The President of the United States
in the name of The Congress
takes pleasure in presenting the
Medal of Honor
to
*CONNOR, PETER S.
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant,
U.S. Marine Corps, Company F, 2d Battalion, 3d Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein), FMF. Place
and date: Quang Nag Province, Republic of Vietnam, 25 February 1966. Entered
service at: South Orange, NJ. Born: 4 September 1932, Orange, N.J.
Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against enemy Viet Cong forces at the
risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Leading his platoon on a search and
destroy operation in an area made particularly hazardous by extensive cave and tunnel
complexes, S/Sgt. Connor maneuvered his unit aggressively forward under intermittent enemy
small-arms fire. Exhibiting particular alertness and keen observation, he spotted an enemy
spider hole emplacement approximately 15 meters to his front. He pulled the pin from a
fragmentation grenade intending to charge the hole boldly and drop the missile into its
depths. Upon pulling the pin he realized that the firing mechanism was faulty, and that
even as he held the safety device firmly in place, the fuse charge was already activated.
With only precious seconds to decide, he further realized that he could not cover the
distance to the small opening of the spider hole in sufficient time, and that to hurl the
deadly bomb in any direction would result in death or injury to some of his comrades
tactically deployed near him. Manifesting extraordinary gallantry and with utter disregard
for his personal safety, he chose to hold the grenade against his body in order to absorb
the terrific explosion and spare his comrades. His act of extreme valor and selflessness
in the face of virtually certain death, although leaving him mortally wounded, spared many
of his fellow marines from death or injury. His gallant action in giving his life in the
cause of freedom reflects the highest credit upon the Marine Corps and the Armed Forces of
the United States.
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