PART 2

 “If the story of US Army Master Sergeant Roy Benavidez’ heroism were a movie script, you would not believe it.”

(President Ronald Reagan – at the Medal of Honor ceremony, 1981 )

The Congressional Medal of Honor is the U.S. Military’s  highest decoration. It is awarded to those who have “risked their lives protecting others, above and beyond the call of duty.” Medal of Honor recipients epitomize the courage and sacrifice of all our U.S. Military members that we honor on Memorial Day.

Here is one example of a Medal of Honor recipient you will never forget.

Medal of Honor Recipient:  U.S. Army Master Sergeant Roy P. Benavidez.

Date of Action:  May 2, 1968,  Loc Ninh was in Cambodia, but it was during the Vietnam War.

Benavidez’ indescribably heroic actions saved the lives of at least 8 men, and typify the heroism of all Medal of Honor recipients.

Description and Citation Excerpts

On the morning of 2 May, 1968, a 12-man Special Forces Reconnaissance Team was inserted by helicopters in a dense jungle area west of Loc Ninh, Vietnam, to gather intelligence information.

They quickly were surrounded by a North Vietnamese infantry battalion of about 1,000 men, met heavy enemy resistance, and requested emergency extraction.

Three helicopters attempted extraction, but were unable to land due to intense enemy fire.

Sgt. Benavidez was at the Forward Operating Base in Loc Ninh monitoring the operation by radio when these helicopters returned to off-load wounded crewmembers. Sgt. Benevidez voluntarily boarded a returning aircraft to assist in another extraction attempt to help the trapped patrol.

With the helicopter unable to land in the jungle, and realizing that all the team members on the ground were either dead or wounded, unable to move, and would be unable to reach the helicopter by themselves, Benavidez, armed with only a knife, jumped from the hovering helicopter into what he later described as “six hours in hell.”

Under withering small arms fire, Benavidez ran approximately 75 yards to the team’s position. While running, Benavidez was shot in the leg, and a hand grenade explosion struck his head and face with shrapnel.

Upon reaching the team, he reorganized the remaining forces on the ground, stabilized the wounded, and armed himself with an AK-47 from one of the dead soldiers.

Despite his painful injuries, he took charge, repositioning the team members and directing their fire to facilitate the landing of the extraction aircraft and the loading of the wounded and dead team members.

Despite his severe wounds and under intense enemy fire, Benavidez carried and dragged half of the wounded team members to the awaiting aircraft. He then provided protective fire by running alongside the aircraft as it moved to pick up the remaining team members.

As the enemy’s fire intensified, he hurried to recover the body and classified documents on the dead team leader. When he reached the leader’s body, Benavidez was severely wounded by small-arms fire in the abdomen and grenade fragments in his back.

At nearly the same moment, the aircraft pilot was mortally wounded, and his helicopter crashed.

Although in extremely critical condition due to his multiple wounds, Benavidez secured the classified documents and made his way back to the wreckage, where he aided the wounded out of the overturned aircraft, and gathered the stunned survivors into a defensive perimeter.

Under increasing enemy fire, Benavidez moved around the perimeter distributing water and ammunition to his weary men, re-instilling in them a will to live and fight., Benavidez mustered his strength,and  began calling in tactical air strikes to permit another extraction attempt.

Benavidez was wounded again in his thigh by small-arms fire while administering first aid to a wounded team member just before another extraction helicopter was able to land. His indomitable spirit kept him going as he began to ferry his comrades to the craft.

On his second trip with the wounded, Benavidez was clubbed in the jaw by an NVA soldier and run through with a bayonet. Benavidez killed the soldier with his knife, and continued moving injured team members to the helicopter while holding his intestines in his hands: killing two more NVA soldiers who were preparing to kill the helicopter pilot.

Upon reaching the aircraft, he spotted and killed two enemy soldiers who were rushing the craft from an angle that prevented the aircraft door-gunner from firing upon them.

With little strength remaining, Benavidez made one last trip to the perimeter to ensure that all classified material had been collected or destroyed and to bring in the remaining wounded.

Only then, in extremely serious condition from numerous wounds and loss of blood, did Benavidez allow himself to be pulled into the extraction aircraft.

Unable to speak or move, and with his eyes glued shut with blood, Benavidez felt himself being zipped into a body bag, presumed dead.

Mustering the last of his strength, unable to speak, move, or open his eyes, Benavidez spat in the doctor’s face to convey that he was still alive.  The doctor said, “I think this one’s going to make it” …and he certainly did.

Over a 6-hour period of continuous action, the severe wounds

 Sgt. Benavidez received included: Seven major gunshot

 wounds, 28 shrapnel holes in his head, shoulder, buttocks, feet

 and legs, both arms slashed by a bayonet, right lung destroyed,

 and injuries to his mouth and the back of his head from being

 clubbed by a rifle butt. He was also shot in the back with an 

AK-47 and the bullet exited just beneath his heart.

Sgt. Benavidez’ decision to voluntarily join his comrades who were in critical straits, to expose himself constantly to withering enemy fire, and his refusal to be stopped despite numerous severe wounds, saved the lives of at least eight men.

Sgt. Roy Benavidez’ fearless personal leadership, tenacious devotion to duty, and extremely valorous actions in the face of overwhelming odds were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect the utmost credit on him and the United States Army.

Roy Benavidez spent the rest of his life serving and protecting others.

He was an advocate for underprivileged children and disabled veterans. In 1983 he fought for his Vietnam War comrades one last time, successfully advocating for the continuation of disability benefits for Vietnam veterans.

Master Sergeant Roy Benavidez embodied the Soldiers Creed of the US Army that says:

“I will always place the mission first. I will never accept defeat. I will never quit. I will never leave a fallen comrade.”

_______________________________________

Speak Up, Nevada! What’s on Your Mind? Send us your opinion!

Got the inside scoop on something happening in Nevada? Or the country? Do you have thoughts about life in Nevada that are too good to keep to yourself? Whether it’s a hot take on our politics, crime, education, or even the secret to surviving our summers, we’re all ears! Swing them our way at editor@thenevadaglobe.com. Come on, give us the scoop on what makes Nevada tick—or what ticks you off. Let’s make some noise and have some fun with it!