Teddy Roosevelt Jr.: The Officer Who Stormed Normandy with Nothing but a Cane and a Pistol

The article:

On September 28, 1944, Theodore Roosevelt Jr., son of President Theodore Roosevelt, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for directing troops at Utah Beach during the D-Day landings. Roosevelt, Jr. was awarded the Medal of Honor, a Distinguished Service Cross, and 4 Silver Stars for bravery during WWI and WWII in addition to a DSM, a Legion of Merit, and a Purple Heart. An excerpt from the article:

"'We’ll start the war from right here!' Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt Jr. purportedly declared as his Higgins landing craft drifted about a mile from its target destination on Utah Beach the morning of the June 6, 1944 invasion of Normandy.

At the age of 56, Roosevelt, the son of President Theodore Roosevelt, was not only the oldest soldier deployed during Operation Overlord, but the highest-ranking American figure to storm the beaches.

He did so with only a cane and a pistol.

A veteran of the First World War, Roosevelt was among the first American doughboys to land in France in 1918, seeing action during the Battle of Cantigny. Reenlisting at the outbreak of World War II, Roosevelt led four amphibious assaults, from Operation Torch—the invasion of North Africa—to fighting on the beaches of Sicily and in the mountains of Italy."

Here is his citation:

Medal of Honor
AWARDED FOR ACTIONS
DURING World War II
Service: Army
Division: 4th Infantry Division
GENERAL ORDERS:
War Department, General Orders No. 77, September 28, 1944

CITATION:
The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor (Posthumously) to Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. (ASN: 0-139726), United States Army, for gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 6 June 1944, while serving as a commander in the 4th Infantry Division in France. After two verbal requests to accompany the leading assault elements in the Normandy invasion had been denied, Brigadier General Roosevelt's written request for this mission was approved and he landed with the first wave of the forces assaulting the enemy-held beaches. He repeatedly led groups from the beach, over the seawall and established them inland. His valor, courage, and presence in the very front of the attack and his complete unconcern at being under heavy fire inspired the troops to heights of enthusiasm and self-sacrifice. Although the enemy had the beach under constant direct fire, Brigadier General Roosevelt moved from one locality to another, rallying men around him, directed and personally led them against the enemy. Under his seasoned, precise, calm, and unfaltering leadership, assault troops reduced beach strong points and rapidly moved inland with minimum casualties. He thus contributed substantially to the successful establishment of the beachhead in France.

Shown here is Brigadier General Theodor Roosevelt Jr, during the Normandy D Day Invasion. General Roosevelt had problems with His knee from a bullet which earned Him a Purple Heart in WWI. As We know He is one of the Four son's of President Theodore Roosevelt Who is the only person to ever become President of the United State who had received the Medal of Honor Himself in the Spanish American War. . Another of His son's, Quentin Roosevelt as a WWI pilot was shot down by a German fighter. The previous day He had shot down a German fighter Himself in air combat. The German's buried Him with full Military Honors in France. TR's third son was a Navy officer and the only one out of the 3 sons not to serve in combat. The 4th son Archie Roosevelt was very badly wounded in combat during WWII. The son Quentin who had been shot down in aerial combat during WWI His body was exhumed and He was buried next to His brother Theodore Roosevelt Jr at Normandy. Three of the Roosevelt son's had each received the purple Heart.

The grave marker of Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt Jr. where He is buried at Normandy, France.