Captain Connor J. Bednarzyk was born on October 16, 1992, in Fairfax, Virginia, the son of Edward J. and Ruth Donovan Bednarzyk. He spent most of his life in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, and graduated in 2011 from Central Bucks High School East, where he was a three-sport varsity athlete in wrestling, baseball and football and captain of the football team. His coach remembered a charismatic young man who “lit up a classroom or a weight room” and whose positive energy and leadership carried over into the military.
Connor attended Pennsylvania State University on an ROTC scholarship and boxed while in college. He graduated in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in security risk analysis from the College of Information Sciences and Technology and finished in the top ten percent of ROTC graduates nationwide.
Commissioned as an infantry officer, Connor completed the Infantry Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning, Georgia, in 2015. In April 2016 he joined the 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, at Fort Carson, Colorado, as a platoon leader, and from June through November 2016 he deployed to Kosovo, where he led U.S., NATO and local troops in training to help defend Kosovo’s borders. He went on to earn the Ranger Tab, graduate from the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program 2 course and join the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, at Fort Benning, where he led the Distribution Platoon of Echo Company. His peers and superiors admired his competitive spirit, his dedication and his ability to bring out the best in others, and he was often the first to volunteer for a difficult task.
On September 7, 2018, Connor was killed in a single tactical vehicle accident during training near Fort Benning. He was 25. “He was known throughout the Battalion for his caring and positive attitude,” said Lieutenant Colonel Michael Klopper, commander of the 3rd Ranger Battalion. “He will be missed by all.” His awards and decorations include the Ranger Tab, the Expert Infantryman Badge, the Air Assault Badge, the Parachutist Badge, the Army Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster, the National Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon and the NATO Medal.
Connor had a natural gift for bringing people together. His sense of fun balanced a relentless drive to lead and to learn from those around him. He loved music, played the piano and taught himself guitar, and he enjoyed working out, skiing, golfing and time with family and friends. “He truly valued the freedoms of the United States, and was honored to serve as an active member of our U.S. military,” his family said. He was laid to rest at Washington Crossing National Cemetery in Newtown, Pennsylvania. He is survived by his parents, Edward and Ruth; his brother, Kevin; and his grandfather, Francis Donovan.
Connor embodied the Ranger Creed: Rangers Lead the Way. His leadership, infectious optimism and tactical brilliance left an indelible legacy.
75th Ranger Regiment Command
Sources
- U.S. Army (USASOC): U.S. Army Ranger killed in single tactical vehicle accident
- The Philadelphia Inquirer: Capt. Connor Bednarzyk, 25, Army Ranger and Central Bucks East graduate
- Army Times: Army Ranger dies in vehicle accident during training
- Family-provided records on file with MVF: Connor Bednarzyk bio
