Everyday Heroes: ROY P. BENAVIDEZ
“TANGO MIKE MIKE”
Click to watch a spine-tingling six-minute photofilm by Mike Madero about Roy P. Benavidez.
Roy P. Benavidez
8/5/35- 11/28/98
You will see below the Medal of Honor citation for Master Sergeant Roy P. Benavidez. This citation needs no embellishment and this blog needs no hyperbole to make the point about MSG Benavidez’s extraordinary feats. It says all that needs to be said about a real American hero. What it doesn’t tell us, however, is where this man came from and what made him act in such a heroic manner on May 2, 1968.
America is full of heroes that we never hear or read about. We probably meet them everywhere we go and just don’t realize what they have done. I can’t tell you with a certainty what caused MSG Benavidez to act as he did on that fateful day in South Vietnam and, I suspect, he couldn’t have given us a rational reason for his actions. Just volunteering to board a helicopter to help rescue twelve men that were, in most people’s minds, already doomed, was courageous and irrational enough. What he did when the aircraft dropped him in the middle of hell was beyond imagination.
How does America produce men like MSG Benavidez? Where do they come from? What makes them do superhuman things that defy logic and violate all sense of self-preservation? There are a number of reasons, but I contend that there is one primary reason: Love for their comrades. When he volunteered to try to rescue a dozen stranded men in a perilous situation he couldn’t have been thinking about his family in the United States, or his retirement, or his own safety. I can only guess that he thought about saving men who were comrades in arms, men he might not have known personally, but who were the closest thing he had at that moment to family, to brothers.
Where did this man come from? MSG Benavidez came from a hamlet in Texas. Half Mexican and half Yaqui Indian, he was orphaned at an early age, shined shoes for pocket money, left school at 15 years of age to help support his family, and enlisted in the Army. He had the advantages of neither wealth, position, nor education. He was a small town kid who had character, who loved his country, and cared about those around him.
Roy Benavidez was an Everyday Hero before he became a military hero. And he was an Everyday Hero for the rest of his life.
BENAVIDEZ, ROY P.
Rank and organization: Master Sergeant.
Organization: Detachment B-56, 5th Special Forces Group, Republic of Vietnam
Place and date: West of Loc Ninh on May 2, 1968
Entered service at: Houston, Texas June 1955
Born: August 5, 1935, DeWitt County, Cuero, Texas.
Army Master Sgt. Roy P. Benavidez (center) is flanked by United States Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger (left) and President Ronald Reagan at his Medal of Honor presentation ceremony in 1981.
Citation: Master Sergeant (then Staff Sergeant) Roy P. Benavidez United States Army, who distinguished himself by a series of daring and extremely valorous actions on 2 May 1968 while assigned to Detachment B56, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces, Republic of Vietnam.
On the morning of 2 May 1968, a 12-man Special Forces Reconnaissance Team was inserted by helicopters in a dense jungle area west of Loc Ninh, Vietnam to gather intelligence information 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 helicopters attempted extraction, but were unable to land due to intense enemy small arms and anti-aircraft fire. Sergeant Benavidez was at the Forward Operating Base in Loc Ninh monitoring the operation by radio when these helicopters returned to off-load wounded crew members and to assess aircraft damage.
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 75 meters under withering small arms fire to the 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 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 classified documents on the dead team leader. When he reached the leader’s body, Sergeant Benavidez was severely wounded by small arms fire in the abdomen and grenade fragments in his back. At nearly the same moment, the aircraft pilot was mortally wounded, and his helicopter crashed.
Although in extremely critical condition due to his multiple wounds, Sergeant Benavidez secured the classified documents and made his way back to the wreckage, where he aided the wounded out of the overturned aircraft, and gathered the stunned survivors into a defensive perimeter. Under increasing enemy 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 buildup of enemy opposition with a beleaguered team, Sergeant Benavidez mustered his strength, began calling in tactical air strikes and directed 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 extraction helicopter was able to land.
His indomitable spirit kept him going as he began to ferry his comrades to the craft. On his second trip with the wounded, he was clubbed with additional wounds to his head and arms before killing his adversary. He 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 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.
Sergeant Benavidez’ gallant choice to join voluntarily his comrades who were in critical straits, to expose himself constantly to withering enemy fire, and his refusal to be stopped despite numerous severe wounds, saved the lives of at least eight men.
His fearless personal leadership, tenacious devotion to duty, and extremely valorous actions in the face of overwhelming odds were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service, and reflect the utmost credit on him and the United States Army.
Joseph Badal is the author of the suspense novels The Pythagorean Solution, Terror Cell, The Nostradamus Secret and Evil Deeds.
