When it comes to being a leader and being the example, this man encompasses all of the above and much more. On Aug 15, 1944, during the Invasion of Southern France, Sgt. James P. Connor, along with with the men of 7th INF, 3rd ID landed on Red Beach with the mission of destroying the strongly fortified enemy positions on Cape Cavalaire with utmost speed.
As he made his way across the beach, Sgt. Connor was knocked down and seriously wounded in the neck by a hanging mine which killed his platoon commander. Refusing medical aid, he made his way across several thousand yards of mine-saturated beach through intense fire from mortars, 20-mm. flak guns, machineguns, and snipers.
En route to the Cape, he personally shot and killed 2 snipers. The platoon sergeant was killed and Sgt. Connor became platoon leader. Receiving a second wound on his shoulder and back, he again refused evacuation, expressing determination to carry on until physically unable to continue. He reassured and prodded the hesitating men of his decimated platoon forward through almost impregnable mortar concentrations. Again emphasizing the prevalent urgency of their mission, he impelled his men toward a group of buildings honeycombed with enemy snipers and machineguns. Here, he was wounded a third time, this time in the leg.
Still resolved to carry on, he relinquished command only after his attempts proved that it was physically impossible to stand. Nevertheless, from his prone position, he gave the orders and directed his men in assaulting the enemy. Infused with Sgt. Connor’s dogged determination, the platoon, though reduced to less than one-third of its original 36 men, outflanked and rushed the enemy with such furiousness that they killed 7, captured 40, seized 3 machineguns, and took all their assigned objectives, successfully completing their mission.
For his actions, courage and leadership, Sgt. Connor was awarded the Medal of Honor..and lived to be 75 #stayzero #zerofoxtrot #ww2