Marine Sergeant Kenneth Conde - Someone You Should Know

Posted By Blackfive

Jim B. from Schaumburg, Illinois sends this one with a one liner note to me:

One reeeely tough marine for your someone you should know postings...

Jim is right. This Marine is one tough SOB.

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Kenneth Conde Jr.
Marine Fought for Several Days, Despite Gunshot Wound
By U.S. Marine Cpl. Paula M. Fitzgerald / 1st Marine Division

CAMP HURRICANE POINT, Iraq, April 21, 2004 — Marine Sgt. Kenneth Conde Jr. didn't even realize he had been shot until someone told him.

<...>

Conde, McKenzie and Cox kept searching for the enemy. They exposed themselves to fire because it was the only way they could get a good look at enemy's firing positions. As they pushed forward, Conde was able to take out two shooters, but then things took a turn for the worse.

"I was running, and I watched as I got shot in the left shoulder," Conde said. "I remember seeing a red mist coming from my back."

Even though he saw himself get shot, it didn't occur to Conde to quit fighting. "I didn't really realize I had been shot until one of the Marines said something," he added.

According to McKenzie, Conde fired several shots, killing a combatant, before falling to the ground. He then managed to get back to his feet and fire a few more rounds at the enemy before falling again.

"We helped him up so he could get to the corpsman to get bandaged up," McKenzie, a 22 year old from Bonaqua, Tenn. "We made sure to kill the guys who shot him."

The corpsman treated Conde, who only wanted to get his gear and get back to the fight. Conde's Marines were out there and he knew his place was alongside them.

"We stayed and fought until every one of the insurgents was dead," Conde said. Before the day was through, 3rd MAP also raided the house of a former Baath Party member and seized a large weapons cache.

Over the next few days, Conde's unit participated in several other firefights until the violence died down. All the while, he nursed his wound, not giving into the pain and refusing to leave his Marines.

Only when his arm went numb, making it difficult to hold his rifle steady, did he finally give in and step out of the fight.

Back at the camp here, Marines asked Conde why he chose to stay and fight even after being shot.

"I told them that I couldn't just leave the fight when I still could keep going," he told them.

But it his actions didn't surprise his fellow Marines.

"He always told us that he would lead us from the front, and that we would never do anything if he wasn't doing it too," Cox explained. "After being in that firefight with him, I will always know that he is true to his word."

Damn straight, 'he is true to his word.' I wouldn't expect anything less, but it's still great to hear about Americans like Sergeant Conde, isn't it?

Update: Sergeant Conde was killed in action. Please pray for his family and friends.

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Comments

Marine Sergeant Kenneth Conde - Someone You Should Know

Jim B. from Schaumburg, Illinois sends this one with a one liner note to me:

One reeeely tough marine for your someone you should know postings...

Jim is right. This Marine is one tough SOB.

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Kenneth Conde Jr.
Marine Fought for Several Days, Despite Gunshot Wound
By U.S. Marine Cpl. Paula M. Fitzgerald / 1st Marine Division

CAMP HURRICANE POINT, Iraq, April 21, 2004 — Marine Sgt. Kenneth Conde Jr. didn't even realize he had been shot until someone told him.

<...>

Conde, McKenzie and Cox kept searching for the enemy. They exposed themselves to fire because it was the only way they could get a good look at enemy's firing positions. As they pushed forward, Conde was able to take out two shooters, but then things took a turn for the worse.

"I was running, and I watched as I got shot in the left shoulder," Conde said. "I remember seeing a red mist coming from my back."

Even though he saw himself get shot, it didn't occur to Conde to quit fighting. "I didn't really realize I had been shot until one of the Marines said something," he added.

According to McKenzie, Conde fired several shots, killing a combatant, before falling to the ground. He then managed to get back to his feet and fire a few more rounds at the enemy before falling again.

"We helped him up so he could get to the corpsman to get bandaged up," McKenzie, a 22 year old from Bonaqua, Tenn. "We made sure to kill the guys who shot him."

The corpsman treated Conde, who only wanted to get his gear and get back to the fight. Conde's Marines were out there and he knew his place was alongside them.

"We stayed and fought until every one of the insurgents was dead," Conde said. Before the day was through, 3rd MAP also raided the house of a former Baath Party member and seized a large weapons cache.

Over the next few days, Conde's unit participated in several other firefights until the violence died down. All the while, he nursed his wound, not giving into the pain and refusing to leave his Marines.

Only when his arm went numb, making it difficult to hold his rifle steady, did he finally give in and step out of the fight.

Back at the camp here, Marines asked Conde why he chose to stay and fight even after being shot.

"I told them that I couldn't just leave the fight when I still could keep going," he told them.

But it his actions didn't surprise his fellow Marines.

"He always told us that he would lead us from the front, and that we would never do anything if he wasn't doing it too," Cox explained. "After being in that firefight with him, I will always know that he is true to his word."

Damn straight, 'he is true to his word.' I wouldn't expect anything less, but it's still great to hear about Americans like Sergeant Conde, isn't it?

Update: Sergeant Conde was killed in action. Please pray for his family and friends.

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