2nd most decorated soldier WWII, refused Medal of Honor--again.

[the ringo kid]

Lt. Garlin Murl Connor, who more than earned, seven Purple Hearts, four Bronze Stars, four Silver Stars and the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions through 28 continuous months in combat, is for at least the 2nd time, denied his Medal of Honor.

Lt. Connor passed away in 1998.

Though fighting for him for 17 years-to get him awarded the Medal of Honor, and indifferent of the efforts put fourth by various Senators, Congressmen, Veterans and Historians. The Lt. was again turned down even though some 178 Distinguished Service Crosses since 2012, have been upgraded to Medal of Honor status.

Green Beret vet, Richard Chilton is pledging to get Senators and such from as many States as possible, to sign on in an attempt to get Congress to act on behalf of this request to get the Medal of Honor to a man who fully deserves it.

Just last month, obama awarded 24 Medals of Honor to men who deserved it--but so many others deserve it too. two I can think of off hand are:

Colonel Joseph Gordon Clemmons Jr. (Korea) and Sergeant William T. Shemin (WWI)

Connor's Commander in WWII, Major General, Lloyd B. Ramsey--provided new evidence and testimony on Connor's behalf--that in all rights--SHOULD have been more than enough for him to be upgraded to Medal of Honor status. Yet, all involved and Connor--denied yet once again--even meeting tacked on requirments.

The Lieutenant--served in the 3rd Infantry Division--same as its most famed son: Audie Leon Murphy.

To me, this is absolutely disgusting. I hope to hear the replies from a few of you Vets here-since im not qualified to say much.

One of Connors actions as told by Lt. Harold Wigetman said: "In between artillery strikes, Connor sprayed machine gun fire killing at least 50 Germans and wounding at least twice that number. Lt. Connor saved the 3rd Battalion of the 7th Infantry Regiment"

 

[acco40]

Now a federal judge in Kentucky has ended his widow’s 17-year quest to see that her husband received the medal.

Let's hope that Richard Chilton has better luck ...

Apparently, U.S. District Judge Thomas B. Russell concluded that Pauline Conner (his wife) waited too long to present new evidence to the U.S. Army Board of Correction of Military Records, which rejected her bid to alter her husband’s service record.

 

[Texas Star]

It's amazing to see who is now getting the Medal for past wars, but Maj. Richard Winters was unable to get his DSC upgraded, despite reports by his men insisting that his gallantry merited it.

I had not heard of the officer that you mentioned, and appreciate that post.

 

[the ringo kid]

Now a federal judge in Kentucky has ended his widow’s 17-year quest to see that her husband received the medal.

Let's hope that Richard Chilton has better luck ...

Apparently, U.S. District Judge Thomas B. Russell concluded that Pauline Conner (his wife) waited too long to present new evidence to the U.S. Army Board of Correction of Military Records, which rejected her bid to alter her husband’s service record.

I hate saying it but--that Judge aint much of a Judge. This is amazing--even with newer information!!

 

[the ringo kid]

It's amazing to see who is now getting the Medal for past wars, but Maj. Richard Winters was unable to get his DSC upgraded, despite reports by his men insisting that his gallantry merited it.

I had not heard of the officer that you mentioned, and appreciate that post.

I remember hearing that. There is also a push to get Colonel James "Maggie" Megellas his earned Medal of Honor--so far-thats a no-go. He is still alive and about 95. He is also the 82nds equal to Major Winters.

I had heard of Connor before but had forgotten his name. I THINK the 3rd or 4th most highly decorated soldier of WWII was Sergeant Llewellyn B. Chilson. I briefly knew one of his Sisters. He was slated for possible Medal of Honor--but nothing for him yet.

 

[bishopm14]

There should be a time limit for awarding the Medal of Honor.
With the standards that are in place as far as the action being witnessed and all, it's pretty much a given that a whole lot of people do heroic acts, and a few will get the Medal of Honor because the right person saw the act, or their chain of command pushed for them more than the next guy, etc. While a hundred guys who did something equally heroic get a lesser award.
That's just the way the system works.

This trend of upgrades decades after the fact simply cheapens the Medal of Honor.

 

[Texas Star]

Isn't O'Hare airport in Chicago named for Lt. Butch O'Hare, MH, who received the Medal of Honor for gallantry in the skies over Guadalcanal?

I sometimes confuse what he did with that of another Navy or Marine pilot, James Sweatt. One of them shot down about seven Japanese while so involved in protecting the US fleet that he was in the flak patterns of the US ships! His plane was hit several times by US fire. It's a wonder that he wasn't shot down, but he persevered and got those enemy planes.

Both men flew F-4F Wildcats.

Another Medal of Honor recepient who got my attention was Maj. James Howard, who repeatedly flew a P-51B with empty guns at German fighters trying to attack returning (damaged) US bombers. The Jerries evidently didn't realize that the attacking Mustang was out of ammunition and flared off. By the time they landed, those bomber crews were insistant that Howard be immediately awarded the Medal of Honor! He had previously been a Flying Tiger over China, and was no doubt a very experienced fighter pilot.

 

[Texas Star]

There should be a time limit for awarding the Medal of Honor.
With the standards that are in place as far as the action being witnessed and all, it's pretty much a given that a whole lot of people do heroic acts, and a few will get the Medal of Honor because the right person saw the act, or their chain of command pushed for them more than the next guy, etc. While a hundred guys who did something equally heroic get a lesser award.
That's just the way the system works.

This trend of upgrades decades after the fact simply cheapens the Medal of Honor.

