Léo Major
Canadian soldier (1921–2008) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Léo Major DCM & Bar (January 23, 1921 – October 12, 2008) was a Canadian soldier who was the only Canadian and one of only three soldiers in the British Commonwealth to receive the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) twice in separate wars.[1]
Léo Major | |
---|---|
Born | (1921-01-23)January 23, 1921 New Bedford, Massachusetts, U.S. |
Died | October 12, 2008(2008-10-12) (aged 87) Longueuil, Quebec, Canada |
Buried | |
Allegiance | Canada |
Service/ | Canadian Army |
Years of service | 1940–1945 1950–1953 |
Rank | Sergeant |
Unit | Régiment de la Chaudière Royal 22nd Regiment |
Battles/wars |
|
Awards | Distinguished Conduct Medal and bar |
Spouse(s) |
Pauline De Croiselle
(m. 1951–2008) |
Children | 4 |
Major earned his first DCM in World War II in 1945 after a successful reconnaissance mission during the liberation of the Dutch city of Zwolle. As he was sent to scout the city with one of his best friends, a firefight broke out in which his friend was killed. Major continued on to find that Zwolle was mostly deserted by the German occupational army. Thanks to his efforts, the city was spared the artillery fire that was planned the next day by the Allies. He received his second DCM during the Korean War for leading the capture of a key hill in 1951.