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Joseph Badal, Author of ‘The Nostradamus Secret,’ One Of ‘50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading’
[Cedar Crest, NM, 2012] — Joseph Badal, author of “The Nostradamus Secret,” has been named one of the “50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading.” His honors came as a result of his appearance on The Authors Show. Mr. Badal was chosen from a field of hundreds of authors through a public voting process. “The Nostradamus Secret,” a historical thriller, builds on Nostradamus’ lost 58 quatrains.
“I was thrilled to be included in The Authors Show’s ‘50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading,’ “ Mr. Badal said. “This recognition is an affirmation of my writing and further encourages my commitment to the art.”
This latest historical thriller in the Bob Danforth series builds on Nostradamus’ ‘lost’ 58 quatrains and segues to present day. These lost quatrains have surfaced in the hands of a wealthy Iranian megalomaniac who believes his rise to world power was prophesied by Nostradamus. But he sees the United States as the principal obstacle to the achievement of his goals. The first step he takes is to attempt to destabilize the United States through a vicious series of terrorist attacks and assassinations. The novel offers an action-packed story loaded with intrigue, fascinating characters and geopolitical machinations that put the reader on the front line of present-day international conflict. Readers are transported from a 16th-century French monastery to the CIA, to crime scenes, to the Situation Room at the White House and to Middle Eastern battlefields.
In his review of “The Nostradamus Secret,” the late New York Times best-selling author Tony Hillerman said, “The Nostradamus Secret is an amazingly intricate tale of international intrigue, political deception and terrorism. Joe Badal delivers a gripping, fast-paced story that carries the reader on a wild ride and, once again, weaves a fascinating historical context into the fabric of this contemporary thriller. A must-read for fans of Ludlum and Clancy. “
Mr. Badal is available for media interviews and can be reached using the information below. “The Nostradamus Secret” is available at Amazon.com and wherever books are sold. A Kindle version is available.
Mr. Badal has worked for 38 years in the banking and financial services industries. He is currently President of Joseph Badal & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm.
Prior to his finance career, Mr. Badal served as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army in critical, highly classified positions in the U.S. and overseas, including tours of duty in Greece and Vietnam. He earned numerous military decorations.
He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in International Finance and Business Administration and is multilingual.
Mr. Badal has had four suspense novels published: ‘The Pythagorean Solution,’ ‘Terror Cell,’ and ‘The Nostradamus Secret.’ His fourth novel, ‘Evil Deeds,’ was released just recently. He also writes this blog, Everyday Heroes.
He has written dozens of articles that have been published in various business and trade journals, and is a frequent speaker at business and writers events.
Click for more information on The Pythagorean Solution, Terror Cell, The Nostradamus Secret and Evil Deeds.
Contact Joseph Badal:
What It Takes To Be An Everyday Hero
Readers who have followed my blog since its inception know I find Everyday Heroes from eclectic and diverse sources. Case in point: Black Bear #56 from last month’s post. But in every case so far, my posts have had subjects who have performed heroic feats, whether they were Medal of Honor winners, military units, average citizens, organizations, or even an animal.
It is important to keep in mind that heroes are also those who display noble qualities. A person with noble qualities can be defined as one having “elevated principles and consistently adhering to them.” Performing a heroic act is most likely to be a one-off feat that is precipitated by an emotional reaction to confrontation with danger. Acting in accordance with noble qualities is more likely to be associated with a repetitive commitment to acting in a principled manner, living a life defined by character.
Each type of hero should be valued, for he or she is the ultimate paradigm for society and mankind. The heroic actor and the person with noble qualities stand out among us as the best of all of us. But the heroic actor is most often the one who captures the headlines, while the person with noble qualities typically passes through life without praise or acclaim. Yet it is the latter who makes a true difference in the lives of the persons with whom he or she is in contact.
I often reflect on the way the concept of heroism has been turned on its head. We label sports figures, movie stars, and other celebrities as heroes because they make a lot of money and because they have fame. It’s not fame that makes the hero. In fact, fame has little to do with heroism. Fame may be a fleeting aspect of performing a heroic act, but it is not what motivates the true hero. The true hero makes a difference. That’s all the motivation he or she needs.
I recall the instance of a man who jumped in front of a stampeding horse, waving away the animal as it bore down on a 3-year-old girl, saving that girl’s life and earning him front page headlines in the local newspaper and an award from the local mayor. That story captured the imaginations of many in our community, but it faded away fairly quickly and I never heard about that man again. Perhaps he went on to perform other heroic acts. Who knows? But the odds are that his actions on that day were the only truly heroic physical acts of his lifetime. I say that not to take away from him the bravery and glory of what he accomplished, but to make the point that few of us are ever confronted with circumstances that require a heroic physical response.
