World War II Veteran From Central Wisconsin Is Saluted for Heroism

A central Wisconsin World War II veteran was saluted for his service in the liberation of France on Tuesday in his hometown.

U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy presented 93-year-old Sgt. Anton F. Jacks with the prestigious French Legion of Honor Award before an overflow crowd at the village of Thorp’s American Legion post. For Jacks, it was a recognition that was long overdue.

“It means a lot, you know,” said Jacks. “I wouldn’t get this for nothing.”

Jacks once saved his 25th Armored Engineer Battalion from an advancing, far-superior German force. While his fellow soldiers slept in a barn, Jacks rigged improvised booby traps outside, from items he found in a junk pile.

“There was an old fire extinguisher, and I picked it up off of a junk pile over there,” said Jacks. “And there was a trip wire too. And that gave us a warning that they were coming.”

The explosions left by the booby traps gave more than a warning: They left 21 Germans dead. There were no American or French casualities.

Jacks said the reason he put everything on the line is obvious: “America’s a good country. We’ve got better freedom than anybody’s got.”

Jacks’ daughter, Diane Covyeow, said her father represents a vanishing breed.

“They’re called the ‘greatest generation,’” she said. “He did one heck of a job.”

Jacks’ other awards include the bronze star and the gold conduct medal.