LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – An American hero was honored Friday for his service in World War 2, specifically his efforts in France.

Sgt. John F. Morrow received the French Legion of Honor award Friday from Governor Sarah Sanders.

Sanders did not allow press in for the ceremony today, but we talked with Morrow after he got his medal.

He said he wants to honor all veterans who served alongside him and after him, not just himself.

For Morrow, serving our country was all about freedom. He joined the United States Army in April of 1942.

“That’s the reason I volunteered,” Morrow said. “I wanted to be a part of keeping our nation free… the way to do it was to fight the people that wanted to take it away from us.”

Morrow served on the frontlines of WW2 as a U.S. Army tank driver. He worked to protect not only our freedom but others as well. He endured several injuries, from severe burns in his eyes to even being shot in the ear on the frontlines. Morrow said he refused to go to the hospital at the time and insisted that he keep fighting.

“At the same time, liberate the countries that had been taken away,” Morrow said, describing their efforts in war. “We had to give them their homeland back…that was our purpose.”

Morrow said his tank went to Belgium and liberated a prisoner-of-war camp during the Holocaust. They even gave prisoners their food once they got there and ended up starving for three days and nights with nothing for themselves to eat.

He also recalled their liberations in France and Holland, and the importance of fighting for their freedom as well.

Decades after serving, he will still tell you story after story, like it all happened yesterday. He recalls the stories of victory, as well as the ones that still shake him to this day.

Morrow said some memories that once left him shivering while fighting, are still too bad to talk about. He noted the difficulty of seeing hundreds of thousands of fatalities while serving.

To this day, Morrow and every World War 2 veteran is seen as a hero not only in America but across the world.

Morrow’s humility proves his heroic-like heart. He said he never fought to become a hero, but for common-sense reasons to protect our country. He said he was shocked just to receive the French Legion of Honor award from Governor Sanders.

“When I received it, I didn’t know that I was worthy for it,” Morrow said.

Morrow received this award from the governor on his final day of being 100 years old. Saturday, February 4, he will turn 101.