On the contrary, every one of us is presented with the opportunity to act in a way that requires noble qualities. These opportunities present themselves every day of our lives.
How about the woman who paid off another woman’s layaway balance at a Target store, and then walked away without giving her name?
Or the small group of men and women at the Dallas International Airport greeting military personnel returning home for the holidays?
I heard about Dorothy True in Dundee, Illinois, who included a thank you note with every bill she ever paid – every month of her adult life (imagine the surprise of the accounting clerks at the telephone and power companies).
I know a man with cancer who, when asked how he’s doing, answers, “If things were any better, I’d be in heaven.”
I know hundreds of people who volunteer as coaches, board members, fund raisers, mentors, etc.
We all know people who make a difference by exhibiting noble behavior. On the birth of this New Year, it would be entirely appropriate to recognize those people with a thank you. Maybe it’s time they receive some praise. And maybe it’s time we emulate them instead of false celebrity heroes. It’s the Everyday Heroes who make a difference.
Joseph Badal is the author of the suspense novels The Pythagorean Solution, Terror Cell, The Nostradamus Secret and Evil Deeds.
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Everyday Heroes: BEAR #56
Bear No. 56 (by Mark Meier)
Followers of my blog have responded positively to my stories about Everyday Heroes, people and organizations that have done something extraordinary — risking their lives to save others, helping others to recover from war wounds, etc. Whether it is Sgt. Leroy Petry, Antonio Diaz Chacon, SEAL Team 6, or Hope for Heroism, Everyday Heroes make a difference in other people’s lives. That is the reason I write about them.
But this month I take a different tack and hope the followers of this blog respond as favorably to this Everyday Hero as they have to previous ones. You see, this month’s Everyday Hero is neither a person nor an organization. She has not saved another person’s life, nor has she received commendations for valor. She doesn’t even have a name, just a number. But there is no question she is a hero in a very special way.
My Everyday Hero is a female black bear, tagged as Bear #56. This old girl, estimated to be 14 years old, was originally featured in the UpFront section of the November 4, 2011, edition of the Albuquerque Journal. Reporter Joline Gutierrez Krueger wrote eloquently about the trials and tribulations of this bear, chronicling her amazing journey, which included being tranquilized and relocated from the east side of Albuquerque’s Sandia Mountains on four occasions; radio-collared (which she quickly disposed of); shot out of a tree with a tranquilizer rifle; moved 100 miles away to the Zuni Mountains on her fifth relocation; and recently spotted swimming with her cub on her back across Navajo Lake, 150 miles north of the Zuni Mountains. Bears are not supposed to travel the distances this bear has traveled, and they are not supposed to be able to survive as many encounters with man as she has had.
Ms. Krueger wrote a fascinating article about an amazing animal. But she also leaves her readers with something that is vastly more important. She uses Bear #56′s challenges and survival as a metaphor for our times. It is that which inspired me to blog about Bear #56 (click here to see the AP version of Ms. Krueger’s article; the Albuquerque Journal requires readers to jump through digital hoops to see its version.)
If an animal can show the sort of persistence and courage shown by Bear #56, why can’t we humans display the same persistence and courage? Instead of moaning about the world economy or political events or personal problems, perhaps we all can take a lesson from this bear. What she has done is nothing short of miraculous. I don’t ascribe to the belief that people have to perform miracles to be Everyday Heroes. However, you do have to accomplish something that is above and beyond “normal.” That’s what Everyday Heroes do: They go the extra mile.
God knows, Bear #56 has gone the extra mile over and over again.
Joseph Badal is the author of The Pythagorean Solution, Terror Cell, The Nostradamus Secret and Evil Deeds.
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Everyday Heroes: HOPE FOR HEROISM
Michael King and I met in 1971 at the U.S. Army’s Special Warfare School at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina and then served together in Vietnam. He is a highly decorated combat veteran, with three tours of duty in Vietnam. Now an attorney in Brooklyn, New York, Mike is deeply involved with veterans groups. He recently contacted me about an organization, Hope for Heroism, doing heroic work for veterans in the United States and in Israel.
Hope for Heroism is helping veterans from two countries find the strength to heal from physical and psychic wounds incurred in combat against a common enemy. But despite the wonderful work Hope for Heroes is doing, after watching the videos I have included below, I was left with a feeling of sadness over the realization that there will never be enough resources to afford every injured combat veteran the opportunity to participate in the Hope for Heroes program. And what about those veterans who don’t have physical injuries, who are suffering from psychological wounds that lie in wait like time bombs? How can we all make a difference?
