Lou's Page
Memorials posted in the Korean War Project.
Remembering CPL
Louis Bernard Conde
B CO 15 INF RGT 3 INF DIV
KIA 31 Jul 195
Submission 3418 (11 Jan 2000) by Richard J. Lawrence:
John Fennimore, another buddy of mine, and I met Lou Conde in Japan while awaiting shipment to Korea. In early January of 1952, the three of us embarked from Japan on the USS General Black and disembarked at Inchon, Korea. From there, we went by truck to the Replacement Depot for the 3rd Inf Div, near Seoul. After a few days there, the three of us, while still together were transported by truck to the MLR and Co B, 15th Inf Rgt, 3rd Inf Div. We got there about 17 Jan 1952 and were assigned to different squads, but all in the 2nd Platoon.
I was assigned to a machinegun crew in the 4th Squad and Lou became a rifleman in one of the three rifle squads. Lou was a very thoughtful and good natured person, well liked by all of us.
Early in the morning of 29 Jan 1952, the 2nd platoon set out under the command of Lt. Ross E. Sitler, on a long patrol and well into no man's land beyond our MLR. We crossed our Outpost Kelly, an unoccupied Cavite, and a small tributary of the Imjin River.
About midday, after we had come to and were crossing some low lying hills where we had little or no protection, we came under heavy enemy fire from small arms and mortars.
Lou was very near the point of the patrol and, I believe, was the first man hit. Everyone was trying to find what little cover was available. As the day wore on into the late afternoon and we had incurred numerous casualties, we were able to make our way back to a low lying hill that had, at least, a shallow trench that provided some cover.
The last remnants of the platoon did not get back to the MLR till almost dusk, but Lou did not make it back. The next morning, another patrol by another platoon made a fruitless attempt to find Lou or his body. He was, at first, listed as MIA, but his remains were never accounted for and he is now listed as KIA.
Lou was a valued one of us and missed by all of us who knew him. He is still missed by me and, to this day, it bothers me that his remains were never found. May he rest in peace, and God Bless Him.
