Bronze Star Awarded 72 Years After Pearl Harbor

Nearly 70 years after he earned it, an 88-year-old World War II veteran finally received his Bronze Star for Heroism at a ceremony in Congressman Gerry Connolly’s district office in Fairfax County on Friday.

Washington native and current Prince William County resident John “Jack” Faulconer Jr. was an 18-year-old infantryman assigned to a machine gun squad in Patton’s 3rd Army when he landed on Omaha Beach a few weeks after D-Day in 1944. Subsequently, he was severely wounded in a battle that killed two of his squad members.

Sixty-eight years after he earned the medal, Connolly and his staff worked with the Department of the Army to ascertain that Faulconer was eligible to receive the honor. Then-Private Faulconer also was awarded the Purple Heart for his injuries incurred in battle.

Faulconer was joined by his Joyce, his wife of 65 years, and one of his sons at the Friday ceremony in Connolly’s District Office at 4115 Annandale Road, Suite 103, Annandale, VA. Faulconer met his wife, a fellow World War II veteran who served in a Navy intelligence unit, while he was recuperating from his injuries at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

Congressman Connolly and the Faulconers were joined by two military officers: Col. Jerry Blixt, former Commander of Fort Belvoir; and 1st Lt. Joe Weeren, a member of Connolly’s staff who is an Iraq War veteran and an officer in the Virginia National Guard. Weeren handles veterans’ matters for Connolly. The Faulconer’s adult son also attended.

“It is an honor and a privilege to have the opportunity to recognize the service and bravery of Jack Faulconer by presenting him with his Bronze Star,” Connolly said. “He certainly earned it.”

Ironically, Faulconer will receive his Bronze Star 72 years after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

– Submitted

More on Faulconer:

-Private John Faulconer was 18 years old when he arrived in France at Omaha Beach a few weeks after the invasion. Jack as he’s preferred to be called was an infantryman assigned to a machine gun squad in Patton’s 3rd Army. Jack participated in the Battle of Metz along the border of France and Germany.

-After surviving the battle of Metz, Jack and Patton’s 3rd Army advanced closer to the German border at the Saar Valley. According to Jack while advancing up a hill the Germans were defending, his machine gun squad was advancing under heavy artillery and small arms fire. Two members of his squad were killed. Jack was hit in his left arm and knocked to the ground, after realizing he was alone, behind enemy lines, and his arm severely wounded he waited for nightfall. After nightfall set in Jack crawled out of his position and began walking, staying low to the ground hoping to find fellow Americans.

-After some time he finally found fellow Americans and was able to get put on a stretcher and transferred to the battalion aid station. Jack was treated by doctors who hoped they could save his arm from amputation. After many surgeries the doctors were able to save his arm and Jack was transferred to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington D.C.

-Jack spent many months recuperating at Walter Reed; however while attending a dance at Walter Reed he met his future wife Joyce a fellow World War II veteran serving in a Navy Intelligence Unit.

-After the war Jack and his wife Joyce lived in Springfield, VA for 38 years before moving to the Heritage Hunt Retirement Community in Gainesville, VA. Jack and Joyce have been married for 65 years and have two wonderful children and seven grandchildren.

-Jack had read that he potentially was eligible for a Bronze Star but unaware how to determine if he was eligible for the medal. He then reached out to his Congressman Gerry Connolly. What started out as a simple question turned into some extensive research by Congressman Connolly’s aide Joe Weeren, who also served as an infantryman in the Iraq War and is currently an officer in the Virginia National Guard. Joe was able to find out that Faulconer was awarded the Bronze Star, but never received it.

-Congressman Connolly submitted an inquiry to the Department of the Army regarding Faulconer’s Bronze Star Medal and the Army quickly determined that Jack was eligible for the Bronze Star Medal.