World War II Honoree

James F. Flowers, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Dallas, Texas

Honored By

712th Tank Battalion Association

SERVED AS A 1ST LIEUTENANT IN C COMPANY OF THE 712TH TANK BATTALION. LANDED AT UTAH BEACH ON JUNE 28, 1944 AS PART OF THE 1ST ARMY. ON JULY 11, 1944, HE LED A PLATOON OF TANKS AT THE FORET DE MONT CASTRE (HILL 122) IN NORMANDY ON A MISSION TO RESCUE A BATTALION OF THE 90TH INFANTRY ENCIRCLED BY GERMAN TROOPS. THE PLATOON ENCOUNTERED GERMAN 88 ANTI-TANK GUNS. HIS TANK TOOK A DIRECT HIT; 3 OTHER TANKS WERE ALSO HIT AND 9 MEMBERS OF THE PLATOON WERE KILLED. ALTHOUGH HIS RIGHT FOOT WAS GONE, HE PULLED HIS GUNNER TO SAFETY. AFTER FIGHTING OFF GERMAN INFANTRY SOLDIERS, FLOWERS ORDERED THE SURVIVORS TO WITHDRAW BUT HE STAYED ON THE BATTLEFIELD WITH TWO OTHER WOUNDED MEN AND REQUESTED THAT MEDICS BE SENT. BEFORE THEY COULD BE RESCUED, GERMANS TOOK THE FIELD. THE NEXT DAY, AMERICAN ARTILLERY BOMBARDED THE AREA. ONE OF THE SHELLS EXPLODED BY FLOWERS AND TOOK OFF HIS LEFT LEG JUST BELOW THE KNEE. HE SPENT ANOTHER NIGHT IN THE FIELD. HE WAS NOMINATED FOR THE MEDAL OF HONOR; RECEIVED THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS.