SHANGRALA'S

PROUD OF OUR TROOPS 9!

Below - Sea trials of USNS Benavidez (T-AKR-306) by Northrop Grumman Ship System Avondale Operations in the Gulf of Mexico, May 30, 2003. U.S. Navy photo by Ron Elias.       USNS Benavidez (T-AKR-306) proudly bears the name of U.S. Army Master Sergeant Raul (Roy) Perez Benavidez, who received the Medal of Honor for a series of daring and extremely valorous actions during the Vietnam War in 1968.       Benavidez was born on 5 August 1935, in Lindenau, Texas. He enlisted in the Texas Army National Guard in 1952 during the Korean War and in June 1955 transitioned to active duty Army. In 1959, he completed airborne training and was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.       Green Beret SSG Roy P. Benavidez saved a Special Forces unit in Vietnam in spite of a broken jaw, 37 bullet wounds and bayonet puncture wounds while assigned to Detachment B56, 5th Special Forces Group.       On May 2, 1968, a 12-man Special Forces reconnaissance team was inserted by helicopters in a dense jungle area west of Loc Ninh, Vietnam. The team met heavy enemy resistance, and requested emergency extraction. Three helicopters attempted extraction, but were unable to land due to intense enemy fire. Benavidez volunteered to assist in another extraction attempt. He jumped from the hovering helicopter, and ran approximately 75 meters under withering small arms fire to the crippled team.       Despite severe wounds and under intense enemy fire, he carried and dragged half of the wounded team members to the awaiting aircraft. 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 the helicopter crashed. Benavidez made his way back to the wreckage and helped the wounded out of the overturned aircraft and formed a defensive perimeter. He was wounded again just before another extraction helicopter landed.       Upon reaching the aircraft, Benavidez spotted and killed two more enemy soldiers. With little strength left, he made one last trip to bring in the remaining wounded. Only then, in extremely serious condition from numerous wounds and loss of blood, did he allow himself to be pulled into the extraction aircraft. His refusal to be stopped despite numerous severe wounds saved the lives of at least eight men.       He received the Medal of Honor for these actions. In addition to the Medal of Honor, Benavidez received the Purple Heart and numerous other awards throughout his magnificent career. There are numerous facilities named in his honor to include the Roy P. Benavidez American Legion Post #400 in San Antonio, Texas, and the Roy P. Benavidez City Park in Colorado Springs, Colorado.       Green Beret SSGT Benavidez died after a long illness in 29 November 1998. He is interred at the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio.

Praise God For His Heroic Actions

God Bless Them & God Bless America.

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SEE ALSO: Proud Of Our Troops!






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