Colonel Fred A. Darden was commissioned an Infantry Officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School 4 August 1953. His first duty assignment was as Platoon Leader, 508th Airborne Regiment Combat Team, Fort Benning, Georgia. | His subsequent duty assignments include: Company Commander, 508th Airborne Regiment Combat Team, Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Platoon Leader/Company Commander, 2d Infantry Regiment, Munich, Germany; Company Executive Officer/Recon Officer, 2d Infantry Regiment, Fort Ord, California; Assistant S3, Schools Bde, Fort Ord, California; Commandant, NCO Academy, Fort Ord, California; Student, Infantry Officers Advanced Course; Company Executive Officer and Company Commander, 2d Battle Group, 9th Infantry, Fort Benning, GA; Company Commander, 2d Battle Group, 1st Infantry, Fort Benning, GA; Student, Command and General Staff College; Chief Investigations Division, Office of the IG, U.S. Army South Canal Zone; Plans Officer and Chief Liaison Division, ACofS, Military Assistance, Headquarters MACV, Vietnam; Chief, Operations and Administrative Division, Combat Developments Command, Infantry Agency; Battalion Commander, 16th Battalion, Fort Jackson, SC; Advisor to the G1, Imperial Iranian Ground Forces, ARMISH MAAG-Iran; Chief Field Advisory Team, Army Troops, ARMISH MAAG-Iran; Infantry Coordinator, U.S. Army Readiness Region III. | His awards and decorations include: Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal w/ Oak Leaf Cluster, MSM, JSCM, ACM with three Oak Leaf Clusters, AGCM, CIB, Parachute Badge, Submarine Badge.