I was reminded of why young men and women volunteer to serve in the military. Some seek a way out of their problems at home; others need a job; still others seek purpose; and some seek glory. But at the foundation level of the reasons for volunteering is always the desire to serve the country. And they don’t ask for much in return. You see, serving your country is reward enough. Especially when your fellow countrymen show appreciation for that service. That was missing during the Vietnam Conflict; it has not been missing during the Iraq/Afghanistan Wars. But, as the wars have gone on and the years have gone by, we Americans have become fatigued, and with that fatigue have developed casual attitudes toward the men and women who serve. I watch soldiers in uniform move through our cities and airports, ignored by civilians as though they are just a part of the background.
But they are not part of the background. They are heroes who are sacrificing much for the rest of us. And many of these men and women are bearing awful burdens: The burden of being away from home; the burden of financial sacrifice; the burden of psychic and physical wounds; the burden of wondering if what they are doing is valued by the rest of us.
So, I wondered how the rest of us can help these heroes, and in the process become Everyday Heroes ourselves. The answer is short and simple: Thank a man or woman in uniform for their service as often as you can. This simple gesture will reaffirm the commitment made by the serviceman or woman, will make you feel wonderful, and will lay a foundation for heroism throughout our country.
And, of course, you can send a contribution to Hope for Heroism.
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Joseph Badal is the author of The Pythagorean Solution, Terror Cell, The Nostradamus Secret and Evil Deeds.
Contact Joe:
Everyday Heroes: Martha and Antonio Diaz Chacon
I have written before that Everyday Heroes are just regular people like you and me; people who sacrifice for others; people who do the right thing when confronted with a challenge.
But, in the instance of Antonio Diaz Chacon and his wife, Martha, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, these Everyday Heroes not only sacrificed their personal safety and did the right thing, they granted to strangers a priceless gift: The life of a little girl who would otherwise probably not be alive today.
Antonio and Martha witnessed the kidnapping of a six-year-old girl in their neighborhood. They didn’t know the girl or her family. They didn’t know if the kidnapper was armed with a weapon. They didn’t know if there was more than one man in the van that sped away with the little girl. The only thing they knew was they had no choice but to do the right thing.
Everyday Heroes: SEAL Team 6
As in all of my messages about heroism, I use the title Everyday Heroes. I don’t use the word “Everyday” to in any way diminish the accomplishments of the heroes about whom I write, but rather to emphasize the grandeur of their accomplishments. For these heroes are just like us: Hometown men and women who come from families much like our own. They have lovers and friends. Some have children. But all have abiding qualities that make them do heroic things. In the instance of our military members, they have a love of country so grand it transcends politics, economics, and even religion. And they have a love for their mates so profound it won’t allow them to let those mates down.
SEAL Team 6 is a classic example of what Everyday Heroes are all about. Men who come from towns all over America, who went to school, had paper routes, played on sports teams, attended dances, and hung out at hamburger joints. Kids who started with a base of bravado, brains, and courage, and then let the Navy build on that base through perhaps the most intense training ever imposed on young men.
Twenty-three highly-trained men prepared for months for a mission that was more about a moral victory than just taking down an internationally known psychopath. Twenty-three men who couldn’t know everything waiting for them at a compound in Pakistan. Twenty-three men who knew they were flying into the mouth of danger, not realizing that one of their own aircraft would crash on the way to the target. Twenty-three men who had to feel fear – fear for themselves, for their mates, and for the families they might leave behind should they not survive. And yet they did what they were ordered to do, despite the fears and unknowns.
Then, on August 6, …. Read more…
Everyday Heroes: Sgt. Leroy Petry
On July 12, 2011, I watched television coverage of President Obama awarding the Congressional Medal of Honor to Army Sergeant 1st Class Leroy Petry of New Mexico for superhuman, heroic performance while serving in Afghanistan. Sgt. Petry risked his life to save the lives of other men in his unit and was badly wounded and maimed as a result. I felt tremendous pride in Sgt. Petry and in my country.
The next day, my wife and I went to lunch at a restaurant in Albuquerque and were just starting to eat our meals when the hostess led a young couple to the table next to ours. The man was tall and erect, his hair cut “high and close.” He was marathon runner-lean and tanned. The woman was model-perfect, with styled blond hair and rosy cheeks. They were dressed casually and were holding hands. In fact, they continued to hold hands even when the waiter came to take their orders, even when they were served their food and were eating. Ain’t young love wonderful!
We were finishing the last of our coffees when the waiter dropped off dessert menus for the couple. He told them he’d return in a minute. I noticed the man glance at the dessert menu and grimace. “Kinda expensive,” he said. The woman nodded, then said, “You won’t be able to get tiramisu in Afghanistan.”
