15 August

SGT. JAMES P. CONNOR
7th Infantry, 3d Infantry Division.
Cape Cavalaire, France
15 August 1944

Operation Dragoon took place 2 months after D-Day but was permeated with the same level of heroics

and sacrifice. When 7th Infantry hit “Red Beach” they were met with a hail of lead and steel that gave the landing zone’s code name a prophetic tone.

Sgt. Connor’s platoon leader and Platoon Sergeant, along with the rest of his officers were casualties in

the initial assault.
Sgt Connors took Command and led his platoon clearing an vastly superior enemy from entrenched positions on Cape Cavalaire. In spite of being seriously wounded in the neck by a hanging mine, Sgt. Connor refused medical aid led his platoon across more than a mile of mine-saturated terrain, through intense mortar fire.
Once Connor and his men were in range the Germans opened up with 20-mm. flak guns, machineguns, and snipers. Connor personally took out at least 2 enemy snipers before being wounded again, this time in the shoulder and back.

He again refused evacuation and led what was left of his platoon forward.

He was leading an attack on a group of buildings known to hold enemy snipers and machineguns when he was hit in the leg.  Unable to stand, Connor directed his men from the prone position.

Although reduced to less than one-third of its original 36 men, Connor’s men outflanked and rushed the enemy. They killed 7, captured 40, seized 3 machineguns and all their equipment and supplies.

Sgt. James P. Connor’s leadership and heroism cleared the way for the rest of the landings.

SGT. JAMES P. CONNOR passed peacefully in 1994.