By Rene J. Morin, Veterans Officer,
Town of Thompson
THOMPSON — Richard D. Majercik of Pompeo Road has been selected by the nominating committee to be recognized and honored as the August, 2025 Town of Thompson Veteran of the Month.
Vietnam War Veteran, Sgt. E-5 Richard (Dick) Majercik enlisted in the U.S. Army in July 1967 and received his honorable discharge on April 17, 1970. During his three-year term serving his country, Sgt. Majercik accomplished with honor and distinction a wide variety of assignments and deployments ranging from the dangerous and horrific Jungles of Vietnam; to Ft. Lee Virginia teaching at the Memorial Activities Quartermaster School for the U.S. Army.
Sgt. Majercik completed his basic training at Fort Jackson, S.C.. He was then assigned to Fort Lee, Vir., for his advanced training in Grave Registration before he was deployed to Vietnam. He was assigned to a grave registration point in An Khe where performed recoveries and identification of his heroic fellow fallen soldiers. It was a dangerous jungle.
His unit subsequently was reassigned, designation Dong Ha, and Phu Bai and while passing through Da Nang encamped on China Beach he was pulled from his platoon, because of his extensive mortuary background to assist with mortuary work. Sgt. Majercik was needed for this work due to the enormous demands at that point in the ongoing war. This assignment came from the direct order of General William Westmoreland; the commander of the United State forces in Vietnam. Sgt. Majercik, along with his Mortuary Team during the TET Offensive of 1968, proceeded to embalm and prepare well in excess of 8,700 U.S. Military casualties killed in action for their return home to the U.S. and to their final resting place. There were over 17,000 soldiers there from 1967 to 1968. Most of this tedious and tenacious work was accomplished under anything but perfect conditions. With Sgt. Majercik’s leadership and assistance, the remains of the largest number of casualties to ever occur during the Vietnam conflict over a 60-day period, were able to be returned back to their homes in the U. S. Sgt. Majercik was the first military embalmer to be assigned to embalming duties in the Vietnam war, and was so recognized by numerous letters of appreciation and commendation on behalf of the U.S. government for answering the call for volunteer embalmers. He also received commendation from the French government for preparing a French civilian plantation owner with the minimal supplies for doing restorative work. Of note, one of the thousands of casualties that Sgt. Majercik prepared for return the U.S. was an Army soldier from Thompson, Sergeant David A. Provost. Sgt. Majercik insisted that he personally accompany Sgt. Provost’s body home to his family, and to a Webster funeral home and to personally bring some comfort to the family as best he could. “You never forget that horror, and you never look back” he said. “You just did your job. If I was called today, there would be no hesitation, God and Country!” Majercik added.“ He said he was “blessed with the honor of preparing to bring many of his brothers and sisters’ home.”
Upon return to the States, Sgt. Majercik was assigned to Fort Lee, Vir., to be an instructor in its Quartermaster School. He taught finger printing, dental and anatomical charting and instructing on the legalities of operating a military mortuary system. At Ft. Lee he not only taught but was the NCOIC of the burial squad for the State of Virginia. As a result of his preparation and presentation of instructions, he was bestowed a Letter of Commendation for his impressive performance as an instructor and noncommissioned officer with the Memorial Activities Branch, Special Subjects Division and Support Services Department of the United States Army Quartermaster School. Major Ramon Fournier, in a letter presented to Sgt. Majercik, said that his performance had been unquestionably superior, and that his knowledge, willing attitude, and application to the task at hand had caused his superiors and contemporaries to regard him with high esteem, and that his dependability has been vigorously demonstrated. He added that his manner of performance reflects credit upon himself, this department, the Quartermaster School and the United States Army.
For his exceptional and extraordinary service, Sgt. Majercik was been presented The Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, The Vietnam Service Medal, The Vietnam Campaign Medal with dev. 60, The Vietnam Counteroffensive Phase 111, 1V, V and V1 and the TET 69 counter offense medals by the United States government. In addition, Sgt. Majercik was recently awarded the coveted “Quilt of Valor” by the Quilt of Valor Foundation after being nominated for this National Award by one of his fellow Mortuary Service Members Phil Jeffries of Pennsylvania. Jefferies served with Sgt. Majercik throughout their three years of service to our Country. Jefferies said that he nominated Majercik for this award because of his calmness in terrifying situations in Vietnam and his professionalism throughout his time in service.
Sgt. Majercik was born in Dudley, Mass.,. in 1947 to parents Anthony P. Majercik and Lena (DeFusco) Majercik. He was educated at St. Anthony Grammar School and Dudley Elementary School. Dick graduated from Bartlett High School Class of 1965. He went on to study at the New England Institute of Funeral Directors and Embalming in Boston. Dick has one brother Dr. Col. Donald Majercik who is a surgeon in Vermont, and retired member of the Air National Guard. Dick has a son Richard Majercik II, and his daughter-in-law Vien who live in Oxford, Mass. and a daughter, the late Lisa-Beth Majercik of Chicopee, Mass. In addition, Dick is the proud grandfather of five adult grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
He is a Life Member and a Board of Directors and House Committee member of the Valley Springs Sportsman Club in N. Grosvenordale. He is a Past President of the Webster Exchange Club, past venerable of the Sons of Italy, past Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus and fourth degree knight of the Cardinal Wright Assembly, a life member of the Clydesdale Breeders Association of America and the Friesian Horse Association, Life member NRA, VFW of Webster, Life Member of the Auburn Elks, NRA certified safety officer, certified Judge for the Kansas City barbeque society and the New England barbeque society, and a member of the Danielson Veterans Coffeehouse. He is also a Webster Reserve Police, and has served as a Captain and Commander, Deputy Sherriff for Worcester County, served as a Webster deputy moderator, Webster School Committee and Board of Health. Past President of Worcester County Rehab and Board member, Board of Directors of Tri-Valley Elder Services, NRA safety Officer, Board member of Synkinetics, in Natick and has served on New England Schools and Colleges accreditation teams, past president of the Webster Downtown Business Association, and has chaired the Fund-Raising Campaign for the Webster Band Stand. He has also served on the Board of the Office of Community Development, and chaired the search committee for the past Town Manager.
Majercik owned and operated the Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home in Webster for 55 years and is now semi-retired. He was a partner in the ownership of Smith Stationers in Webster, and the original partner of Dal-Ma in Webster and a partner of TRM Realty Trust.
His hobbies include trap shooting, showing his Clydesdale horses, competing in driving competitions, collecting horse drawn vehicles, old cars, pocket watches and clocks. A long-time passion and his love of cooking, has had him teaching several Italian cooking classes, making sausage and breads, many types of Italian pastas for his family and friends, all of which he learned from his great aunts and uncles. He has always had a passion for travel, and has had the opportunity to travel all over Europe, in particular Italy and the Caribbean.
The August Veteran of the Month is a long time resident of his beautiful Pompeo Road Farmhouse along with his partner Debra Pierce Durant and their cherished Clydesdales.
Sgt. Richard D. Majercik will be recognized and presented a plaque at the Aug. 6 Board of Selectman Meeting as has all previous Thompson Veteran of the Month recipients.
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