Leo B. Conner was born on a farm owned by his father in west central Iowa. When he was eight years old the family moved to a farm in northwest Nebraska. He graduated from high school Mount Pleasant, Iowa and briefly attended Iowa Wesleyan College. In May 1914, he received his appointment to the United States Military Academy which he entered on July 1, 1914. Due to World War I, his class graduated early on August 30, 1917. He joined a troop in the 7th Cavalry Regiment. He served with 12th Cavalry units at Columbus and Hachita, New Mexico and Del Rio, Texas. In April 1921, after a brief recruiting duty in Nashville, he was assigned to the newly activated ROTC Detachment at the University of Arizona in Tucson for three years. After the ROTC assignment, he joined the 10th Cavalry, known as the Buffalo Soldiers, at Fort Huachuca in June 1924. He then attended Cavalry School at Fort Riley for the Troop Officers Course from 1926 to 1927. Next, he was assigned to the 14th Cavalry at Fort Des Moines for three years as plans and training officer (S-3). During the 1930s he attended the Officers Advanced Course at the Infantry School from 1930 to 1931, commanded the Machine Gun Troop, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division from 1931 to 1934, was assigned as executive officer of a Civilian Conservation Corps District in Santa Fe from 1934 to 1935 and then returned to ROTC duties at Massachusetts State College in Amherst from 1935 to 1939. In summer 1939, he joined the 7th Cavalry Brigade (Mechanized) at Fort Knox and assumed command of the 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment (Mechanized). By 1940, when the 1st Armored Division was formed, from the 7th Cavalry Brigade, as a lieutenant colonel, he became its G-3. In August 1942, he became commanding officer of the 42nd Armored Regiment, 11th Armored Division at Camp Polk in Louisiana. From 1943 to 1946, he was on the faculty at the Command and General Staff School. In 1946 he went to Germany as Provost Marshal in Munich and then commanded the 3rd Constabulary Regiment. In 1948, he retired from active service in 1948 and settled in the District of Columbia. He was secretary-treasurer of the 1st Armored Division Association, 11th Armored Division Association and 101st Airborne Division. He died on December 23, 1983 in the District of Columbia. One of his Mass State boys, Lieutenant General Donald H. Cowles noted, He was a true soldier, a real Cavalry trooper and leader, who did so very much for so many of us through the years.
He was survived by his wife, Miriam Cecilia Morony, who he met as a high school sophomore in 1910. After his graduation from West Point, they were married in El Paso in 1919. They were the parents of four daughters and one son. One daughter died as a toddler. Other survivors included ten grandchildren and seventeen great-grandchildren.
Source: United States Military Academy Association of Graduates memorial.
Leo B. Conner was born on a farm owned by his father in west central Iowa. When he was eight years old the family moved to a farm in northwest Nebraska. He graduated from high school Mount Pleasant, Iowa and briefly attended Iowa Wesleyan College. In May 1914, he received his appointment to the United States Military Academy which he entered on July 1, 1914. Due to World War I, his class graduated early on August 30, 1917. He joined a troop in the 7th Cavalry Regiment. He served with 12th Cavalry units at Columbus and Hachita, New Mexico and Del Rio, Texas. In April 1921, after a brief recruiting duty in Nashville, he was assigned to the newly activated ROTC Detachment at the University of Arizona in Tucson for three years. After the ROTC assignment, he joined the 10th Cavalry, known as the Buffalo Soldiers, at Fort Huachuca in June 1924. He then attended Cavalry School at Fort Riley for the Troop Officers Course from 1926 to 1927. Next, he was assigned to the 14th Cavalry at Fort Des Moines for three years as plans and training officer (S-3). During the 1930s he attended the Officers Advanced Course at the Infantry School from 1930 to 1931, commanded the Machine Gun Troop, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division from 1931 to 1934, was assigned as executive officer of a Civilian Conservation Corps District in Santa Fe from 1934 to 1935 and then returned to ROTC duties at Massachusetts State College in Amherst from 1935 to 1939. In summer 1939, he joined the 7th Cavalry Brigade (Mechanized) at Fort Knox and assumed command of the 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment (Mechanized). By 1940, when the 1st Armored Division was formed, from the 7th Cavalry Brigade, as a lieutenant colonel, he became its G-3. In August 1942, he became commanding officer of the 42nd Armored Regiment, 11th Armored Division at Camp Polk in Louisiana. From 1943 to 1946, he was on the faculty at the Command and General Staff School. In 1946 he went to Germany as Provost Marshal in Munich and then commanded the 3rd Constabulary Regiment. In 1948, he retired from active service in 1948 and settled in the District of Columbia. He was secretary-treasurer of the 1st Armored Division Association, 11th Armored Division Association and 101st Airborne Division. He died on December 23, 1983 in the District of Columbia. One of his Mass State boys, Lieutenant General Donald H. Cowles noted, He was a true soldier, a real Cavalry trooper and leader, who did so very much for so many of us through the years.
He was survived by his wife, Miriam Cecilia Morony, who he met as a high school sophomore in 1910. After his graduation from West Point, they were married in El Paso in 1919. They were the parents of four daughters and one son. One daughter died as a toddler. Other survivors included ten grandchildren and seventeen great-grandchildren.
Source: United States Military Academy Association of Graduates memorial.
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