Richard Conde accepts the Medal of Honor on behalf of his late father, Army Sgt. 1st

Class Felix M. Conde-Falcon, from President Barack Obama during a ceremony at the

White House on March 18, 2014.

Conde-Falcon, then a staff sergeant, distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and

intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving as an acting platoon leader

assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division’s Company D, 1st Battalion, 505th Infantry

Regiment, 3rd Brigade, during combat operations against an armed enemy in Ap Tan

Hoa, Vietnam, April 4, 1969.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Medal of Honor Citation:

 

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty:

 

Staff Sergeant Felix M. Conde-Falcon distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving as an acting Platoon Leader in Company D, 1st Battalion, 505th Infantry Regiment, 3d Brigade, 82d Airborne Division during combat operations against an armed enemy in Ap Tan Hoa, Republic of Vietnam on April 4, 1969. While entering a heavily wooded section on the route of advance, Staff Sergeant Conde-Falcon and his company encountered an extensive enemy bunker complex, later identified as a battalion command post. Following tactical artillery and air strikes on the heavily-secured enemy position, Staff Sergeant Conde-Falcon’s platoon was selected to assault and clear the bunker fortifications. Moving out ahead of his platoon, Staff Sergeant Conde-Falcon charged the first bunker, heaving grenades as he went. As the hostile fire increased, he crawled to the blind side of an entrenchment position, jumped to the roof, and tossed a grenade into the bunker aperture. Without hesitating, he proceeded to two additional bunkers, both of which he destroyed in the same manner as the first. Rejoining his platoon, Staff Sergeant Conde-Falcon advanced about one hundred meters through the trees before coming under intense hostile fire. Selecting three men to accompany him, he maneuvered toward the enemy’s flank position. Carrying a machinegun, he single-handedly assaulted the nearest fortification, killing the enemy inside before running out of ammunition. After returning to the three men with his empty weapon and taking up an M-16 rifle, he concentrated on the next bunker. Within ten meters of his goal, Staff Sergeant Conde-Falcon was shot by an unseen assailant and soon died of his wounds. Staff Sergeant Conde-Falcon’s extraordinary heroism and selflessness at the cost of his own life, above and beyond the call of duty, are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.

 

Citation represents Soldier's rank at time of action.