- Recipient: Roy Benavidez
- Branch: U.S. Army
- Combat: Vietnam War
Shakespeare memorably asked, “What’s in a name?” To many, a name connects us to generations past and present. To some, a name serves as a tribute to a loved one.
For Roy P. Benavidez, his family name served as a reminder of a promise he made to his grandfather Salvador, who said, “You must always remember you are a Benavidez. You must always bring honor to that name.”
Orphaned as a child, Benavidez grew up with his grandfather and uncle Nicolas in Cuero, Texas. After repeatedly getting into fights at school and clashing with local authorities, Benavidez dropped out at age 15. He worked odd jobs to support his family, including picking beets and cotton as a migrant worker and pumping gas as a station attendant.
But his grandfather’s words impacted him deeply, and Benavidez sought to honor his family name through his actions.
At 17, he joined the Texas National Guard during the Korean War. At 19, he joined the Regular Army and then attended Military Police (MP) training. By 1965, he deployed to Vietnam with the 82nd Airborne Division.
During a routine patrol with the South Vietnamese Army Regiment, Benavidez stepped on a landmine. He regained consciousness in a Philippine hospital, paralyzed from the waist down. After returning to Fort Sam Houston, Texas, doctors told him he would never walk again. Against all odds, Benavidez bravely fought to regain control of his lower extremities. He taught himself to sit, stand, and walk. When the Army discharged him from the hospital, Benavidez spent six months in physical therapy and then went to Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
By 1967, he had completed Special Forces selection, training as a weapons expert before receiving an assignment to the 5th Special Forces Group. He was returning to Vietnam.
“I’m proud to be an American … and I’m even prouder that I’ve earned the privilege to wear the Green Beret. I live by the motto of “Duty, Honor, Country.” Roy Benavidez
A Panicked Cry for Help
On May 2, 1968, then-Staff Sergeant Benavidez returned from Catholic Mass and heard a distress call on the radio. His good friend and comrade, Sergeant First Class LeRoy Wright and an 11-man Special Forces team were under attack near Loc Ninh, Cambodia, where Benavidez was stationed. The soldiers were outnumbered 100 to 1 by enemy forces, and three helicopters had attempted to rescue them without success.
Benavidez jumped into action. Grabbing a small knife and first-aid kit, he voluntarily boarded the next rescue helicopter. He directed the aircraft to land in a small clearing and jumped out. Disregarding his personal safety, Benavidez ran 75 meters through a rain of small-arms enemy fire to reach the stranded team. He received injuries to his head, face, and right leg en route.
After tending to his severely wounded comrades, Benavidez signaled for the helicopter to extract him and the team. While directing troops to safety, he was shot in the stomach, and the pilot of a second rescue helicopter perished. Benavidez immediately took control of the situation by setting up a defensive perimeter around the remaining survivors. He continued to administer first aid despite his own serious injuries, then carried his teammates to the newly descending rescue choppers. After ensuring his comrades were aboard, he secured all classified materials from the deceased team leader and took refuge in the aircraft.
During this intense rescue mission, Benavidez received 37 injuries from bullets, shrapnel, and bayonets, in addition to a broken jaw. His severe bleeding and lifeless body convinced medical personnel to load him into a body bag. But before they could zip it up, Benavidez mustered enough strength to spit — and from there began a year-long recovery in several hospitals.
Thirteen years later, on February 24, 1981, Benavidez earned the Medal of Honor. “If the story of his heroism was a movie script, you would not believe it,” President Ronald Regan said at the ceremony.
Passing on a Legacy of Patriotism
After retiring from the Army in 1976, Benavidez focused on speaking and mentoring American youth across the nation, using his story as an example. He taught them that small choices—positive or negative—add up over time.
“If you could have bet on me back then, the odds were about even that in 10 years, I’d either still be pumping gas or in prison,” Benavidez said.
He urged young audiences to prioritize their education and adhere to their values. Benavidez was passionate about encouraging impoverished children to find purpose in a military career rather than a gang.
In 1983, Benavidez testified before Congress about his experiences and wounds from the Vietnam War. He asked that benefits be restored to disabled veterans who were struggling. Benavidez’s story convinced Congress to reinstate social security benefits for more than 30,000 veterans. His fierce loyalty to comrades and his bone-deep love for America still inspire military trainees and officers today. The name “Benavidez” honorably lives on through Roy’s self-sacrifice and valiant bravery in the face of imminent danger.
