Richard Brookings, born on February 25, 1922 was a soldier in the 28th Infantry Division and is known as the St. Nick of Wiltz" His obituary form Rochester tells the story:WWII Veteran Richard Brookins, a holiday hero overseas during war, dies at age 96 Gary Craig Democrat and Chronicle For nearly three decades, Rochester-area resident Richard Brookins did not know that the vital role he played in bringing joy to the children of a war-torn Luxembourg town in 1944 was the focus of an annual celebration there. That December, as World War II raged, the small town of Wiltz was under Allied control. But the families had little to nothing for their children as the annual St. Nicholas Day approached. American soldiers responded, gathering gum and candy and treats. And Mr. Brookins, who died Oct. 11 at the age of 96, was given the star role: He was chosen to dress as St. Nicholas in a parade. The job may then have seemed minor to Brookins — "All I had to do was pat kids on the head and chuck them under the chin," he told Democrat and Chronicle reporter Justin Murphy in a 2014 interview — but the day was such a rare beacon of hope for the town that it later became part of an annual remembrance. Mr. Brookins, who had been an encryptionist with the Army's 28th Infantry Division, did not know this until 1977, when he was sought out by a veteran, Frank McClelland, who had also served in the unit. Mr. McClelland had a message: The citizens of Wiltz wanted to know who had dressed as St. Nick, and those very citizens had a single-spaced letter for him, telling him of his special legacy. More: Local WWII veteran is a holiday hero overseas Only then did Mr. Brookins learn just how much that day had meant to the residents of Wiltz. And, at their invitation, he traveled to the town multiple times thereafter, sometimes accompanied with his wife, children, and grandchildren. There, he again dressed as St. Nick and took part in a parade. On the 50th anniversary, the family, including grandchildren, went to Wiltz for the commemoration. "He had nine grandchildren at that time," said his son, David Brookins. "We took quite an entourage and took over one of the small hotels in Wiltz. "The people who live there would come up to our kids and make the real strong point of remembering the story, sharing the story, and never forgetting how important it was to these people." His father was treated like a rock star. "Especially the older women, who were children at the time, they would rub his face with their hands and say, 'Thank you for coming back. We love you so much." In 2016 he was presented the Luxembourg Military Honor Medal, the highest award presented by the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. That 1944 day was one of the calmer for Mr. Brookins, who was occasionally in the thick of warfare with the Nazis, and was among those at the bloody Battle of the Bulge. He was a founding member of the Genesee Valley Chapter of the Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge. Mr. Brookins worked for Rochester Telephone for 36 years, where he was employed as a plant manager.