January 13, 2025 • 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. One day in 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.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Were on his 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 American 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. There's been no
(02:26):
thank you for their sacrifice. 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 far away war. 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,
(02:49):
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
it can make that grief 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
(03:12):
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 a miserable creature, and has
no chance of being free unless made and kept so
by the exertions of better men than himself. Bob Hope,
(03:35):
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. I guess you know what kind of
guys your sons and brothers and the kids next door are. Oh, yes,
(03:56):
we do know. I think we just let its lip
our minds for a time. 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
(04:16):
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 we get such men?
Almost a generation later, I asked that same question when
our POWs were returned from savage captivity in Vietnam? Where
(04:36):
did we find such men? 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 this
story was brought up on a farm outside of Kireo
in DeWitt County, Texas, and he is here today. Thanks
(04:59):
to the Secretary of Defense Cap. Weinberger, I learned of
his story, which had been overlooked or buried for several years.
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,
(05:23):
US Army retired, let me read the plain factual military
language of the citation that was lost for too.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
Long a time.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
Master Sergeant Roy P. Benavidez, United States Army retired for
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidy in 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
(05:56):
Sergeant Roy P. Benevidez distinguished himself 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
(06:17):
in a dense jungle area west of lochnin Vietnam to
gather intelligence information about 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
(06:38):
helicopters attempt at extraction, but were unable to land due
to intense enemy 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
(07:01):
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. Liehbibe 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 Ouramericanstories 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
(08:18):
of Honor for his heroism in the Vietnam War. On
May second, nineteen sixty eight, Benevetez, 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 wound 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.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
To the crippled team.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
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 the team's position.
(09:36):
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 on the
(09:56):
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 documents and
(10:19):
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 build
up of enemy opposition with a beleaguered team, Sergeant Benavidez
(10:43):
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 before
another distraction helicopter was able to land. His indomitable spirit
(11:04):
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
then continued under devastating fire to carry the wounded to
(11:24):
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 bring in the remaining wounded.
(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, saved 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 4 (12:48):
Thank You, Thank you very much, thank you, thank you, Okay,
thank you very much. Monte that that yes, like I
(13:12):
say in Spanish, in German duncaschern, Japanese howd I got
on nan? And in French METSI biou? 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 little town in Quarro, Texas. I was
(13:35):
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. I work at our jobs uh
(13:56):
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 education and a diploma is a key to success.
(14:20):
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 I qualified to join the regular Army. I needed
that education and learned the skill, so I was h
(14:42):
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
never told me what the train know what it's like.
For every mistake that you make, you do push ups,
(15:05):
and I can honestly tell you the ladies and gentlemen,
I'm one of the guy that helth put Georgia into
South Carolina doing push ups. Well, I finished my training,
I got assigned to a well known unit at Fort Brand,
North Carolina, the eighty second Airborne Division. I liked ata second,
(15:26):
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. So I qualified to join the Special Force.
Of course, I'm a linguist. We and the special Forces
(15:48):
are trained to operate deep behind any lines. Was little
and don't support at all. We are training fire specialties.
I'm training three operation intelligence, where I learned oceanographery me,
geology of photography. I'm an interrogator, and I'm a linguist.
I'm trained in lighting, heavy weapons, and cross trains domitic.
(16:09):
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 I was the only Hispanic American that could speak German.
Was a Southern accent. Feeling downer. So I came back
(16:35):
and retrained at Fort Braggen, 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. It 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 going to hear more
from Benavidez. This is one heck of a story, one
of our best. Here on our American story, and we
(18:10):
continue with our 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 4 (18:25):
In nineteen sixty five, I was sent to vietnamans 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
(18:45):
to walk again. I was transferred to Fort Sham, Houston,
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.
(19:06):
My back would just be killing me. I would be crying,
but I'd get to the wall and I'd set myself
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
(19:29):
wanted to walk. I wanted to go back to Vietnam
because of what the news media was saying about us,
that our presidents and not needed there. That burned the
flying 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
(19:51):
jump school an old Master sergeant whichever HA been, I mean,
it's quitters never win and winners never quit. What are you.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
So?
