The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Soldier’s Medal to Chief Warrant Officer [then Sergeant First Class] Augustine M. Mesada, United States Army, for heroism at the risk of life not involving conflict with an armed enemy as a member of Headquarters and Headquarters Company and Band, 3d Armored Division Support Command, on 24 October 1965. While boarding a bus to return to Frankfurt from Wiesbaden, Sergeant Mesada noted smoke coming from a nearby building. He and a civilian bus driver, saw three panic stricken people on the roof. They quickly squeezed through the crowd and scrambled up a construction scaffold to begin a perilous 20 minute rescue operation. They made their way to the top to find part of the roof in flames and a portion of it already beginning to buckle from the heat. Two teenagers, a girl about 18 and a boy about 16, calmed down when the rescuers reached them, but a 65-year-old woman was clinging to a TV antenna and had to be pulled away. They then maneuvered the trio to the stone ledge at the side of the roof. Just as they all reached the scaffolding, the roof exploded and collapsed. The scaffolding withstood the severe shaking, and the Weisbaden Fire Department arrived as the two were helping the three individuals down. Sergeant Mesada climbed down to the third floor scaffolding. The teenage girl slipped and fell and would have fallen to the street had not Sergeant Mesada reached out and caught her. Sergeant Mesada’s quick thinking, timing, and concern for the welfare and safety of others is highly commendable as evidenced by his complete disregard for his own personal safety and performing this action. This act reflects great credit upon himself, his unit and the 3d Armored Division and is in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Army.