Andrew Johnsen, BNSF’s Assistant Vice President of Community Affairs, honors Bob Maxwell, the oldest Medal of Honor recipient.
The Oregon Legislature recently honored Bend resident Bob Maxwell who at 96-year-old is the oldest living recipient of the Medal of Honor and the only recipient living in Oregon. Separately, as a way to say thank you for his service, BNSF also honored Maxwell and the Bend Heroes Foundation during a special train ride aboard BNSF’s vintage passenger rail cars.
Maxwell, originally from Idaho, was serving in France in September of 1944 when Germans attacked and threw a grenade into the midst of his unit. Maxwell grabbed a blanket and fell on the grenade absorbing the blast. He nearly died but was credited with saving the lives of his fellow soldiers.
Later in his life, Maxwell served as director of the Bend Heroes Foundation, helped efforts to build veterans memorials in Oregon and even has a bridge named after him in Bend. The BNSF Railway Foundation has long been a supporter of the Bend Heroes Foundation, which helps organize Honor Flights to Washington, D.C.
Read more about Bob Maxwell HERE.