Speaker 4 (20:00):
I'm a winner? And I remember in my Spricial ward
and I remember in my Spricial Forces training, one of
the training mansions that I was on. I remember that
(20:22):
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
was at night, slip out of bed. The nurses would
(20:43):
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
I can do. He just sort and I'm sorry, even
(21:04):
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 the papers up. I walked out
(21:24):
of that ward at Beach Pavilion, I walked out was
a limp. I went back to Fort Burgh, 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 an on commissioned officer and knowing some of
the good offers in the right places, martyrs were diverted,
so so so I went back to Vietnam in nineteen
(22:13):
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, but I didn't wanna leave. My buddy was behind.
I called in for an extraction helicopter, come and get
(22:35):
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 through the canopy of the jungle, our rope started
to twist and rub. You know, nihlone had burned when
(22:56):
it rubs. As we cleared the canopy, our rope were
completely twisted and rubbing. And it was an uncommissioned officer
that looked out of the helicopter that's riding as a
safety man, and when he saw those two ropes burning,
he immediately tied himself with a piece of rope run
his waist and he pulled himself out of the helicopter
(23:18):
and undid those two ropes separated and that's dedication. That's
the love of 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 buddy was taken to the hospital.
(23:41):
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 sap. I asked
the radio operator who was over. He said, I don't know.
(24:01):
They haven't gave us any call sign. And I saw
some helicopter pilot run to the flight line scrambling. I
ran rid behind him. We saw a helicopter coming in
land and had a door gunner slumped over his weapon.
When the helicopter landed, unstrapped the door gunner. Michael Craig
(24:25):
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 the people on the ground. He said, hey,
(24:45):
he said, it's that block NCO, that non commissioned of
Alfarer save you lost the other day. Remember, I says,
Leroy rides, Leroy will get well. We've got picked for
top secret assignments, him and Musso and O'Connor. So it
was an instant reaction. I saw a bag of medical
supplies and picked it up, went over to my helicopter,
(25:07):
got on a helicopter. We got on with the fall.
There controller 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
reticitation of how ing the Medal of Honor, but he
(25:30):
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 Benavide's 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
(26:02):
again 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 Benavitez'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 4 (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
saw 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 lids, and I couldn't talk because my dogs were locked.
And I could hear the zipper coming up, coming up,
(29:45):
and one of my buddies was doing the Mexican head
dance and he was young at the doctor. That's Ray,
that's Roy had 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 try
I'm a wiggling 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):
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 grip tightened
(30:58):
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?
Speaker 3 (31:13):
Why?
Speaker 4 (31:14):
And I was crying. I was moving so much at
the co pilot. He happened to 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 were landing in the hospital
(31:46):
at h 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?
Speaker 3 (32:02):
Why?
Speaker 4 (32:04):
Just crying. And as 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. We used to wiggle our
(32:27):
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, and I remember that nerves
(32:49):
kept yelling at me and now 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. Boy. 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 the doctor. I heard him say, what the
(33:10):
world happened to you had blue spots, red spot solo me?
And I said that lady kept pinching me up there.
So after I went back to Fort Same Houston to
Beach Pavilion and I stayed in the hospital almost a year.
(33:31):
I continue with my career and then I was awarded
with a medal. I was dedicated to myself to come
and speak to schools, to 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
(33:53):
people call me a hero. I appreciate the title. But
the real heroes are the ones that gave their lives
for this country. The real heroes are our wives, our mothers.
(34:20):
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. Those are our real heroes.
(34:47):
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 is us veterans that pray
for peace most of all, especially the wounded, because we
(35:08):
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, I feel like I've been
overpaid for the service to my country. There'll never be
(35:31):
enough paper to print the money, you know, enough gold
in Fort Knocks 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 even proud of that
(35:59):
I've earned the privilege to wear the green Bray. I
lived by the motto of duty, honor, country. Ladies and gentlemen.
(36:21):
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.
Speaker 1 (36:41):
Reaction, 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?
(37:03):
And my goodness, 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. He's in the hospital
almost 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
(37:25):
are the ones who gave their lives for the country.
And I love this when he said, for those who
have fought for it. Life as a special flavor. The
protective will 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,
(37:48):
by the way, to speak to school children. Ronald Reagan
challenged him to do that always the good soldier who
followed the orders or the recommendations at this point of
the Commander in Chief, the story of Roy Benavidez.
