July 18, 2023 • 38 mins
On this episode of Our American Stories, in six hours, Master Sergeant Roy Benavidez saved 8-plus men while enduring 7 major gunshot wounds, 28 shrapnel wounds, and major bayonet slash wounds. Hear his Medal of Honor story from President Reagan and the man himself.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:18):
This is Lee Habib and this is our American Stories,
the show where America is the star and the American people.
Roy Benavidez struggled in his school before dropping out in
the seventh grade. He worked odd jobs to help support
his family in a tire shop on farms, even shining
shoes at the local bus station. In nineteen fifty two,
(00:41):
he enlisted in the Texas Army National Guard and eventually
became a member of the Army special forces known as
the Green Berets.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
One day in.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Nineteen sixty five, he was sent to Vietnam, where, on
just a single action, he was wounded thirty seven times
by bullets, strapped a bayonet and a rifle butt, But
his thoughts that day were on his.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Injured brothers in arms.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
His actions that day saved eight other men's lives in Vietnam.
He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery,
but it wouldn't be for thirteen years. In nineteen eighty one,
President Ronald Reagan presented Benevedez the Medal of Honor. Reagan
turned to the press and said, if the story of
his heroism were a movie script, you wouldn't believe it.
(01:31):
Let's begin this story with President Reagan speaking at that ceremony,
and later we will be hearing the details from Roy
Benevedez himself.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Let's take a listen, men and women of the Armed forces,
Ladies and gentlemen. Several years ago, we brought home a
group of American fighting men who had obeyed their country's call,
and who had fought as bravely and as well as
any America in our history. They came home without a victory,
(02:05):
not because they'd been defeated, but because they'd been denied
permission to win. They were greeted by no parades. They
were greeted by no parades, no bands, no waving of
the flag they had so nobly served.
Speaker 4 (02:25):
There's been no thank you for their sacrifice.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
There's been no effort to honor and thus give pride
to the families of more than fifty seven thousand young
men who gave their lives in that.
Speaker 4 (02:36):
Far away war.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
As the poet Lawrence Binyon wrote, they shall grow not old,
as we that are left grow old. Aids shall not
weary them, nor the years condemn, but the going down
of the sun, and in the morning we will remember
them pride. Of course, cannot wipe out the burden of
grief born by their families, but can make that grief
(03:01):
easier to bear. The pain will not be quite as
sharp if they know their fellow citizens share that pain.
John Stuart Mill said war is an ugly thing, but
not the ugliest of things. A man who has nothing
which he cares about more than his personal safety is
(03:22):
a miserable creature, and has no chance of being free
unless made and kept so by the exertions of better.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
Men than himself.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Bob Hope, who visited our men there as he had
in two previous wars, said of them, the number of
our gis who devote their free time, energy and money
to aid the Vietnamese would surprise you. And then he added,
but maybe it wouldn't.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
I guess you know.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
What kind of guys your sons and brothers and the
kids next door are.
Speaker 4 (03:56):
Oh, yes, we do know. I think we just let
us slip our minds for a time.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
It's time to show our pride in them and to
thank them. In his book The Bridges at Tokoree, novelist
James Mitchner writes movingly of the heroes who fought in
the Korean conflict. In the book's final scene, an admiral
stands on the darkened bridge of his carrier, waiting for pilots.
He knows we'll never return from their mission, and as
he waits, he asks, in the silent darkness, where did
(04:25):
we get such men? Almost a generation later, I asked
that same question when our POWs were returned from savage
captivity in Vietnam?
Speaker 4 (04:36):
Where did we find such men?
Speaker 3 (04:39):
We find them where we've always found them, in our
villages and towns, on our city streets, in our shops,
and on our farms. I have won more Vietnam story,
and the individual in his story was brought up on
a farm outside of Kireo in DeWitt County, Texas, and
he is here today. Thanks to the the Secretary of Defense,
(05:01):
Cap Weinberger, I learned of his story, which had been.
Speaker 4 (05:04):
Overlooked or buried for several years.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
It has to do with the highest award our nation
can give, the Congressional Medal of Honor, given only for
service above and beyond the call of duty. Ladies and gentlemen,
we're honored to have with us today. Master Sergeant Roy P. Benevedez,
US Army, retired let me read the plain, factual military
(05:28):
language of the citation that was lost for too.
Speaker 4 (05:31):
Long a time. Master Sergeant Roy P.
Speaker 3 (05:34):
Benavidez, United States Army retired for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidy
and action at the risk of his life, above and
beyond the call of duty. Where there is a brave man,
it is said, there's the thickest of the fight. There
is the place of honor. On May second, nineteen sixty eight,
Master Sergeant then Staff Sergeant Roy P. Benevidez distinguished himself
(05:59):
by a of daring and extremely valorous actions while assigned
to Detachment B fifty six, fifth Special Forces Group Airborne,
first Special Forces, Republic of Vietnam. On the morning of
May second, nineteen sixty eight, to twelve man Special Forces
Reconnaissance team was inserted by helicopters in a dense jungle
area west of lochnin Vietnam to gather intelligence information about
(06:23):
confirmed large scale enemy activity. This area was controlled and
routinely patrolled by the North Vietnamese Army. After a short
period of time on the ground, the team met heavy
enemy resistance and requested emergency extraction. Three helicopters attempt at
extraction but were unable to land due to intense enemy
(06:43):
small arms and anty aircraft fire. Sergeant Benavidez was at
the forward Operating base in loch Nin monitoring the operation
by radio. When these helicopters returned to offload wounded crew
members and to assess aircraft damage, Benavidez voluntarily boarded a
returning aircraft to assist in another extraction attempt.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
And we're taking you back to nineteen eighty one and
to President Ronald Reagan presenting the Medal of Honor to
Master Sergeant Roy Benavitez. When we come back, a bit
more of Reagan and then Benevedez himself here on Our
American Stories. Lee Habib here the host of our American Stories.
(07:35):
Every day on this show, we're bringing inspiring stories from
across this great country, stories from our big cities and
small towns. But we truly can't do the show without you.
Our stories are free to listen to, but they're not
free to make. If you love what you hear, go
to Ouramerican Stories dot com and click the donate button.
