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Hispanic-American Medal of Honor Recipients YABES, MAXIMO Rank and organization: First
Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company A, 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division.
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Hispanic-American Medal of Honor Recipients YABES, MAXIMO Rank and organization: First
Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company A, 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division.
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Citation: For conspicuous gallantry
and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. 1st Sgt.
Yabes distinguished himself with Company A, which was providing security for a land
clearing operation. Early in the morning the company suddenly came under intense automatic
weapons and mortar fire followed by a battalion sized assault from 3 sides. Penetrating
the defensive perimeter the enemy advanced on the company command post bunker. The
command post received increasingly heavy fire and was in danger of being overwhelmed.
When several enemy grenades landed within the command post, 1st Sgt. Yabes shouted
a warning and used his body as a shield to protect others in the bunker. Although
painfully wounded by numerous grenade fragments, and despite the vicious enemy fire
on the bunker, he remained there to provide covering fire and enable the others in
the command group to relocate. When the command group had reached a new position,
1st Sgt. Yabes moved through a withering hail of enemy fire to another bunker 50 meters
away. There he secured a grenade launcher from a fallen comrade and fired point blank
into the attacking Viet Cong stopping further penetration of the perimeter. Noting
2 wounded men helpless in the fire swept area, he moved them to a safer position where
they could be given medical treatment. He resumed his accurate and effective fire
killing several enemy soldiers and forcing others to withdraw from the vicinity of
the command post. As the battle continued, he observed an enemy machinegun within
the perimeter which threatened the whole position. On his own, he dashed across the
exposed area, assaulted the machinegun, killed the crew, destroyed the weapon, and
fell mortally wounded. 1st Sgt. Yabes' valiant and selfless actions saved the lives
of many of his fellow soldiers and inspired his comrades to effectively repel the
enemy assault. His indomitable fighting spirit, extraordinary courage and intrepidity
at the cost of his life are in the highest military traditions and reflect great credit
upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.