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The American Legion

Department of Arkansas

P.O. Box 3280

Little Rock, AR 72203

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"Still Serving America"

BACON, NICKY DANIEL

RANK AND ORGANIZATION: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company B, 4th Battalion, 21st Infantry, 11th Infantry Brigade, American Division.

PLACE AND DATE: West of Tam Ky, Republic of Vietnam, 26 August 1968.

ENTERED SERVICE AT: Phoenix, AZ.

BORN: 25 November 1945, Caraway, Ark.

CITATION: 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 anti-tank 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 United States Army.

The Department of Arkansas Honors our Heroes

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