Give a little, give a lot. Go to Olamericanstories dot
(07:57):
com and give. And we returned to our American stories
in the story of Roy Benavidez and President Ronald Reagan,
who in nineteen eighty one presented Benavidez with the Medal
(08:19):
of Honor for his heroism in the Vietnam War. On
May second, nineteen sixty eight, Benavidez, a devout Catholic, was
attending a prayer service when he heard that a twelve
man Special Forces patrol team had inserted into a hornet's
nest of NVA. And that's the enemy's troops in Vietnam,
(08:39):
numbering between one thousand and fifteen hundred. Here's President Reagan,
followed by Roy Benavidez himself to share the rest of
the story.
Speaker 3 (08:50):
Sergeant Benavidez voluntarily boarded a returning aircraft to assist in
another extraction attempt. Realizing that all the team members were
either dead or wounded and unable to move to the
pickup zone, he directed the aircraft to a nearby clearing,
where he jumped from the hovering helicopter and ran approximately
seventy five meters under withering small arms fire to the
(09:12):
crippled team. Prior to reaching the team's position, he was
wounded in his right leg, face, and head. Despite these
painful injuries. He took charge, repositioning the team members and
directing their fire to facilitate the landing of an extraction
aircraft and the loading of wounded and dead team members.
He then threw smoke canisters to direct the aircraft to
(09:34):
the team's position. Despite his severe wounds and under intense
enemy fire, he 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 the classified documents
(09:56):
on the dead team leader. When he reached the team
leader's body, Sergeant Benevedez 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, Sergeant Benavides secured the classified
(10:18):
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 automatic weapons and grenade fire. He moved around the perimeter,
distributing water and ammunition to his weary men, re instilling
in them a will to live and fight. Facing a
(10:38):
build up of enemy opposition with a beleaguered team, Sergeant
Benavidez mustered his strength and began calling in tactical air
strikes and directing the fire from supporting gunships to suppress
the enemy's fire and so permit another extraction attempt. He
was wounded again in his thigh by small arms fire
while administering first aid to a wounded team member just
(10:59):
before another extraction helicopter was able to land. His indomitable
spirit kept him going as he began to carry his
comrades to the craft. On his second trip with the wounded,
he was clubbed from behind by an enemy soldier. In
the ensuing hand to hand combat, he sustained additional wounds
to his head and arms before killing his adversary. He
(11:21):
then continued under devastating fire to carry the wounded to
the helicopter. 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, he made one last trip to
the perimeter to ensure that all classified material had been
collected or destroyed and to.
Speaker 4 (11:43):
Bring in the remaining wounded.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
Only then, in serious condition from numerous wounds and loss
of blood, did he allow himself to be pulled into
the extraction aircraft. Sergeant Benevite's gallant choice to join voluntarily
his comrades were in critical straits to expose himself constantly
to withering enemy fire, and his refusal to be stopped
(12:06):
despite numerous severe wounds, save the lives of at least
eight men. His fearless personal leadership, tenacious devotion to duty,
and extremely valorous actions in the face of overwhelming odds
were in keeping with the finest traditions of the military
service and reflect the utmost credit on him and the
(12:27):
United States Army. Sergeant Benedictus, A nation grateful to you
and to all your comrades, living and dead, awards you
its highest symbol of gratitude for service above and beyond
the call of duty, the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Speaker 5 (12:48):
Thank You, Thank you, very much. Thank you, thank you, kay,
thank you very much.
Speaker 6 (13:11):
Monte that that yes, like I say in Spanish, in
German duncaschern, Japanese IWD, I got on nan and in
French metsi biccou. Thank you very much. I don't speak
those languages fluently, but I'll never get lost in those
countries ever I ever go there. I come from a
(13:32):
little town in Quarroo, Texas. I was born there in
the Turkey capital of the world. After the death of
my mother and father at early age, my brother and
I were adopted by nine uncle and we moved to
uh Compo, Texas town southwest of Houston. By nine and
a half. I was raised there. I went to school there.
(13:54):
I work at our jobs uh chine shoes, sold papers,
pig cotton, and like a fool, I dropped out of
school and I ran away from home. I'm not proud
of that. I needed to learn the skill. I needed
an education, my adopted father would tell me, son, an
(14:16):
education and a diploma is the key to success. Bad
habits and bad company will ruin you well. I was
too old to go back to school. I didn't wanna
return back, so I joined the Texas National Guard, and
I liked what I saw in men in uniform, and
(14:36):
I qualified to join the regular Army. I needed that
education and learned the skill, so I was h accepted
into the regular Army. And I heard about the Airborne.
I heard about that extra pay that you get for
jumping out of aeroplanes. So I qualified to go to
jump school Ford, ben and Georgia. But the during recruitise
(14:59):
never told me what the true anyone's like. For every
mistake that you make, you do push ups, and I
can honestly tell you the ladies and gentlemen, I'm one
of the guy that health put Georgia into South Carolina
doing push ups. Well, I finished my training, I got
(15:19):
assigned to a well known unit at Fort Brand, North Carolina,
the eighty second Airborne Division. I liked ada second, Thank
you Airborne all the way. I like that, And so
after a while there heard about the Special Forces, you
know it's as the Green Braves, and they were coming up.
(15:41):
So I qualified to join the Special Force. Of course,
I'm a linguist. We and the special Forces are trained
to operate deep behind any lines. Was little and not
support at all. We are training fire specialties. I'm training
three Operation Intelligence, where I learned an oceanographery me geology
(16:01):
of photography. I'm an interrogator, and I'm a linguist. I'm
trained in lighting, heavy weapons, and cross trains dometic. I've
been all over the world, far East Europe, south of
Central America, and two tours in Vietnam. I was assigned
to Battlin, Germany, and I was declared one time that
(16:22):
I was the only Hispanic American that could speak German.
Was a Southern accent, feilding down shot. So I came
back and retrained at Fort Bragg and Vietnam was brun up.
Speaker 1 (16:41):
And you're listening to Roy Benevetez telling one heck of
a story about his life, humble roots, hustling for work
when he's young, looking for structure, looking towards the future.
A father was just rooting for him, praying for him,
encouraging him. And he ends up well in the National
(17:02):
Guard and ultimately a Green Beret. And what intelligence, what
skill sets light and heavy weapons intelligence, a medic master
of many languages. I was the only Hispanic American who
could speak German with a Southern accent. Doesn't get any
better than that, folks. That is the story of America.
(17:24):
This guy is a walking diversity experiment and it's beautiful.
And when we come back, we're gonna hear more from Benavidez.
This is one heck of a story, one of our best.
Here on our American story, and we continue with our
(18:11):
American stories and the story of Roy Benevidez, as told
by Roy himself in front of a military audience.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
Let's pick up where we last left off. Here's Roy.
