Born: January 29, 1925
War: Vietnam
Rank: First Sergeant, U.S. Army
Location of Action: Near Phu Hoa Dong
Date of Action: February 26, 1967
Official Medal of Honor 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.
MAXIMO YABES