I see your point and agree that where political considerations (making a current President look better) are involved, the issue is questionable.

But if new evidence or overlooked evidence warrants the Medal, I think it should be awarded.

But don't go by me: I still think that Jim Corbett should be knighted for his selfless pursuit of those man-eating tigers and leopards in then-British India. One tigress had a known total of 436 kills, with additional kills in Tibet, before crossing the border. A leopard had about 400 deaths attributed to it. (The Panar Man-Eater.)

Corbett 's bravery and perhaps unique jungle skills were well known and he guided dignitaries on shikar. The foreword to his first book was written by Lord Linlithgow, then Viceroy of India! (1944)

He was evidently never considered for knighthood. But we have, for crying out loud, now got SIR Elton John and other singers. I like Tom Jones's songs, but is singing,"Delilah" a lot and selling a lot of records, CD's etc. worth a knighthood if Corbett's quiet (but exremely valiant) life wasn't so honored?

Sorry to get off on a tangent, but this sticks in my craw. It does demonstrate that some very deserving people get passed over for awards given to others.

 

[timn8er]

This is just an outright disgrace!

 

[Faulkner]

I didn't realize that so many medals had been upgraded by the current administration.

 

[jlrhiner]

I didn't realize that so many medals had been upgraded by the current administration.

I don't think the administration really does anything. I believe the MOH board has to review the action reports and recommendations in order to upgrade.

 

[the ringo kid]

There should be a time limit for awarding the Medal of Honor.
With the standards that are in place as far as the action being witnessed and all, it's pretty much a given that a whole lot of people do heroic acts, and a few will get the Medal of Honor because the right person saw the act, or their chain of command pushed for them more than the next guy, etc. While a hundred guys who did something equally heroic get a lesser award.
That's just the way the system works.

This trend of upgrades decades after the fact simply cheapens the Medal of Honor.

Thank you for your excellent reply and I greatly appreciate it since I cant have the insight you and other vets do.

I agree it cheapens the award with more upgraded--but since I dont know the records of those 178--which to me seems proportionally high) I cant truthfully comment on them. I know of the 24 awarded the upgrade last month--I think it was 21 of them done so partly based on race--and if that was the biggest basis for their upgrade? that does cheapen the award. Others like Shemin, Clemmons, Magellas and Winters, I think based on everything ive heard and known; do deserve their upgrades.

I just wonder how many out there-who earned the Silver Star...deserve an upgrade to DSC? I think there have been some 13,000 DSCs earned since it was instilled.

 

[the ringo kid]

Isn't O'Hare airport in Chicago named for Lt. Butch O'Hare, MH, who received the Medal of Honor for gallantry in the skies over Guadalcanal?

I sometimes confuse what he did with that of another Navy or Marine pilot, James Sweatt. One of them shot down about seven Japanese while so involved in protecting the US fleet that he was in the flak patterns of the US ships! His plane was hit several times by US fire. It's a wonder that he wasn't shot down, but he persevered and got those enemy planes.

Both men flew F-4F Wildcats.

Another Medal of Honor recepient who got my attention was Maj. James Howard, who repeatedly flew a P-51B with empty guns at German fighters trying to attack returning (damaged) US bombers. The Jerries evidently didn't realize that the attacking Mustang was out of ammunition and flared off. By the time they landed, those bomber crews were insistant that Howard be immediately awarded the Medal of Honor! He had previously been a Flying Tiger over China, and was no doubt a very experienced fighter pilot.

Your correct, the Airport was named after him. Its been years but, Ive read his citation and he fully deserved the medal. I know of a little about Swett too. Those guys had nerves of steel and ba__s of brass-to say the least.

 

[amazingflapjack]

If these awards; all of them, were given based on merit alone, there would be thousands more of them, to say the least, imho.

 

[gunnails]

My thought is that I have never seen or heard of an undeserving MOH recipient.

 

[the ringo kid]

Ive often wondered if they should create a couple more awards that could be ranked lower than a Bronze Star in awards ranking status, and something between the Silver Star and the DSC? That way, none of the higher awards could be cheapened or easily cheapened.

 

[the ringo kid]

My thought is that I have never seen or heard of an undeserving MOH recipient.

To me, they were deserved but, what gets me is the outstanding numbers upgraded since 2012. However, I do know that awards can be stripped too. Case in point: After Abe Lincoln was assassinated, the soldiers who made up his caissons escort, were all awarded the Medal of Honor because of that task. Sometime later, those awards were rightfully retracted since none were awarded based on battlefield bravery.

 

[BigBill]

What's the reason for the powers to be being so tight on giving these awards out?

It's makes me mad when some of these metals show up on sleezebay like the purple hearts.

 

[the ringo kid]

What's the reason for the powers to be being so tight on giving these awards out?

It's makes me mad when some of these metals show up on sleezebay like the purple hearts.

I dont know the what the award criteria for American stuff is? but in a way, im glad some do have tough rules. The Germans awarded some 7,380 Knights Crosses in WWII--of those--7,313 were awarded to Germans--the rest were Italians, Japanese and other. The Russians awarded over 12,000 Hero of the Soviet Union, not sure exact number in WWii? but several or more thousands. Some of their HotSU, are for achievements in other fields=--like for being Astronauts etc. The British seem to have it right when dealing with their Victoria Cross.

 

[OFT II]

More servicemen deserve the Medals of Honor than have ever received it. The only time that I know of when the Medal of Honor was ever cheapened was during the invasion and occupation of Veracruz in 1914. Sixty three Medals of Honor were given for the action, fifty three to Naval personnel. Smedley Butler tried to return his but the action was refused.