Tribune Chronicle / R. Michael Semple A decorated Vietnam war veteran, Leo H. Connelly Jr., continues to serve the public.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is part of a series published each Monday between Memorial Day and Veterans Day honoring local veterans. To nominate a veteran, email metro editor Marly Kosinski at mkosinski@tribtoday.com.

BOARDMAN — Leo H. Connelly Jr. may have served two years in the military during the mid-1960s, but a look at his efforts to reach out to others since then resembles a laundry list of givebacks.

“I get more out of it than they do,” the 71-year-old Boardman man and Army veteran said, referring to the occasions in which he dressed as Santa Claus to entertain underprivileged children and veterans during the holidays.

Doing his best to portray St. Nick was one of many efforts the decorated Vietnam War veteran and 1966 Chaney High School graduate has made to show his deep gratitude toward children and those who have served the nation.

Two months after finishing high school, Connelly was drafted into the Army. He began a one-year tour of duty March 27, 1967, in Vietnam with an Infantry Division. He was discharged from active duty Aug. 6, 1968.

Connelly fought in three major battles — counter offensives 2 and 3, as well as the Tet Offensive in 1968. He served six months each of his tour in Vietnam as a foot soldier and a helicopter door gunner.

Connelly was wounded June 18, 1967, in Operation Billings while trying to rescue an American soldier and get him to a helicopter so the soldier could be treated at a Red Cross center. A Viet Cong soldier who Connelly thought was dead suddenly turned and stabbed him in the left arm and side, he remembered.

Operation Billings was a two-week search-and-destroy pre-emptive attack the U.S. 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division conducted in South Vietnam after U.S. intelligence operators learned that a Viet Cong unit was planning to move into the area.

For his conduct in hand-to-hand combat that included rescuing the soldier, Connelly received the Purple Heart. U.S. Rep. Timothy J. Ryan, D-Howland, awarded him the medal during a ceremony last February at the Trumbull County Veterans Service Commission in Warren.

“There are no amount of awards or accolades that can show how truly grateful we are for the sacrifice he made for our country during the Vietnam War. We are forever indebted,” Ryan said at the time.

Since returning to civilian life, Connelly has dedicated himself to reaching out to veterans. He helped establish a permanent location for Youngstown-based Disabled American Veterans Chapter 2, spearheaded a food drive that’s fed more than 6,600 veterans, raised donations to distribute 150 free turkeys for Thanksgiving and gotten donated wheelchairs for veterans who are disabled.

In addition, he testified in Columbus to get a bridge on Mahoning Avenue renamed the Women Veterans Memorial Bridge, as well as a street in Austintown renamed Patriot Boulevard. For about 10 years, Connelly has assisted a Toys for Tots effort to collect Christmas gifts for children.

He also was behind establishing a Purple Star Room at Austintown Fitch High School, which allows students who might be experiencing difficulties to communicate with family members serving in Iraq and elsewhere.

“Students can get on the phone or on Skype and talk to their loved ones,” he said.

Recently, Connelly was part of a Freedom Warriors group that partnered with the Austintown Home Depot store to raise funds for a new roof for a veteran’s home in Youngstown.

Connelly has served on the Mahoning County Veterans Service Commission and as district commander with DAV Chapter 2. In 2011, he was inducted into the Ohio Military Hall of Fame for Valor.

In 2013, the Veterans Association gave him two pins for having served a total of 3,000 hours of volunteer work on behalf of veterans.

Another part of his mission is to educate veterans regarding available resources, entitlements and services they may be unaware oft, Connelly continued.

“I’ve tried to give back and educate vets in the community of what they don’t know,” he added.

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