
He didn’t live long enough to pick up the crown jewel of his magnificent military career.
That being the case, his widow, Barbara, will accept the Legion of Honor and the Croix de Guerre on his behalf from the French Embassy on Monday, Feb. 23 – one day after her 90th birthday.
Richard died on Jan. 25 after complications from the flu. He was 101.
The ceremony will take place at the Eugene Airport’s Soaring by the Sea Foundation Museum at 10 a.m. The award was made possible by the Royal Air Force Museum American Foundation (rafmaf.com), which campaigned for Heyman to get the awards, the most prestigious honors anyone can earn in France.
The Croix de Guerre, which is awarded for acts of exceptional heroism or bravery, was famously awarded to actors James Stewart and Audie Murphy. The Legion of Honor, meanwhile, has been awarded to the likes of Dwight D. Eisenhower, Douglas MacArthur, George Patton, and scores of other World War II veterans.
Col. Richard Heyman is being honored because he successfully completed a 32-year career as a fighter pilot in World War II, Korea and Vietnam – and then lived every day to the fullest until he was 101.
So we salute him.
For fighting the good fight.
