There has been a lot of 'hero" talk about McCain, I am not one

to call people a hero with a light air. But I am posting this on Memorial Day, so that some might understand what some people are capable of when they are called upon. I met this man at Ft Lewis, WA, he was a humble man when I met him, he has since passed away. He spent most of the rest of his life going to schools telling kids that no one should ever tell them they can't do anything they wanted to do. "Just because they failed, does not mean you will fail".



What he did is beyond what most are capable of:


BENAVIDEZ, ROY P.

Rank and Organization: Master Sergeant, Detachment B-56, 5th Special Forces Group, Republic of Vietnam. Place and Date: West of Loc Ninh on 2 May 1968. Entered Service at: Houston, Texas June 1955. Date and Place of Birth: 5 August 1935, DeWitt County, Cuero, Texas. 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 crewmembers 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, reinstilling 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 from 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.






http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/vietnam-a-l.html

But a war hero does not a President make.

and many others.

I have a great disdain when I hear the word "hero" bantered about as if it were merely a label attached to those who served and then run for office. I hold "hero" status pretty high. Those who would go forth and meet sacrifice in the eye are heroes, cemeteries are filled with them. McCain is not a hero, he did his job, and he did it honorably; just as I did. And I am no hero.

But in my view, as one who never served nor put himself in the line of fire, any service member who willingly risks his or her life and did so honorably deserves to be regarded as a hero. Particularly on this day.

:patriot:

I think that the bar should be raised when it comes to calling someone in the military a hero. But, as always when it comes to heroic act, it depends on the circumstances presented.

the Fireman going into the burning building to save a child; the policeman who faces down a gunman; the postman who walks through 5 feet of snow to make sure someone gets their mail; the foreman who stands up for his crew when they are treated poorly. Far too often, we never hear of these acts or any others.

However, the military itself is a job where at any time, men and women can be thrust into situations far beyond their control. One minute you're waking up next to spouse, the next day, you are getting ready to assault a hill. The mass scale at which death and carnage are carried out during war brings out the "hero" in some, it is difficult to describe. But those of us who have worn the uniform know that what others may consider heroic, was an everyday occurrence. I have served with some of the finest men and women I've ever met, and rarely are they noticed for their devotion to their fellow service-members, it is something that is expected, it is, quite simply, the right thing to do. But there are times, like when Roy came up to the challenge, when heroism is very real. Eight of the members of that team survived because of his actions, without those actions, they would have all died.

It's sad that true heroism is being unconsciously associated with comic book characters and not real people.

winners are saluted by everyone, as well they should. Bush doesn't deserve to shine the shoes of Viet Nam vets.

Along with his soul. If he gets elected, may God help us all.

another person's life. This does not make a POW a hero.

The word "hero" has been cheapened lately

Have no right to demand that we recognize McSame as one.

thinking about running for 2000, the slime machine went after him as well. So what did they speak of...not bush's military experience, they covered up the fact he ran out because he couldn't pass a piss test!

Another D that was slimed was Max Cleland. B Before the accident w/the grenade that cost him 3 limbs, he was awarded a Silver Star. He was a Signal Corps Captain, when he and his men were caught in a firefight. He dragged several wounded men to safety, returned fire on the enemy, treated the wounded, saving several lives. Just some 3 weeks after the ceremony where he received his Silver Star, that grenade dropped, armed, and when he went to get it and toss it away top protect those on that slick, it went off. And Coulter started the crap about a "beer run". I am often ashamed that people like Coulter call themselves Americans...:grr:

Hell of a man there...

When I was talking to him, you'd never know what he had done. Not that this matters to a great extent, but he was of Mexican/Yaqui descent, and perhaps the whole "humility" thing was instilled in him as a child...I don't know.

Whatever the case, he rose to the occasion, and performed some amazing feats. I could only hope I would do the same.

Amazing story, sounds like an amazing man.

scarred from the wounds he took to the head and face.


Here is the Official US Army & after the award pic's:




Awarded the MOH by Reagan 24Feb1981

On edit: this is almost 13 years after the action he was cited for.

There are a couple of glory hogs getting themselves in the newspaper, just saying.

for President.