To authorize the President to award the Medal of Honor to retired Colonel Philip J. Conran for acts of valor in Laos as a member of the Air Force during the Vietnam War.

The bill (H.R. 4580) would authorize the President to award the Medal of Honor (the United States’ highest military decoration for valor) to retired Colonel Philip J. Conran for acts of heroism in Laos during the Vietnam War. Specifically, it recognizes actions on October 6, 1969, as the Aircraft Commander of a CH-3E helicopter, during a rescue mission to save the crew of a downed helicopter. The bill notes that Conran demonstrated extraordinary heroism under intense enemy fire, helped evacuate the crew, defended the crash site for about six hours, and continued to assist despite a severe leg wound. It also states that he had previously been awarded the Air Force Cross. Importantly, the bill would authorize the Medal of Honor notwithstanding existing time limitations in law, allowing the President to confer the MOH for these acts of valor.