Speaker 6 (18:25):
In nineteen sixty five, I was sent to Vietnam as
and advisor to Vietnamese infantry unit. After a short period
of time there, I stepped on the mine. I woke
up in the Philippine Islands in Cloker Air Force Base.
I was paralyzed from the waist down. I was declared
never to walk again. I was transferred to Fort Sham, Houston,
(18:49):
Texas Beach Pavilion. The doctors were initiating my medical discharge papers.
But at night I would slip out of bed and
crawl to a wall using my elbows and my chin.
My back would just be killing me. I would be crying,
but I'd get to the wall and I'd set myself
(19:12):
against the wall and I backed myself up against the
wall and I'd stand there like a lodger the Indian.
I'd stand there and move my toes right and left right.
Every single chance I got A I got and I
wanted to walk. I wanted to go back to Vietnam
because of what the news media was saying about us,
(19:35):
that our presidents not needed there, that burned the flag what?
And I saw a lot of other patients coming back,
limbs missing. I wanted to go buck. I was determined
cause I remember when I was taught in jump school
an old Master sergeant whichever me been, I mean it,
(19:56):
quitters never win and winners never quit. What are you so?
I'm a winner? And I remember in my Spricial ward
and I remember my Spricial Forces training one of uh
(20:17):
training mansions that I was on. I remember that my
leader would tell me faith, determination and a positive attitude.
A positive attitude would carry you further than the ability.
You can do it, many ways you can do it.
I never forgot those three words. Never. So there I
(20:39):
was at night, slip out of bed. The nurses would
catch me sometime, they would chew me out and give
me a pill to sleep, and Bill put me to sleep.
They would tell the doctors. In the morning, I would
determine the woman. Nine months later, here comes my medical
discharge paper and I told the doctor, doctor, look what
(21:01):
I can do. He just sergy, and I'm sorry, even
if you can stand up, you'll never be able to walk.
I s jumped out of bed and I stood up,
running before him. My back was hurting ache and I
was crying, and I moved just a little bed. The
doctor said, Ben, I mean if you walked out of
this room, I'll tear this papers up. I walked out
(21:24):
of that ward at Beach Pavilion, I walked out was
a limp. I went back to Fort Borighth, North Carolina.
I started my therapy again, running five and ten miles
a day, doing fifteen hundred push up and I made
(21:47):
three pairtue jumps on one day. I was ready to
go back to Vietnam. Physically and mentally ready to go back.
My orders were to go to Central America as an advisor,
but being in commissioned officer and knowing some of the
good offers in the right places, martyrs were diverted, so
(22:08):
so so I went back to Vietnam in nineteen sixty eight.
Latter part of April. I was inserted my buddy and
I to gather intelligent information behind enemy lines. As after
two days on the ground, my buddy was shot through
the eye, the backs and legs. Our mission was completed,
(22:30):
but I didn't wanna leave my buddy there behind. I
called in for an extraction helicopter come and get us out.
They came in with the McGuire. Raig McGuire rags is
nothing but a pizza rope nylon rope to hook. In
that case, there was two ropes we hooked on. The
enemy was firing at us. We pulled up, going up
(22:50):
through the canopy of the jungle, our rope started to
twist and rub. You know, nihlone had burned when the rubs.
As we cleared the canopy, our rope were completely twisted
and rubbing. And it was a nuncommissioned officer that looked
out of the helicopter's riding as a safety man, and
when he saw those two ropes burning, he immediately tied
(23:12):
himself with a piece of rope run his waist and
he pulled himself out of the helicopter and undid those
two ropes separated. And that's dedication that's love a fellomen
in the country. I'll never forget that man. And the
enemy was still fine at it, but they never shot
a We landed. We landed in a safe spot. My
(23:39):
buddy was taken to the hospital. Shortly thereafter he expired.
I was in another station area waiting for an ext
assignment when I heard on the radio something like a
popcorn machine. Then I heard a voice, get us out
of here, Get us out of here, come in, get
us out quick. A sapped. I asked the radioperator who
(23:59):
was over. He said, I don't know. They haven't gave
us any call sign. And I saw some helicopter pilot
run to the flight line scrambling. I ran right behind him.
We saw a helicopter coming in land and had a
door guner slumped over his weapon. When the helicopter landed,
(24:22):
I unstrapped the door gunner. Michael Craig nineteen years old.
We just celebrated his nineteenth birthday in March. I cradled
him in my arms and his last words were my God,
my mother and father. I asked the pilot, who are
(24:43):
the people on the ground. He said hey, he said,
it's that block NCO. That none commissioned offer save you
lost the other day. Remember, I says, Leroy rides, Leroy
will get well. We've got picked for top seeker assignments,
him and Musso and O'Connor. So it was an instant reaction.
I saw a bag of medical supplies and picked it up,
(25:05):
went over to my helicopter, got on a helicopter. We
got on with the fall there. Controller of the guy
that's in, he says, you can't go in there, you
can't go in, it's too hot. Little did I know
that I was going to spend six hours in the hell.
You heard what the President reticititation of how in the
(25:26):
Medal of Honor, But he didn't tell you of what
I went through when I engaging the hind combat.
Speaker 2 (25:37):
And what a story.
Speaker 1 (25:38):
You're here and you're listening to Roy Benavidez share the
story of his life and my goodness. In nineteen sixty five,
when he sent to Vietnam as an advisor, he steps
on a mind and he's paralyzed from the waist down,
and he's told he'll never walk. Benavidez disagrees, and he
fights and struggles and pushes wills his way to walk again.
(26:03):
With some real memories of his mentors in his mind.
One of his Special Forces leaders and trainers told him
once faith, determination and a positive attitude, I will carry
you further than ability.
Speaker 2 (26:18):
Benavidez that stuck with him.
Speaker 1 (26:21):
I was determined to walk, he said, and in nineteen
sixty eight he walked straight back to Vietnam and straight
into trouble.
Speaker 2 (26:30):
When we come back.
Speaker 1 (26:32):
More of the remarkable story of Roy Benavidez, his selflessness,
his sacrifice, and, by the way, the story of so
many other Vietnam veterans that he talks about, including how
Americans treated Vietnam vet's stateside, an embarrassing chapter in American history.
