Clarence M. Condon

Routed an entrenched force near Calulut with four men

Clarence M. Condon served as a sergeant in Battery G, 3rd U.S. Artillery, during the Philippine Insurrection. On 5 November 1899, near Calulut on the island of Luzon, he commanded a detachment of four men against a much larger force of entrenched insurgents. Condon led the charge that routed the position, inflicting heavy losses. The concise official citation does not identify the four soldiers or provide a detailed account of the engagement, but it records the scale of the odds and Condon’s command role.

Condon was born on 12 August 1875 in South Brooksville, Maine. He entered Army service as a private in 1894 and advanced to sergeant in the artillery before receiving the Medal of Honor for his action in the Philippines. His military career continued after the award, and he eventually reached the rank of lieutenant colonel. The Congressional Medal of Honor Society records St. Augustine, Florida, as his accredited home and notes that his medal was presented on 11 March 1902.

Condon died on 20 July 1916 and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery. His award recognized a decisive small-unit action: a four-man detachment moved against an entrenched position, broke its resistance, and drove off a force of about forty.

Citation: “While in command of a detachment of four men, charged and routed 40 entrenched insurgents, inflicting on them heavy loss.”

Sources 1. Congressional Medal of Honor Society. “Clarence Milville Condon,” recipient profile. 2. National Medal of Honor Museum. “Clarence Milville Condon,” recipient profile. 3. U.S. National Archives. Congressional Medals of Honor Index, Army recipients.