H.R. No. 270
R E S O L U T I O N
1-1 WHEREAS, The last American to be recognized with the
1-2 prestigious Congressional Medal of Honor was Master Sergeant Roy P.
1-3 Benavidez, a courageous Texan who was decorated for his valorous
1-4 service in Vietnam and who has continued to exemplify the high
1-5 ideals of this award by dedicating his life to helping young
1-6 people; and
1-7 WHEREAS, Symbolizing the highest recognition our nation can
1-8 bestow on a citizen, the Congressional Medal of Honor is reserved
1-9 for individuals who display exceptional courage and heroic resolve
1-10 above and beyond the call of duty; although the medal can be
1-11 conferred on civilians, it is generally awarded for valor in
1-12 battle, and it was for conspicuous gallantry in combat that
1-13 Sergeant Benavidez was awarded the medal on February 24, 1981; and
1-14 WHEREAS, Born in Cuero, Sergeant Benavidez overcame a
1-15 troubled childhood by finding discipline and guidance in the United
1-16 States Army; orphaned at the age of six, he had dropped out of
1-17 school by the time he was 14 but soon realized that his life was
1-18 lacking direction; and
1-19 WHEREAS, After enlisting in the Army, this dedicated soldier
1-20 demonstrated the hard work, perseverance, and fortitude needed to
1-21 join the elite ranks of a Special Forces Airborne unit, popularly
1-22 known as the Green Berets; while serving in Vietnam in December
1-23 1965, he was seriously wounded after stepping on a mine, and when
1-24 he woke up in a San Antonio hospital nearly a month later, doctors
2-1 told him he would never walk again; and
2-2 WHEREAS, Proving his doctors wrong, Master Sergeant Benavidez
2-3 not only regained the full use of his legs but returned to Vietnam
2-4 to serve another tour of duty; stationed near Loc Ninh on May 2,
2-5 1968, he received a radio transmission that changed his life: a
2-6 12-man Special Forces Reconnaissance Team was surrounded by a
2-7 battalion of more than 350 North Vietnamese soldiers and had no way
2-8 out; and
2-9 WHEREAS, Armed with only a bowie knife and a bag of medical
2-10 supplies, this heroic man voluntarily boarded a helicopter and
2-11 embarked on a rescue mission; he quickly found himself in the midst
2-12 of a brutal firefight and was wounded in the leg almost immediately
2-13 after he hit the ground; and
2-14 WHEREAS, He subsequently sustained more bullet wounds to the
2-15 leg, lower back, and chest, with one bullet piercing all the way
2-16 through his body and collapsing his lung; miraculously, he
2-17 continued to offer medical aid to his wounded comrades and provided
2-18 protective fire for the aircraft until the pilot was killed by
2-19 enemy fire, and the helicopter crashed moments before Master
2-20 Sergeant Benavidez blacked out; and
2-21 WHEREAS, When he regained consciousness, he crawled to the
2-22 crippled aircraft and saved the men trapped inside, and he
2-23 continued to aid and protect his fallen comrades until another
2-24 helicopter arrived; this valiant soldier then made three trips
2-25 under heavy fire to carry 17 dead and wounded colleagues to the
2-26 aircraft, all the while sustaining serious wounds from flying
2-27 shrapnel, and ultimately was forced to engage in hand-to-hand
3-1 combat with an enemy soldier before being pulled to safety aboard
3-2 the helicopter; and
3-3 WHEREAS, In six hours of bitter fighting, Master Sergeant
3-4 Benavidez saved the lives of eight fellow Green Berets, retrieved
3-5 the bodies of others who had been killed in action, aided the
3-6 downed helicopter crewmen, and retrieved a cache of vital
3-7 classified documents; in the process, he was wounded 37 times, and
3-8 medics had begun to zip him up in a body bag before he was able to
3-9 alert them that he was still alive; and
3-10 WHEREAS, Today, this patriotic American dedicates his time
3-11 and energy to numerous veterans' groups and travels around the
3-12 country speaking to students; he urges them to stay away from drugs
3-13 and gangs and to continue their education, and when he relates to
3-14 them the code of "Duty, Honor, Country" that has guided his life,
3-15 he helps many young people to understand, perhaps for the first
3-16 time, that freedom and responsibility go hand in hand; and
3-17 WHEREAS, This courageous individual has been honored on
3-18 numerous occasions throughout the nation and state, most recently
3-19 on January 14, 1995, which was proclaimed "Master Sergeant Roy
3-20 Benavidez Day" in Premont, and it is only fitting that the members
3-21 of this chamber join in recognizing the heroism and sacrifice of
3-22 this admirable Texan; now, therefore, be it
3-23 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas
3-24 Legislature hereby commend Master Sergeant Roy P. Benavidez for his
3-25 heroic actions in service to his country and for his continuing
3-26 efforts to inspire and positively influence the young people of
3-27 Texas; and, be it further
4-1 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
4-2 prepared for Master Sergeant Benavidez as an expression of highest
4-3 regard and appreciation by the Texas House of Representatives.