Felix Modesto Conde-Falcon
Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army
Medal of Honor Recipient, Vietnam War

Conde-Falcon enlisted in the U.S. Army in April 1963.

On 4 April 1969, Staff Sergeant Felix Modesto Conde-Falcon was serving with 3rd Platoon, D Company, 1st Battalion, 505th Infantry, 82nd Airborne Division in Hau Nghia Province, South Vietnam.

On that day he was killed in action when he sustained multiple fragmentation wounds in a hostile action. His body was recovered.

Conde-Falcon received a posthumous promotion to Sergeant First Class.

Medals, Awards & Badges

Medal of Honor *
Bronze Star Medal with Combat Valor Device and Oak Leaf Cluster
Purple Heart
Army Commendation Medal
Army Good Conduct Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal with 3 Bronze Service Stars
Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm Device
Vietnam Campaign Medal
Vietnam Merit Medal
Vietnam Civil Actions Honor Medal Unit Citation, First Class with Oak Leaf Cluster
Combat Infantryman Badge
Drill Sergeant Identification Badge

* Medal of Honor

Seeking to correct potential acts of bias spanning three wars, and following a Congressionally-mandated review to ensure that eligible veterans were not bypassed due to prejudice, the Medal of Honor will be awarded to 24 Army veterans. The unusual mass ceremony, scheduled for 18 March 2014, will honor veterans, most of Hispanic or Jewish heritage, who had already received the Distinguished Service Cross, the nation’s second-highest military award for valor. Only three of the recipients are living.

The Army conducted the review under a directive from Congress in the 2002 National Defense Authorization Act. The law required that the record of each Jewish American and Hispanic American veteran who received a Distinguished Service Cross, during or after World War II, be reviewed for possible upgrade to the Medal of Honor.

The Army reviewed the cases of the 6,505 recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross from World War II, Korea and Vietnam, and found an eligible pool of 600 soldiers who may have been Jewish or Hispanic. The Army also worked with the National Museum of American Jewish Military History, the Jewish War Veterans of the USA and the American GI Forum, the largest Hispanic-American veterans group, to pinpoint potential medal recipients. Of the 24, seven fought in World War II, nine in the Korean War, and eight in the Vietnam War.

Since the award of the Medal of Honor is an upgrade to the Distinguished Service Cross already received by SFC Alvarado, it is based on the valorous actions in the Citation for his DSC.

Distinguished Service Cross Citation:

For extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Company D, 1st Battalion, 505th Infantry, 3rd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division:

Conde-Falcon distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions, April 4, 1969, while serving as platoon leader during a sweep operation in the vicinity of Ap Tan Hoa, Vietnam. Entering a heavily wooded section on the route of advance, the company encountered an extensive enemy bunker complex, later identified as a battalion command post. Following tactical artillery and air strikes on the heavily secured communist position, the platoon of Conde-Falcon was selected to assault and clear the bunker fortifications. Moving out ahead of his platoon, he 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 lethal 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. Rejoined with his platoon, he advanced about one hundred meters through the trees, only to come under intense hostile fire. Selecting three men to accompany him, he maneuvered toward the enemy’s flank position. Carrying a machine-gun, 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, he was shot by an unseen assailant and soon died of his wounds.

His great courage, his ability to act appropriately and decisively in accomplishing his mission, his dedication to the welfare of his men mark him as an outstanding leader Conde-Falcon’s extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty, at the cost of his life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army."

Honors

The name Felix M Conde-Falcon is located on Panel W27 Line 9 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.

Burial

Sergeant First Class Felix Modesto Conde-Falcon is buried at Rogers Cemetery in Rogers, TX.