Posted on 05/27/2024 7:51:59 AM PDT by ransomnote
Garlin Conner posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions during World War II. He was honored during a ceremony at the White House where his wife accepted his Medal on June 26, 2018. His citation reads:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3rd, 1863, has awarded in the name of Congress the Medal of Honor to First Lieutenant Garlin M. Conner, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his own life above and beyond the call of duty. First Lieutenant Garlin M. Conner distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity while serving with Company K, 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division.
On the morning of January 24, 1945, near the town of Houssen, France, German forces ferociously counterattacked the front left flank of the 7th Infantry Regiment with 600 infantry troops, six Mark VI tanks, and tank destroyers. Lieutenant Conner, having recently returned to his unit after recovering from a wound received in an earlier battle, was working as the intelligence officer in the 3rd Battalion Command Post at the time of the attack. Understanding the devastating effect that the advancing enemy armor could have on the battalion, Lieutenant Conner immediately volunteered to run straight into the heart of the enemy assault to get to a position from which he could direct friendly artillery on the advancing enemy forces.
With complete disregard for his own safety, Lieutenant Conner maneuvered 400 yards through the enemy artillery fire that destroyed trees in his path and rained shrapnel all around him, while unrolling telephone wire needed to communicate with the battalion command post. Upon reaching the battalion’s front line, he continued to move forward under the enemy assault to a position 30 yards in front of the defending United States forces, where he plunged into a shallow ditch that provided minimal protection from the advancing enemy’s heavy machine gun and small-arms fire.
With rounds impacting all around him, Lieutenant Conner calmly directed multiple fire missions, adjusting round after round of artillery from his prone position, until the enemy was forced to halt its advance and seek cover behind a nearby dike. For three hours, Lieutenant Conner remained in his compromised position, enduring the repeated onslaught of German infantry, which at one point advanced to within five yards of his position.
As German infantry regrouped and began to mass in an overwhelming assault, Lieutenant Conner ordered friendly artillery to concentrate directly on his own position, having resolved to die if necessary to destroy the enemy advance. Ignoring the friendly artillery shells blanketing his position and exploding mere feet from him, Lieutenant Conner continued to direct artillery fire on the enemy assault swarming around him until the German attack was finally broken.
By his heroism and disregard for his own life, Lieutenant Conner stopped the enemy advance. The artillery he expertly directed, while under constant enemy fire, killed approximately 50 German soldiers and wounded an estimated 100 more, preventing what would have undoubtedly been heavy friendly casualties. His actions are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the 3rd Infantry Division, and the United States Army.
Interesting tib bit: He was the battalion intelligence officer even though he only had an eight grade education. Today it takes a college degree to even be considered for officer rank, but I bet he was a better S-2 and a better officer than four-fifths of the current West Pointers.
Audie Murphy dropped out in the 5th grade.
Chuck Yeager graduated from high school but did not go to college. He did go to Army War College.
So what was the problem that it took this long.
A true American hero.
Garlin Conner: ‘Called artillery on his own position’
https://www.dvidshub.net/video/633461/garlin-conner-called-artillery-his-own-position
From Honor to Medal: The Story of Garlin M. Conner
Episode 1 | 57m 59s
https://www.pbs.org/video/from-honor-to-medal-the-story-of-garlin-m-conner-yyyfyc/
Incoming!
Great shot!
White Privilege.
He was white as snow, and back during WW II, that wasn’t a problem.
The median educational attainment of GIs in World War II was eight years. The median weight was 140 pounds, median height 5’ 8”. Today’s yutes could never do what they did.
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