Speaker 2 (38:04):
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. One day in 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.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Were on his 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 American 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. There's been no
(02:26):
thank you for their sacrifice. 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 far away war. 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,
(02:49):
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
it can make that grief 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
(03:12):
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 a miserable creature, and has
no chance of being free unless made and kept so
by the exertions of better men than himself. Bob Hope,
(03:35):
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. I guess you know what kind of
guys your sons and brothers and the kids next door are. Oh, yes,
(03:56):
we do know. I think we just let its lip
our minds for a time. 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
(04:16):
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 we get such men?
Almost a generation later, I asked that same question when
our POWs were returned from savage captivity in Vietnam? Where
(04:36):
did we find such men? 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 this
story was brought up on a farm outside of Kireo
in DeWitt County, Texas, and he is here today. Thanks
(04:59):
to the Secretary of Defense Cap. Weinberger, I learned of
his story, which had been overlooked or buried for several years.
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,
(05:23):
US Army retired, let me read the plain factual military
language of the citation that was lost for too.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
Long a time.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
Master Sergeant Roy P. Benavidez, United States Army retired for
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidy in 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
(05:56):
Sergeant Roy P. Benevidez distinguished himself 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
(06:17):
in a dense jungle area west of lochnin Vietnam to
gather intelligence information about 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
(06:38):
helicopters attempt at extraction, but were unable to land due
to intense enemy 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
(07:01):
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. Liehbibe 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 Ouramericanstories 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
(08:18):
of Honor for his heroism in the Vietnam War. On
May second, nineteen sixty eight, Benevetez, 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 wound 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.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
To the crippled team.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
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 the team's position.
(09:36):
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 on the
(09:56):
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 documents and
(10:19):
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 build
up of enemy opposition with a beleaguered team, Sergeant Benavidez
(10:43):
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 before
another distraction helicopter was able to land. His indomitable spirit
(11:04):
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
then continued under devastating fire to carry the wounded to
(11:24):
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 bring in the remaining wounded.
(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, saved 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 4 (12:48):
Thank You, Thank you very much, thank you, thank you, Okay,
thank you very much. Monte that that yes, like I
(13:12):
say in Spanish, in German duncaschern, Japanese howd I got
on nan? And in French METSI biou? 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 little town in Quarro, Texas. I was
(13:35):
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. I work at our jobs uh
(13:56):
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 education and a diploma is a key to success.
(14:20):
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 I qualified to join the regular Army. I needed
that education and learned the skill, so I was h
(14:42):
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
never told me what the train know what it's like.
For every mistake that you make, you do push ups,
(15:05):
and I can honestly tell you the ladies and gentlemen,
I'm one of the guy that helth put Georgia into
South Carolina doing push ups. Well, I finished my training,
I got assigned to a well known unit at Fort Brand,
North Carolina, the eighty second Airborne Division. I liked ata second,
(15:26):
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. So I qualified to join the Special Force.
Of course, I'm a linguist. We and the special Forces
(15:48):
are trained to operate deep behind any lines. Was little
and don't support at all. We are training fire specialties.
I'm training three operation intelligence, where I learned oceanographery me,
geology of photography. I'm an interrogator, and I'm a linguist.
I'm trained in lighting, heavy weapons, and cross trains domitic.
(16:09):
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 I was the only Hispanic American that could speak German.
Was a Southern accent. Feeling downer. So I came back
(16:35):
and retrained at Fort Braggen, 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. It 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 going to hear more
from Benavidez. This is one heck of a story, one
of our best. Here on our American story, and we
(18:10):
continue with our 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 4 (18:25):
In nineteen sixty five, I was sent to vietnamans 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
(18:45):
to walk again. I was transferred to Fort Sham, Houston,
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.
(19:06):
My back would just be killing me. I would be crying,
but I'd get to the wall and I'd set myself
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
(19:29):
wanted to walk. I wanted to go back to Vietnam
because of what the news media was saying about us,
that our presidents and not needed there. That burned the
flying 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
(19:51):
jump school an old Master sergeant whichever HA been, I mean,
it's quitters never win and winners never quit. What are you.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
So?