More of Roy Benavidez's story here on our American Story,
(27:37):
and we continue with our American stories. On May sewo,
nineteen sixty eight, a twelve man Special Forces patrol was
surrounded by a thousand North Vietnamese soldiers. Army Special Forces
staff Sergeant Roy Benavidez heard the radio appeal for help
and boarded a helicopter voluntarily to help. Armed only with
(28:00):
a knife, he jumped from the helicopter, carrying his medical
bag and ran to help the trap patrol.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
Here again is Roy benevite.
Speaker 6 (28:10):
I was hidding him mouth. It was the butt of
the weapon. My jaws were locked after my last were
turned back to the helicopter. When I was boarded on,
I was holding my intextans in my hand. We lifted up.
The helicopter had a over his paid load. Blood was
(28:31):
flown on both sides of the helicopter when we landed
and locked me in our staytion area and it started unloading,
started identifying the bodies. They found out I loaded three
dead enemy soldiers in that helicopter. I didn't wanna leave
anybody behind my mission. My mission was to recover the
(29:04):
classified materials. So if anybody had it, I I he
was on a helicopter, so m they left. They left
the three enemy soldiers on the side, and because I
sort of look oriental, they thought I was one of them,
so it letting me lay right next to him, and
they were putting us in body bags. And I remember
(29:25):
that my feet had been lifted and I was inserting
cause the body bag, and I could hear that zipper
coming up and I said, oh my god, no, no,
My eyes were shut because I had blood all over
my face mine and the blood had dried up in
my eye lids, and I couldn't talk because my dogs
were locked. And I could hear the zipper coming up,
coming up, and one of my buddies was doing the
(29:47):
Mexican head dance and he was young at the doctor.
That's Ray, that's Roy been over here. The doctor said, sorry,
there's nothing I can do for him. Oh my god,
no zipper, this is just coming up. I was tr
I'm a wiggle in my own blood. And finally I'll
find out later Jerry Cotton to him, made that doctor
(30:08):
at least to feel my heart beat. When I felt
that hand on my chest, I made the luckiest shot
I ever made in my life. I spent in the
doctor's face. So the doctor says, I think he'll make it,
(30:35):
and he'll so. I uh. I was uh cleaned up,
put in a helicopter alongside with my buddy, one of
the guys that I had saved. We got airborne, and
I just said to myself, hold on, but it just
hold on. We're gonna get some medical attention. And his
(30:57):
grip tightened up on me and then he let go.
I said, oh God, why do you put me through
this test? Why you help me get these men out,
save 'em, save this material, and now you take 'em
away from me? Why? And I was crying, I was
moving so much at the co pilot. He happened to
(31:19):
look back and he thought that I was gasping for air.
So he gets out of his seat, get his bendet
out and he's gonna do a track on me. And
I'm about to kick him out of the helicopter. Not
just too much for one day. So I we landing
(31:45):
in the hospital at Long Bend, and I was wheeling
too the operating room. And as I was being lifted
to my operating table, I saw this nurse in her
hands and knees, crying, yelling, asking God, why do you
do this to these men? Why? Just crying. And as
(32:05):
I turned a little bit to my laught, I saw
on the other operating table a man that had both
legs and both arms. Mission I passed out. I woke
up in the ward. One of my buddies was laying
next to me. We were so bandied up we couldn't talk.
(32:26):
We used to whiggle our toes to make sure that
we were still alive. After a short while, my buddy
was transferred from there, and I thought he had died.
I was transferred to Japan ta Chikawa, and that airplane
that I was flying in matterbac we lost two men,
(32:48):
and I remember that nerves kept yelling at me and
if we just you're not gonna die on me. I'm
gonna pinch you. Every time you close your eyes, I'm
gonna pinch you. I'm gonna pinch you. Boys. She kept
pinching me when I got to Tachikawa. When I got
to Japan and they s put me into the operating room,
they disrobed me again. I remember that doctor. I heard
(33:09):
him say, what the world happened to You had blue spots,
red spots solover me And I said that lady kept
pinching me up there. So after I went back to
Fort San Houston to Beach Pavilion and I stayed in
the hospital almost a year. I continue with my career
(33:35):
and then I was awarded with a medal. I was
dedicated myself to come and speak to schools, the civic groups,
to help anyone that I can help. My life was
spared for a reason, and I hope there's a good reason.
A lot of people call me a hero. I appreciate
(33:56):
the title, but the real heroes are the ones that
gave their lives for this country. The real heroes are
(34:17):
our wives, our mothers. Above all, the heroes are the
ones that are laying in those hospital disable for life
in those hospital beds. But the real heroes are the
future leaders of our country. These students that are staying
in school and learning them to say no to drugs.
(34:37):
Those are our real heroes. You know, there's a sin
among us veterans for those that had fought for it.
Life has a special flavor that protected will never know.
You have never lived til you almost died. And it
(35:00):
is us veterans that pray for peace most of all,
especially the wounded, because we have to suffer the wounds
of war. I'm asked hundredths of times would you do
over again? In my twenty five years in the military,
(35:24):
I feel like I've been overpaid for the service to
my country. There'll never be enough paper to print the money,
you know, enough gold in Fort Knots for me to
have to keep from doing what I did. I'm proud
of being an American and even proud of and I'm
(35:58):
even proud of that I've earned the privilege to wear
the green bray I lived by the motto of duty, honor, country.
(36:19):
Ladies and gentlemen. Thank you very much, thank you, God
bless you, and God bless American.
Speaker 1 (36:28):
And a terrific job on the editing and the storytelling
and production by our own Greg Hangler. And a special
thanks to Medal of Honor recipient Roy Benevitez.
Speaker 2 (36:39):
What a story he told. It was an instant reaction.
Speaker 1 (36:42):
He said, to board that helicopter and head straight as
he put it, into hell, and to do one thing
save his brothers. And my goodness, that scene where he's
back at the hospital and that nurse sees all of
these boys blown to bits and she says, crying to God,
why do you do this to these men? And my goodness,
(37:03):
the humor and the jokes too. What a wit this
man has, and how hopeful he is after he's seen
what he's seen.
Speaker 2 (37:12):
He's in the hospital almost.
Speaker 1 (37:14):
A year after having experienced what he experienced, earning that
Medal of Honor. A lot of people call me a hero.
I appreciate the title that the real heroes are the
ones who gave their lives to the country. And I
love this when he said, for those who have fought
for it life as a special flavor. The protective will
(37:35):
never know you've never lived until you've almost died. I'm
proud to be an American, and even prouder that I
earned the privilege to wear the Green beret. His mission,
by the way, to speak to school children. Ronald Reagan
challenged him to do that. Always the good soldier who
(37:57):
followed the orders or the recommendations at the point of
the commander in chief. The story of Roy Benavidez. Here
on our American Stories
This is Lee Habib and this is our American Stories,
the show where America is the star and the American people.
