Smyrna times., 1951-08-09
TO DEDICATE
BRIDGE WE'D.
Congressional Medal of Honor
Winners to Represent States
at Bridge Dedication
HONORS WAR DEAD

The man from Delaware who, de-
spite 8 major wounds, shouted,
''They can hit me but they can't
stop me-" and the man from New
Jersey who smothered an exploding
hand grenade and live to tell the
tale, will be together on Wednes-
day, August Is, but not to swap
war stories. James P. Connor of
Wilmington, Delaware's only living
Congressional Medal of Honor win
ner, and Carlton Rouh of Linden
void, New Jersey, will represent
their states at the official dedica-
tion ceremonies of the Delaware
Memorial Bridge at 100 A. M. on
that date. They will place the
wreath at the bronze plaque when
the S44,000000 structure is dedi-
Gated to the World War II dead of
Delaware and New Jersey. The
ceremony will mark the completion
of the first practical utility erected
as a memorial to those who made
the supreme sacrifice during World
War II. The bridge, the worlds
sixth longest, will physically link
the two states for the first time in
history. James p. Connor, former
Sgt. Connor of the United States
Army, went into service in 1941
serving 81 months overseas with
the 9th Division in Africa and Sic
lily, followed by the 3rd Division at
Palermo in 1943. On August Is,
1914, with severe wounds in the
neck, shoulder, and leg he became
the driving force behind the IL sur
viving men in his outfit. His su-
periors killed or wounded, he as
sumed command and directed ac-
tion despite his wounds, enabling
the IL men to take an essential
Nazi strongpoint at Cape Cavalaire
on the Riviera, killing men, cap
turing 40 and seizing 3 enemy ma
chine guns and considerable other
material In the final moments he
directed the attack while propped
up against building, weak from
loss of blood from the leg wound
that had finally felled him. After
an extensive convalescence he re-
turned to his outfit in France
where he received the Congression-
al Medal of Honor from 1t. Gener-
al Alexander M. Patch. Sgt. Con-
nor also holds the State Medal of
Merit and is the fifth Delaware
man to be awarded the coveted
Governors Medal for Bravery.
Married and a father, James Con-
nor and his family now reside at
112 Olga Road, Elsmere. He is en-
ployed in the Contact Division of
the Veterans Administration Reg
ional Office in Wilmington.
Lit. ROuh Won Silver Star Award
Previously wounded on Guadal-
canal, where 1t. Rouh won the Sill
yer Star Award for bravery, the
action which was to merit him the
Congressional Medal of Honor took
place on Peleliu Island in June,
1914. Rouh, in charge of ma
chine gun platoon, had lost a great
many of his men. Scouting around
he found part of them lying almost
on top of Japanese bunker, pin
ned down by enemy fire. Sliding
into the ditch, intent on the am
munition stored in the bunker, he
received a severe stomach wound
from Jap who made dash for
safety from the burning bunker
Most of what followed he does moi
clearly remember but eyewitness
accounts say that after he had fall.
en-, a Jap grenade fell among the
group comprising himself and sew
eral enlisted men. He pushed then
aside and huddled over the missile
until it exploded, saving the live:
of the men around him while the
grenade ripped through his body
1t is believed to be the only case OF
record where man smothered al
exploding grenade and lived. Fol
his supreme courage he was award
ed the Congressional Medal o
Honor by President Truman oil
June Is, 1945, while still patien
at Philadelphia Naval Hospital. 1t
Rouh received his commission il
the field and also holds the Purpl
Heart. Carlton Rouh, former is
1t. Rouh of the United States Ma
rine Corps, now resides at Mapl
and Carlton Avenues, Lindenwol6
His wife, the former Phyllis 1
Rowand of Gibbsboro, was a
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