Speaker 4 (20:00):
I'm a winner? And I remember in my Spricial ward
and I remember in my Spricial Forces training, one of
the training mansions that I was on. I remember that
(20:22):
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
was at night, slip out of bed. The nurses would
(20:43):
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
I can do. He just sort and I'm sorry, even
(21:04):
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 the papers up. I walked out
(21:24):
of that ward at Beach Pavilion, I walked out was
a limp. I went back to Fort Burgh, 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 an on commissioned officer and knowing some of
the good offers in the right places, martyrs were diverted,
so so so I went back to Vietnam in nineteen
(22:13):
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, but I didn't wanna leave. My buddy was behind.
I called in for an extraction helicopter, come and get
(22:35):
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 through the canopy of the jungle, our rope started
to twist and rub. You know, nihlone had burned when
(22:56):
it rubs. As we cleared the canopy, our rope were
completely twisted and rubbing. And it was an uncommissioned officer
that looked out of the helicopter that's riding as a
safety man, and when he saw those two ropes burning,
he immediately tied himself with a piece of rope run
his waist and he pulled himself out of the helicopter
(23:18):
and undid those two ropes separated and that's dedication. That's
the love of 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 buddy was taken to the hospital.
(23:41):
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 sap. I asked
the radio operator who was over. He said, I don't know.
(24:01):
They haven't gave us any call sign. And I saw
some helicopter pilot run to the flight line scrambling. I
ran rid behind him. We saw a helicopter coming in
land and had a door gunner slumped over his weapon.
When the helicopter landed, unstrapped the door gunner. Michael Craig
(24:25):
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 the people on the ground. He said, hey,
(24:45):
he said, it's that block NCO, that non commissioned of
Alfarer save you lost the other day. Remember, I says,
Leroy rides, Leroy will get well. We've got picked for
top secret assignments, him and Musso and O'Connor. So it
was an instant reaction. I saw a bag of medical
supplies and picked it up, went over to my helicopter,
(25:07):
got on a helicopter. We got on with the fall.
There controller 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
reticitation of how ing the Medal of Honor, but he
(25:30):
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 Benavide's 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
(26:02):
again 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 Benavitez'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 4 (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
saw 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 lids, and I couldn't talk because my dogs were locked.
And I could hear the zipper coming up, coming up,
(29:45):
and one of my buddies was doing the Mexican head
dance and he was young at the doctor. That's Ray,
that's Roy had 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 try
I'm a wiggling 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):
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 grip tightened
(30:58):
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?
Speaker 3 (31:13):
Why?
Speaker 4 (31:14):
And I was crying. I was moving so much at
the co pilot. He happened to 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 were landing in the hospital
(31:46):
at h 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?
Speaker 3 (32:02):
Why?
Speaker 4 (32:04):
Just crying. And as 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. We used to wiggle our
(32:27):
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, and I remember that nerves
(32:49):
kept yelling at me and now 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. Boy. 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 the doctor. I heard him say, what the
(33:10):
world happened to you had blue spots, red spot solo me?
And I said that lady kept pinching me up there.
So after I went back to Fort Same Houston to
Beach Pavilion and I stayed in the hospital almost a year.
(33:31):
I continue with my career and then I was awarded
with a medal. I was dedicated to myself to come
and speak to schools, to 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
(33:53):
people call me a hero. I appreciate the title. But
the real heroes are the ones that gave their lives
for this country. The real heroes are our wives, our mothers.
(34:20):
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. Those are our real heroes.
(34:47):
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 is us veterans that pray
for peace most of all, especially the wounded, because we
(35:08):
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, I feel like I've been
overpaid for the service to my country. There'll never be
(35:31):
enough paper to print the money, you know, enough gold
in Fort Knocks 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 even proud of that
(35:59):
I've earned the privilege to wear the green Bray. I
lived by the motto of duty, honor, country. Ladies and gentlemen.
(36:21):
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.
Speaker 1 (36:41):
Reaction, 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?
(37:03):
And my goodness, 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. He's in the hospital
almost 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
(37:25):
are the ones who gave their lives for the country.
And I love this when he said, for those who
have fought for it. Life as a special flavor. The
protective will 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,
(37:48):
by the way, to speak to school children. Ronald Reagan
challenged him to do that always the good soldier who
followed the orders or the recommendations at this point of
the Commander in Chief, the story of Roy Benavidez.
Speaker 2 (38:04):
Here on our American Stories
Host
Lee Habeeb
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