Roy Benavidez struggled in his school before dropping out in
the seventh grade. He worked odd jobs to help support
his family in a tire shop on farms, even shining
shoes at the local bus station. In nineteen fifty two,
(00:41):
he enlisted in the Texas Army National Guard and eventually
became a member of the Army special forces known as
the Green Berets.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
One day in.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Nineteen sixty five, he was sent to Vietnam, where, on
just a single action, he was wounded thirty seven times
by bullets, strapped a bayonet and a rifle butt, But
his thoughts that day were on his.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Injured brothers in arms.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
His actions that day saved eight other men's lives in Vietnam.
He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery,
but it wouldn't be for thirteen years. In nineteen eighty one,
President Ronald Reagan presented Benevedez the Medal of Honor. Reagan
turned to the press and said, if the story of
his heroism were a movie script, you wouldn't believe it.
(01:31):
Let's begin this story with President Reagan speaking at that ceremony,
and later we will be hearing the details from Roy
Benevedez himself.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Let's take a listen, men and women of the Armed forces,
Ladies and gentlemen. Several years ago, we brought home a
group of American fighting men who had obeyed their country's call,
and who had fought as bravely and as well as
any America in our history. They came home without a victory,
(02:05):
not because they'd been defeated, but because they'd been denied
permission to win. They were greeted by no parades. They
were greeted by no parades, no bands, no waving of
the flag they had so nobly served.
Speaker 4 (02:25):
There's been no thank you for their sacrifice.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
There's been no effort to honor and thus give pride
to the families of more than fifty seven thousand young
men who gave their lives in that.
Speaker 4 (02:36):
Far away war.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
As the poet Lawrence Binyon wrote, they shall grow not old,
as we that are left grow old. Aids shall not
weary them, nor the years condemn, but the going down
of the sun, and in the morning we will remember
them pride. Of course, cannot wipe out the burden of
grief born by their families, but can make that grief
(03:01):
easier to bear. The pain will not be quite as
sharp if they know their fellow citizens share that pain.
John Stuart Mill said war is an ugly thing, but
not the ugliest of things. A man who has nothing
which he cares about more than his personal safety is
(03:22):
a miserable creature, and has no chance of being free
unless made and kept so by the exertions of better.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
Men than himself.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Bob Hope, who visited our men there as he had
in two previous wars, said of them, the number of
our gis who devote their free time, energy and money
to aid the Vietnamese would surprise you. And then he added,
but maybe it wouldn't.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
I guess you know.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
What kind of guys your sons and brothers and the
kids next door are.
Speaker 4 (03:56):
Oh, yes, we do know. I think we just let
us slip our minds for a time.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
It's time to show our pride in them and to
thank them. In his book The Bridges at Tokoree, novelist
James Mitchner writes movingly of the heroes who fought in
the Korean conflict. In the book's final scene, an admiral
stands on the darkened bridge of his carrier, waiting for pilots.
He knows we'll never return from their mission, and as
he waits, he asks, in the silent darkness, where did
(04:25):
we get such men? Almost a generation later, I asked
that same question when our POWs were returned from savage
captivity in Vietnam?
Speaker 4 (04:36):
Where did we find such men?
Speaker 3 (04:39):
We find them where we've always found them, in our
villages and towns, on our city streets, in our shops,
and on our farms. I have won more Vietnam story,
and the individual in his story was brought up on
a farm outside of Kireo in DeWitt County, Texas, and
he is here today. Thanks to the the Secretary of Defense,
(05:01):
Cap Weinberger, I learned of his story, which had been.
Speaker 4 (05:04):
Overlooked or buried for several years.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
It has to do with the highest award our nation
can give, the Congressional Medal of Honor, given only for
service above and beyond the call of duty. Ladies and gentlemen,
we're honored to have with us today. Master Sergeant Roy P. Benevedez,
US Army, retired let me read the plain, factual military
(05:28):
language of the citation that was lost for too.
Speaker 4 (05:31):
Long a time. Master Sergeant Roy P.
Speaker 3 (05:34):
Benavidez, United States Army retired for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidy
and action at the risk of his life, above and
beyond the call of duty. Where there is a brave man,
it is said, there's the thickest of the fight. There
is the place of honor. On May second, nineteen sixty eight,
Master Sergeant then Staff Sergeant Roy P. Benevidez distinguished himself
(05:59):
by a of daring and extremely valorous actions while assigned
to Detachment B fifty six, fifth Special Forces Group Airborne,
first Special Forces, Republic of Vietnam. On the morning of
May second, nineteen sixty eight, to twelve man Special Forces
Reconnaissance team was inserted by helicopters in a dense jungle
area west of lochnin Vietnam to gather intelligence information about
(06:23):
confirmed large scale enemy activity. This area was controlled and
routinely patrolled by the North Vietnamese Army. After a short
period of time on the ground, the team met heavy
enemy resistance and requested emergency extraction. Three helicopters attempt at
extraction but were unable to land due to intense enemy
(06:43):
small arms and anty aircraft fire. Sergeant Benavidez was at
the forward Operating base in loch Nin monitoring the operation
by radio. When these helicopters returned to offload wounded crew
members and to assess aircraft damage, Benavidez voluntarily boarded a
returning aircraft to assist in another extraction attempt.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
And we're taking you back to nineteen eighty one and
to President Ronald Reagan presenting the Medal of Honor to
Master Sergeant Roy Benavitez. When we come back, a bit
more of Reagan and then Benevedez himself here on Our
American Stories. Lee Habib here the host of our American Stories.
(07:35):
Every day on this show, we're bringing inspiring stories from
across this great country, stories from our big cities and
small towns. But we truly can't do the show without you.
Our stories are free to listen to, but they're not
free to make. If you love what you hear, go
to Ouramerican Stories dot com and click the donate button.
Give a little, give a lot. Go to Olamericanstories dot
(07:57):
com and give. And we returned to our American stories
in the story of Roy Benavidez and President Ronald Reagan,
who in nineteen eighty one presented Benavidez with the Medal
(08:19):
of Honor for his heroism in the Vietnam War. On
May second, nineteen sixty eight, Benavidez, a devout Catholic, was
attending a prayer service when he heard that a twelve
man Special Forces patrol team had inserted into a hornet's
nest of NVA. And that's the enemy's troops in Vietnam,
(08:39):
numbering between one thousand and fifteen hundred. Here's President Reagan,
followed by Roy Benavidez himself to share the rest of
the story.
