[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9325 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9325

   To authorize the President to award the Medal of Honor to retired 
 Colonel Philip J. Conran for acts of valor in Laos as a member of the 
                   Air Force during the Vietnam War.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             August 6, 2024

 Mr. Carbajal introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To authorize the President to award the Medal of Honor to retired 
 Colonel Philip J. Conran for acts of valor in Laos as a member of the 
                   Air Force during the Vietnam War.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. AUTHORITY TO AWARD THE MEDAL OF HONOR TO RETIRED COLONEL 
              PHILIP J. CONRAN FOR ACTS OF VALOR IN LAOS DURING THE 
              VIETNAM WAR.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) While a Major in the Air Force, Philip J. Conran 
        demonstrated extraordinary heroism in military operations 
        against an opposing armed force as Aircraft Commander of a CH-
        3E helicopter of the 21st Special Operations Squadron, 56th 
        Special Operations Wing, Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Base, 
        Thailand, in action in Laos on October 6, 1969.
            (2) The military referred to Laos as ``a classified 
        location in Southeast Asia'' until decades after the Vietnam 
        War ended when the role of the United States in Laos was 
        declassified.
            (3) While attempting to rescue the crew of a downed 
        helicopter, Major Conran's aircraft was hit by intense hostile 
        ground fire, yet despite the hostile ground fire, Major Conran 
        continued the rescue operation and landed in the vicinity of 
        the downed crewmen.
            (4) Once on the ground, he successfully evacuated his 
        aircraft and assumed a major role in defending the crash site 
        against an overwhelming hostile force until rescue was possible 
        six hours later.
            (5) Major Conran repeatedly exposed himself to heavy 
        barrages of enemy automatic weapons fire to extract essential 
        equipment from the downed helicopters.
            (6) In spite of receiving a severe leg wound while exposed 
        to enemy fire and trying to strengthen their position, Major 
        Conran continued to encourage the others and did not mention 
        his wound until he had lost all feeling in his leg.
            (7) Major Conran's decision to come to the aid of his 
        downed comrades, his heroic actions above and beyond the call 
        of duty while under severe hostile fire, and his positive 
        attitude throughout the ordeal were instrumental in enabling 
        the two helicopter crews and 44 friendly troops to withstand 
        superior odds until a rescue could be made.
    (b) Authorization.--Notwithstanding the time limitations specified 
in section 9274 of title 10, United States Code, or any other time 
limitation with respect to the awarding of certain medals to persons 
who served in the Armed Forces, the President is authorized to award 
the Medal of Honor under section 9271 of such title to retired Colonel 
Philip J. Conran for the acts of valor in Laos described in subsection 
(a) for which he was previously awarded the Air Force Cross.
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