Isaac Camacho

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Isaac Camacho, Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Detachment A-21, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces. Sergeant First Class Camacho distinguished himself by gallantry in action during the early morning on 2 November 1963, when an estimated reinforced battalion of Viet Cong attacked a Special Forces camp at Hiep Hoa, Republic of Vietnam. Taking the camp by complete surprise, the insurgents began their attack with withering automatic weapons and small arms fire followed within a few seconds by an intense mortar barrage. The heavy volume of high and flat trajectory fire pinned down the entire Vietnamese strike force within the compound. At the beginning of the attack, Sergeant First Class Camacho ran from his sleeping area to a mortar position. Having. successfully maneuvered through a hail of bullets and mortar fragments, Sergeant First Class Camacho calmly manned the mortar and began to concentrate his fire on the Viet Cong who were attempting to breach the wall of the compound. Disregarding his own personal safety and realizing that he was the only man not pinned down by the Viet Cong, Sergeant First Class Camacho valiantly engaged the enemy until he was ordered by his commanding officer to withdraw from the camp. Reluctantly, he gave up his position and moved into the darkness. In the confusion of battle, Sergeant First Class Camacho and his commanding officer became separated. Sergeant First Class Camacho was captured by the Viet Cong only when he no longer had any means to resist. Sergeant First class Camacho’s conspicuous gallantry in action was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Army and reflects great credit upon himself and the military service.
Headquarters, Department of the Army, General Orders 25 (8 June 2001)

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star Medal to Isaac Camacho (RA–18468655), Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army, for gallantry in action as a Prisoner of War, on 13 July 1965, in the Republic of Vietnam. After four days in the jungle and rivers of South Vietnam, avoiding numerous enemy patrols and fighting snakes and leeches, Sergeant First Class Camacho reached an allied outpost becoming the first American Prisoner of War to escape from enemy forces in Vietnam. All of this (was) following a period in excess of nineteen months held in captivity. Sergeant First Class Camacho’s daring escape galvanized the spirit and resistance for both his fellow prisoners and for United States Forces in Southeast Asia. Sergeant First Class Camacho’s conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on himself, his unit and the United States Army.