Speaker 3 (08:50):
Sergeant Benavidez voluntarily boarded a returning aircraft to assist in
another extraction attempt. Realizing that all the team members were
either dead or wounded and unable to move to the
pickup zone, he directed the aircraft to a nearby clearing,
where he jumped from the hovering helicopter and ran approximately
seventy five meters under withering small arms fire to the
(09:12):
crippled team. Prior to reaching the team's position, he was
wounded in his right leg, face, and head. Despite these
painful injuries. He took charge, repositioning the team members and
directing their fire to facilitate the landing of an extraction
aircraft and the loading of wounded and dead team members.
He then threw smoke canisters to direct the aircraft to
(09:34):
the team's position. Despite his severe wounds and under intense
enemy fire, he 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 the classified documents
(09:56):
on the dead team leader. When he reached the team
leader's body, Sergeant Benevedez 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, Sergeant Benavides secured the classified
(10:18):
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 automatic weapons and grenade fire. He moved around the perimeter,
distributing water and ammunition to his weary men, re instilling
in them a will to live and fight. Facing a
(10:38):
build up of enemy opposition with a beleaguered team, Sergeant
Benavidez mustered his strength and began calling in tactical air
strikes and directing the fire from supporting gunships to suppress
the enemy's fire and so permit another extraction attempt. He
was wounded again in his thigh by small arms fire
while administering first aid to a wounded team member just
(10:59):
before another extraction helicopter was able to land. His indomitable
spirit kept him going as he began to carry his
comrades to the craft. On his second trip with the wounded,
he was clubbed from behind by an enemy soldier. In
the ensuing hand to hand combat, he sustained additional wounds
to his head and arms before killing his adversary. He
(11:21):
then continued under devastating fire to carry the wounded to
the helicopter. 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, he made one last trip to
the perimeter to ensure that all classified material had been
collected or destroyed and to.
Speaker 4 (11:43):
Bring in the remaining wounded.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
Only then, in serious condition from numerous wounds and loss
of blood, did he allow himself to be pulled into
the extraction aircraft. Sergeant Benevite's gallant choice to join voluntarily
his comrades were in critical straits to expose himself constantly
to withering enemy fire, and his refusal to be stopped
(12:06):
despite numerous severe wounds, save the lives of at least
eight men. His fearless personal leadership, tenacious devotion to duty,
and extremely valorous actions in the face of overwhelming odds
were in keeping with the finest traditions of the military
service and reflect the utmost credit on him and the
(12:27):
United States Army. Sergeant Benedictus, A nation grateful to you
and to all your comrades, living and dead, awards you
its highest symbol of gratitude for service above and beyond
the call of duty, the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Speaker 5 (12:48):
Thank You, Thank you, very much. Thank you, thank you, kay,
thank you very much.
Speaker 6 (13:11):
Monte that that yes, like I say in Spanish, in
German duncaschern, Japanese IWD, I got on nan and in
French metsi biccou. Thank you very much. I don't speak
those languages fluently, but I'll never get lost in those
countries ever I ever go there. I come from a
(13:32):
little town in Quarroo, Texas. I was born there in
the Turkey capital of the world. After the death of
my mother and father at early age, my brother and
I were adopted by nine uncle and we moved to
uh Compo, Texas town southwest of Houston. By nine and
a half. I was raised there. I went to school there.
(13:54):
I work at our jobs uh chine shoes, sold papers,
pig cotton, and like a fool, I dropped out of
school and I ran away from home. I'm not proud
of that. I needed to learn the skill. I needed
an education, my adopted father would tell me, son, an
(14:16):
education and a diploma is the key to success. Bad
habits and bad company will ruin you well. I was
too old to go back to school. I didn't wanna
return back, so I joined the Texas National Guard, and
I liked what I saw in men in uniform, and
(14:36):
I qualified to join the regular Army. I needed that
education and learned the skill, so I was h accepted
into the regular Army. And I heard about the Airborne.
I heard about that extra pay that you get for
jumping out of aeroplanes. So I qualified to go to
jump school Ford, ben and Georgia. But the during recruitise
(14:59):
never told me what the true anyone's like. For every
mistake that you make, you do push ups, and I
can honestly tell you the ladies and gentlemen, I'm one
of the guy that health put Georgia into South Carolina
doing push ups. Well, I finished my training, I got
(15:19):
assigned to a well known unit at Fort Brand, North Carolina,
the eighty second Airborne Division. I liked ada second, Thank
you Airborne all the way. I like that, And so
after a while there heard about the Special Forces, you
know it's as the Green Braves, and they were coming up.
(15:41):
So I qualified to join the Special Force. Of course,
I'm a linguist. We and the special Forces are trained
to operate deep behind any lines. Was little and not
support at all. We are training fire specialties. I'm training
three Operation Intelligence, where I learned an oceanographery me geology
(16:01):
of photography. I'm an interrogator, and I'm a linguist. I'm
trained in lighting, heavy weapons, and cross trains dometic. I've
been all over the world, far East Europe, south of
Central America, and two tours in Vietnam. I was assigned
to Battlin, Germany, and I was declared one time that
(16:22):
I was the only Hispanic American that could speak German.
Was a Southern accent, feilding down shot. So I came
back and retrained at Fort Bragg and Vietnam was brun up.
Speaker 1 (16:41):
And you're listening to Roy Benevetez telling one heck of
a story about his life, humble roots, hustling for work
when he's young, looking for structure, looking towards the future.
A father was just rooting for him, praying for him,
encouraging him. And he ends up well in the National
(17:02):
Guard and ultimately a Green Beret. And what intelligence, what
skill sets light and heavy weapons intelligence, a medic master
of many languages. I was the only Hispanic American who
could speak German with a Southern accent. Doesn't get any
better than that, folks. That is the story of America.
(17:24):
This guy is a walking diversity experiment and it's beautiful.
And when we come back, we're gonna hear more from Benavidez.
This is one heck of a story, one of our best.
Here on our American story, and we continue with our
(18:11):
American stories and the story of Roy Benevidez, as told
by Roy himself in front of a military audience.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
Let's pick up where we last left off. Here's Roy.
Speaker 6 (18:25):
In nineteen sixty five, I was sent to Vietnam as
and advisor to Vietnamese infantry unit. After a short period
of time there, I stepped on the mine. I woke
up in the Philippine Islands in Cloker Air Force Base.
