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'Roy Perez Benavidez' (August 5, 1935 - November 29, 1998) from DeWitt County, Cuero, Texas, was a U.S. Army Special Forces soldier who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions near Loc Ninh, Vietnam on May 2, 1968. He was originally given the Distinguished Service Cross, but upon hearing that he had survived the war, his former commander started the process to have the medal upgraded.

Contents

Medal of Honor citation

Later years

Posthumous honors

Awards and recognitions

See also

References

Medal of Honor citation

On February 24, 1981, President Ronald Reagan presented him the Medal of Honor. During the ceremony President Reagan turned to the gathered press and said, "you are going to hear something you would not believe if it were a script." He then read Master Sergeant Benavidez's citation:
' 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 2 May 1968
''Entered service at:'' Houston, Texas June 1955
''Born:''5 August 1935, DeWitt County, Cuero, Texas.
''Citation:''
^[1]

Later years

Benavidez is one of the 43 Hispanic Americans among the 3,400 recipients of the Medal of Honor since the award was created in 1861.
"Benavidez suffered a broken jaw and 37 bullet and bayonet puncture wounds in the fight. He was so mauled that his commanding officer thought he wouldn't live long enough to receive a Medal of Honor. He nominated Benavidez for the Distinguished Service Cross instead, because the No. 2 award would take less time and paperwork to obtain."[1]

Posthumous honors

Since his death in 1998, the Roy P. Benavidez Elementary School in Houston, Texas was named in his honor.
The Night Infiltration Course at Fort Knox, Kentucky is named after him.
The U.S. Navy ship USNS Benavidez (T-AKR 306) was named in his honor.^[2]
Additionally, a G.I. Joe action figure was created in his likeness.

Awards and recognitions

Among Benavidez's decorations and medals were the following:

★   Medal of Honor

★   Purple Heart Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters

★   National Defense Service Medal

★   Vietnam Campaign Medal with 4 Battle Stars

★   Vietnam Service Medal

★   Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm

★   Texas Legislative Medal of Honor
'Badges'

★   Parachutist badge

★   Combat Infantryman Badge
Additionally the Conference Room owned and operated by the Department of Military Instruction at the United States Military Academy is named after him. Inside the "Benavidez Room" there are signed pictures of MSG Benavidez, the citation from his Congressional Medal of Honor, and a GI Joe toy created in his likeness. The room is used primaily for planing Cadet Summer Military Training and hosting visitors.

See also

★ List of Hispanic Medal of Honor recipients

References

1. Medal of Honor citation
2. USNS Benavidez Honors Army Medal of Honor Hero