FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes: Nicky Daniel Bacon ~ July 19, 2010

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[Kathy in Alaska]

 

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~ Hall of Heroes ~

Nicky Daniel Bacon

(Info found here.)

           

On Saturday, July 17th, another Medal of Honor recipient left us to guard the streets of heaven.  Thank you, sir, for your service to our country.

 

 

Nicky Daniel "Nick" Bacon (November 25, 1945 – July 17, 2010) was a United States Army first sergeant from the Americal Division who served during the Vietnam War. For his actions in combat in Tam Ky, Vietnam, Bacon was awarded America's highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor.

Bacon was born in Caraway, Arkansas, and enlisted in the U.S. Army in Phoenix, Arizona. He reached the rank of staff sergeant while serving his second combat tour in Vietnam as part of the 21st Infantry Regiment, 11th Infantry Brigade of the Americal Division. On August 26, 1968, while commanding a squad of the first platoon of Company B, 4th Battalion in an operation west of Tam Ky, Bacon and his unit came under fire from enemy positions. While Bacon destroyed these positions with hand grenades, his platoon leader was wounded in open ground. Assuming command, Bacon led the platoon to destroy the remaining enemy emplacements.

When the third platoon of Bravo Company lost their own leader, Bacon took command of that platoon as well as his own and led both platoons against enemy positions. During the evacuation of the wounded, Bacon climbed the side of a nearby tank to gain a vantage point and direct fire into enemy positions, despite his exposure to enemy fire. He was personally credited with killing at least 4 enemy soldiers and destroying an anti-tank gun.

For his actions in this battle, Bacon was awarded the Medal of Honor. For his distinguished military service in Vietnam and throughout his career, he also received the Distinguished Service Cross, the Legion of Merit, two Bronze Stars (with combat "V"), the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman Badge, and numerous other awards and decorations.

After the war, Bacon continued to serve in the Army until his retirement as a first sergeant. He later served as president of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society and Director of Veterans' Affairs for the State of Arkansas. In the 1990s he traveled to Vietnam as part of a POW/MIA task force and traveled to Israel at the invitation of Jewish veterans, urging the Israeli government not to cede the Golan Heights to Syria. Bacon also became a veterans' advocate.

Bacon died July 17, 2010, at his home in Rose Bud, Arkansas.

 

Bacon's official citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. S/Sgt. Bacon distinguished himself while serving as a squad leader with the 1st Platoon, Company B, during an operation west of Tam Ky. When Company B came under fire from an enemy bunker line to the front, S/Sgt. Bacon quickly organized his men and led them forward in an assault. He advanced on a hostile bunker and destroyed it with grenades. As he did so, several fellow soldiers including the 1st Platoon leader, were struck by machine gun fire and fell wounded in an exposed position forward of the rest of the platoon. S/Sgt. Bacon immediately assumed command of the platoon and assaulted the hostile gun position, finally killing the enemy gun crew in a single-handed effort. When the 3d Platoon moved to S/Sgt. Bacon's location, its leader was also wounded. Without hesitation S/Sgt. Bacon took charge of the additional platoon and continued the fight. In the ensuing action he personally killed 4 more enemy soldiers and silenced an antitank weapon. Under his leadership and example, the members of both platoons accepted his authority without question. Continuing to ignore the intense hostile fire, he climbed up on the exposed deck of a tank and directed fire into the enemy position while several wounded men were evacuated. As a result of S/Sgt. Bacon's extraordinary efforts, his company was able to move forward, eliminate the enemy positions, and rescue the men trapped to the front. S/Sgt. Bacon's bravery at the risk of his life was in the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.

 

Please remember the Canteen is here to honor, support and entertain our troops and their families.  This is a politics-free zone!  Thanks for helping us in our mission! 

[luvie]

Errr....yes! :)

[PROCON]

(((HUGS))) back to ya FRiend, see ya soon!

[luvie]

Goodness! Isn’t this the 2nd weekend in a row to be shorthanded?

I’ll bet you didn’t have time to worry about nutjobs or
anything else but the job at hand. That peach crate would
have come in very handy!

[oldteen]

NO was a better time than Now? :)

[luvie]

LOL! Got in a hurry! :)

[TASMANIANRED]

Peach crate is mandatory.

Our weekend is tight any way.. It only takes 1 person being off to put a monkey wrench in the mix.

[oldteen]

Worked out just fine.

[PROCON]

Hi Taz, g'night Taz!!..:=)

See ya soon!

[PROCON]

G’night Teenie, Monday calls and see ya soon!

[oldteen]

G’night Buddy!! Sleep well. Have a wonderful cool Monday. Be sure and leave them sleeves coverin’ them arms. Don’t need that cool burn :). *hugs*

[TASMANIANRED]

Good night Hug, Procon.

[TASMANIANRED]

We are actually down to 77 with 80% humidity and it isn’t raining.

[oldteen]

Whoa...we won’t have humidity like that until early morning. We’re dropping fast...down to 76’ with only 31% humidity. Might be a good night for sleeping tonight. We were still at 80’ at 12:15 last night.

[TASMANIANRED]

Sounds like you just might have good sleeping weather.

We have had storms pass all around us but not a drop here.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening/morning, Cindy. Rain all night, most of today, and sprinkles still. I enjoy watching and listening to it.

Hope you had a nice and relaxing day.

[TASMANIANRED]

Evening Kathy, Hugs.

[oldteen]

I see you’re home. How was Teresa doing tonight?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening/morning, Mooch...((HUGS)) A busy day? Some time to relax?

[oldteen]

We haven’t had any storms closer than Yosemite and that’s about 70 mi. from here. I dread summer storms with all the lightening strikes and rock slides...ugh!

[TASMANIANRED]

We don’t have rock slides but the past 3 nights have had a lasar light show off to our west.

Time for me to bug out.. it’s almost punch out time.

Night Teeny.

Night All.