I was paralyzed from the waist down. I was declared
never to walk again. I was transferred to Fort Sham, Houston,
(18:49):
Texas Beach Pavilion. The doctors were initiating my medical discharge papers.
But at night I would slip out of bed and
crawl to a wall using my elbows and my chin.
My back would just be killing me. I would be crying,
but I'd get to the wall and I'd set myself
(19:12):
against the wall and I backed myself up against the
wall and I'd stand there like a lodger the Indian.
I'd stand there and move my toes right and left right.
Every single chance I got A I got and I
wanted to walk. I wanted to go back to Vietnam
because of what the news media was saying about us,
(19:35):
that our presidents not needed there, that burned the flag what?
And I saw a lot of other patients coming back,
limbs missing. I wanted to go buck. I was determined
cause I remember when I was taught in jump school
an old Master sergeant whichever me been, I mean it,
(19:56):
quitters never win and winners never quit. What are you so?
I'm a winner? And I remember in my Spricial ward
and I remember my Spricial Forces training one of uh
(20:17):
training mansions that I was on. I remember that my
leader would tell me faith, determination and a positive attitude.
A positive attitude would carry you further than the ability.
You can do it, many ways you can do it.
I never forgot those three words. Never. So there I
(20:39):
was at night, slip out of bed. The nurses would
catch me sometime, they would chew me out and give
me a pill to sleep, and Bill put me to sleep.
They would tell the doctors. In the morning, I would
determine the woman. Nine months later, here comes my medical
discharge paper and I told the doctor, doctor, look what
(21:01):
I can do. He just sergy, and I'm sorry, even
if you can stand up, you'll never be able to walk.
I s jumped out of bed and I stood up,
running before him. My back was hurting ache and I
was crying, and I moved just a little bed. The
doctor said, Ben, I mean if you walked out of
this room, I'll tear this papers up. I walked out
(21:24):
of that ward at Beach Pavilion, I walked out was
a limp. I went back to Fort Borighth, North Carolina.
I started my therapy again, running five and ten miles
a day, doing fifteen hundred push up and I made
(21:47):
three pairtue jumps on one day. I was ready to
go back to Vietnam. Physically and mentally ready to go back.
My orders were to go to Central America as an advisor,
but being in commissioned officer and knowing some of the
good offers in the right places, martyrs were diverted, so
(22:08):
so so I went back to Vietnam in nineteen sixty eight.
Latter part of April. I was inserted my buddy and
I to gather intelligent information behind enemy lines. As after
two days on the ground, my buddy was shot through
the eye, the backs and legs. Our mission was completed,
(22:30):
but I didn't wanna leave my buddy there behind. I
called in for an extraction helicopter come and get us out.
They came in with the McGuire. Raig McGuire rags is
nothing but a pizza rope nylon rope to hook. In
that case, there was two ropes we hooked on. The
enemy was firing at us. We pulled up, going up
(22:50):
through the canopy of the jungle, our rope started to
twist and rub. You know, nihlone had burned when the rubs.
As we cleared the canopy, our rope were completely twisted
and rubbing. And it was a nuncommissioned officer that looked
out of the helicopter's riding as a safety man, and
when he saw those two ropes burning, he immediately tied
(23:12):
himself with a piece of rope run his waist and
he pulled himself out of the helicopter and undid those
two ropes separated. And that's dedication that's love a fellomen
in the country. I'll never forget that man. And the
enemy was still fine at it, but they never shot
a We landed. We landed in a safe spot. My
(23:39):
buddy was taken to the hospital. Shortly thereafter he expired.
I was in another station area waiting for an ext
assignment when I heard on the radio something like a
popcorn machine. Then I heard a voice, get us out
of here, Get us out of here, come in, get
us out quick. A sapped. I asked the radioperator who
(23:59):
was over. He said, I don't know. They haven't gave
us any call sign. And I saw some helicopter pilot
run to the flight line scrambling. I ran right behind him.
We saw a helicopter coming in land and had a
door guner slumped over his weapon. When the helicopter landed,
(24:22):
I unstrapped the door gunner. Michael Craig nineteen years old.
We just celebrated his nineteenth birthday in March. I cradled
him in my arms and his last words were my God,
my mother and father. I asked the pilot, who are
(24:43):
the people on the ground. He said hey, he said,
it's that block NCO. That none commissioned offer save you
lost the other day. Remember, I says, Leroy rides, Leroy
will get well. We've got picked for top seeker assignments,
him and Musso and O'Connor. So it was an instant reaction.
I saw a bag of medical supplies and picked it up,
(25:05):
went over to my helicopter, got on a helicopter. We
got on with the fall there. Controller of the guy
that's in, he says, you can't go in there, you
can't go in, it's too hot. Little did I know
that I was going to spend six hours in the hell.
You heard what the President reticititation of how in the
(25:26):
Medal of Honor, But he didn't tell you of what
I went through when I engaging the hind combat.
Speaker 2 (25:37):
And what a story.
Speaker 1 (25:38):
You're here and you're listening to Roy Benavidez share the
story of his life and my goodness. In nineteen sixty five,
when he sent to Vietnam as an advisor, he steps
on a mind and he's paralyzed from the waist down,
and he's told he'll never walk. Benavidez disagrees, and he
fights and struggles and pushes wills his way to walk again.
(26:03):
With some real memories of his mentors in his mind.
One of his Special Forces leaders and trainers told him
once faith, determination and a positive attitude, I will carry
you further than ability.
Speaker 2 (26:18):
Benavidez that stuck with him.
Speaker 1 (26:21):
I was determined to walk, he said, and in nineteen
sixty eight he walked straight back to Vietnam and straight
into trouble.
Speaker 2 (26:30):
When we come back.
Speaker 1 (26:32):
More of the remarkable story of Roy Benavidez, his selflessness,
his sacrifice, and, by the way, the story of so
many other Vietnam veterans that he talks about, including how
Americans treated Vietnam vet's stateside, an embarrassing chapter in American history.
More of Roy Benavidez's story here on our American Story,
(27:37):
and we continue with our American stories. On May sewo,
nineteen sixty eight, a twelve man Special Forces patrol was
surrounded by a thousand North Vietnamese soldiers. Army Special Forces
staff Sergeant Roy Benavidez heard the radio appeal for help
and boarded a helicopter voluntarily to help. Armed only with
(28:00):
a knife, he jumped from the helicopter, carrying his medical
bag and ran to help the trap patrol.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
Here again is Roy benevite.
