Peter S. Connor


Peter Spencer Connor was a United States Marine Corps staff sergeant who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for absorbing the blast of his faulty-timered grenade rather than tossing it and risking nearby comrades in February 1966 in Vietnam.

Biography

Connor was born on September 4, 1932, in Orange, New Jersey. He attended elementary and high school in South Orange, New Jersey, graduating from high school in 1950.
Enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps on February 5, 1952, he completed recruit training with the 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina. He was promoted to private first class upon graduation from Recruit Training in April 1952, and transferred to the West Coast, where he joined the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Training Regiment. He joined the 1st Replacement Battalion after completing his advanced infantry training.
Arriving in Korea in August 1952, he was assigned as a fire team leader and radioman in the Third Platoon, Company B, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division. He was promoted to corporal in April 1953, while overseas.
Upon his return to the United States in October 1953, Corporal Connor served as a squad leader and platoon guide with Company B, 1st Battalion, 8th Marines, 2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, until released from active duty on February 4, 1955.
While on inactive duty, he was a member of the Ready Reserve with the 4th and 1st Marine Corps Reserve and Recruitment Districts, and with 7th Rifle Company, USMCR, Lake Denmark, Dover, New Jersey. He was discharged from the Marine Corps Reserve in May 1961 to reenlist in the regular Marine Corps. Promoted to sergeant that same month, he was assigned as platoon guide with Casual Company, Headquarters Battalion, and with Company A, Schools Demonstration Troops, Marine Corps Schools, Quantico, Virginia.
Transferred to the West Coast in July 1962, he served as a platoon guide with Company B, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division at Camp Pendleton. In November 1963, his unit was sent overseas and redesignated as Company F, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division. He served first as a platoon guide, but prior to the unit's return the next November, he was assigned as a platoon sergeant. Upon the unit's return to Camp Pendleton, it was redesignated as Company B, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division. Sergeant Connor was promoted to staff sergeant on May 1, 1965 and that August his unit was again sent overseas, where it became a part of the 3rd Marine Division. Sergeant Connor was transferred, while overseas, to Company F, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division and served as a platoon sergeant. He was serving with this unit when it was assigned to the 1st Marine Division in the Republic of Vietnam. It was during this period that Sergeant Connor's actions earned him the Medal of Honor. He was wounded in action on February 25, 1966 and died of those wounds while on board the on March 8, 1966.

Medal of Honor citation

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR posthumously to

STAFF SERGEANT PETER S. CONNOR

UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

for service as set forth in the following CITATION:
/S/ LYNDON B. JOHNSON

Awards and decorations

Connor's awards include:


1st RowMedal of HonorPurple HeartNavy Unit CommendationMarine Corps Good Conduct Medal
2nd RowNavy Occupation Service MedalNational Defense Service Medal Korean Service Medal Vietnam Service Medal
3rd RowUnited Nations Service MedalKorean Presidential Unit CitationVietnam Gallantry Cross with PalmRepublic of Vietnam Campaign Medal