Speaker 6 (28:10):
I was hidding him mouth. It was the butt of
the weapon. My jaws were locked after my last were
turned back to the helicopter. When I was boarded on,
I was holding my intextans in my hand. We lifted up.
The helicopter had a over his paid load. Blood was
(28:31):
flown on both sides of the helicopter when we landed
and locked me in our staytion area and it started unloading,
started identifying the bodies. They found out I loaded three
dead enemy soldiers in that helicopter. I didn't wanna leave
anybody behind my mission. My mission was to recover the
(29:04):
classified materials. So if anybody had it, I I he
was on a helicopter, so m they left. They left
the three enemy soldiers on the side, and because I
sort of look oriental, they thought I was one of them,
so it letting me lay right next to him, and
they were putting us in body bags. And I remember
(29:25):
that my feet had been lifted and I was inserting
cause the body bag, and I could hear that zipper
coming up and I said, oh my god, no, no,
My eyes were shut because I had blood all over
my face mine and the blood had dried up in
my eye lids, and I couldn't talk because my dogs
were locked. And I could hear the zipper coming up,
coming up, and one of my buddies was doing the
(29:47):
Mexican head dance and he was young at the doctor.
That's Ray, that's Roy been over here. The doctor said, sorry,
there's nothing I can do for him. Oh my god,
no zipper, this is just coming up. I was tr
I'm a wiggle in my own blood. And finally I'll
find out later Jerry Cotton to him, made that doctor
(30:08):
at least to feel my heart beat. When I felt
that hand on my chest, I made the luckiest shot
I ever made in my life. I spent in the
doctor's face. So the doctor says, I think he'll make it,
(30:35):
and he'll so. I uh. I was uh cleaned up,
put in a helicopter alongside with my buddy, one of
the guys that I had saved. We got airborne, and
I just said to myself, hold on, but it just
hold on. We're gonna get some medical attention. And his
(30:57):
grip tightened up on me and then he let go.
I said, oh God, why do you put me through
this test? Why you help me get these men out,
save 'em, save this material, and now you take 'em
away from me? Why? And I was crying, I was
moving so much at the co pilot. He happened to
(31:19):
look back and he thought that I was gasping for air.
So he gets out of his seat, get his bendet
out and he's gonna do a track on me. And
I'm about to kick him out of the helicopter. Not
just too much for one day. So I we landing
(31:45):
in the hospital at Long Bend, and I was wheeling
too the operating room. And as I was being lifted
to my operating table, I saw this nurse in her
hands and knees, crying, yelling, asking God, why do you
do this to these men? Why? Just crying. And as
(32:05):
I turned a little bit to my laught, I saw
on the other operating table a man that had both
legs and both arms. Mission I passed out. I woke
up in the ward. One of my buddies was laying
next to me. We were so bandied up we couldn't talk.
(32:26):
We used to whiggle our toes to make sure that
we were still alive. After a short while, my buddy
was transferred from there, and I thought he had died.
I was transferred to Japan ta Chikawa, and that airplane
that I was flying in matterbac we lost two men,
(32:48):
and I remember that nerves kept yelling at me and
if we just you're not gonna die on me. I'm
gonna pinch you. Every time you close your eyes, I'm
gonna pinch you. I'm gonna pinch you. Boys. She kept
pinching me when I got to Tachikawa. When I got
to Japan and they s put me into the operating room,
they disrobed me again. I remember that doctor. I heard
(33:09):
him say, what the world happened to You had blue spots,
red spots solover me And I said that lady kept
pinching me up there. So after I went back to
Fort San Houston to Beach Pavilion and I stayed in
the hospital almost a year. I continue with my career
(33:35):
and then I was awarded with a medal. I was
dedicated myself to come and speak to schools, the civic groups,
to help anyone that I can help. My life was
spared for a reason, and I hope there's a good reason.
A lot of people call me a hero. I appreciate
(33:56):
the title, but the real heroes are the ones that
gave their lives for this country. The real heroes are
(34:17):
our wives, our mothers. Above all, the heroes are the
ones that are laying in those hospital disable for life
in those hospital beds. But the real heroes are the
future leaders of our country. These students that are staying
in school and learning them to say no to drugs.
(34:37):
Those are our real heroes. You know, there's a sin
among us veterans for those that had fought for it.
Life has a special flavor that protected will never know.
You have never lived til you almost died. And it
(35:00):
is us veterans that pray for peace most of all,
especially the wounded, because we have to suffer the wounds
of war. I'm asked hundredths of times would you do
over again? In my twenty five years in the military,
(35:24):
I feel like I've been overpaid for the service to
my country. There'll never be enough paper to print the money,
you know, enough gold in Fort Knots for me to
have to keep from doing what I did. I'm proud
of being an American and even proud of and I'm
(35:58):
even proud of that I've earned the privilege to wear
the green bray I lived by the motto of duty, honor, country.
(36:19):
Ladies and gentlemen. Thank you very much, thank you, God
bless you, and God bless American.
Speaker 1 (36:28):
And a terrific job on the editing and the storytelling
and production by our own Greg Hangler. And a special
thanks to Medal of Honor recipient Roy Benevitez.
Speaker 2 (36:39):
What a story he told. It was an instant reaction.
Speaker 1 (36:42):
He said, to board that helicopter and head straight as
he put it, into hell, and to do one thing
save his brothers. And my goodness, that scene where he's
back at the hospital and that nurse sees all of
these boys blown to bits and she says, crying to God,
why do you do this to these men? And my goodness,
(37:03):
the humor and the jokes too. What a wit this
man has, and how hopeful he is after he's seen
what he's seen.
Speaker 2 (37:12):
He's in the hospital almost.
Speaker 1 (37:14):
A year after having experienced what he experienced, earning that
Medal of Honor. A lot of people call me a hero.
I appreciate the title that the real heroes are the
ones who gave their lives to the country. And I
love this when he said, for those who have fought
for it life as a special flavor. The protective will
(37:35):
never know you've never lived until you've almost died. I'm
proud to be an American, and even prouder that I
earned the privilege to wear the Green beret. His mission,
by the way, to speak to school children. Ronald Reagan
challenged him to do that. Always the good soldier who
(37:57):
followed the orders or the recommendations at the point of
the commander in chief. The story of Roy Benavidez. Here
on our American Stories
Host
Lee Habeeb
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