By Wise, Cook, Noriega, Olivo, Dukes, et al. H.C.R. No. 11 77R354 BE-D HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, The Texas Legislative Medal of Honor was established 1-2 by the 58th Texas Legislature to honor gallant and intrepid service 1-3 by a member of the State Military Forces of Texas, and through his 1-4 courageous actions during battle in the Vietnam War, Master 1-5 Sergeant Roy P. Benavidez distinguished himself as a worthy 1-6 recipient of this prestigious honor; and 1-7 WHEREAS, A native Texan, Sergeant Benavidez was born on 1-8 August 5, 1935, in DeWitt County, the son of a sharecropper; 1-9 orphaned at an early age and raised by relatives, he dropped out 1-10 of school at the age of 14 to work in the fields before enlisting 1-11 in the U.S. Army in June 1955; and 1-12 WHEREAS, While on his first tour of duty in Vietnam, this 1-13 admirable soldier was injured by a land mine and though doctors 1-14 feared he might never walk again, Sergeant Benavidez recovered 1-15 fully and returned to Vietnam with the Green Berets, an elite 1-16 Special Forces unit; and 1-17 WHEREAS, On the morning of May 2, 1968, while assigned to 1-18 the Loc Ninh base in South Vietnam, Sergeant Benavidez learned that 1-19 12 members of a Special Forces reconnaissance team were surrounded 1-20 by enemy troops inside Cambodia and under heavy fire; this heroic 1-21 Texan courageously volunteered for the evacuation mission to aid in 1-22 the rescue of his fellow soldiers; and 1-23 WHEREAS, Though intense small-arms and anti-aircraft fire 1-24 made the rescue operation tremendously dangerous, Sergeant 2-1 Benavidez jumped from the helicopter into enemy gunsights; even 2-2 before he reached the stranded team's position he had been wounded 2-3 in his right leg, face, and head, yet despite his painful injuries, 2-4 Sergeant Benavidez carried the wounded men to the waiting 2-5 helicopter and provided protective fire to cover the remaining 2-6 crew; and 2-7 WHEREAS, The mission grew more complicated as Sergeant 2-8 Benavidez retrieved classified documents from dead and wounded team 2-9 members, and he worked quickly to secure them despite sustaining 2-10 more severe wounds from gunshots to his abdomen and grenade 2-11 fragments in his back; while attempting takeoff, the pilot was 2-12 mortally wounded and the helicopter crashed; despite the chaos 2-13 around him, Sergeant Benavidez freed those aboard from the 2-14 wreckage and established a defensive perimeter under increasing 2-15 enemy gunfire and grenade attacks; and 2-16 WHEREAS, Acting as medic, directing by radio the fire from 2-17 gunships overhead, and even engaging in hand-to-hand combat with 2-18 the enemy, Sergeant Benavidez bravely weathered a harrowing six 2-19 hours in the field and saved the lives of eight men through his 2-20 leadership and action; he had been clubbed, shot, and bayoneted, 2-21 yet Sergeant Benavidez prevailed, and when his actions were praised 2-22 as awesome and extraordinary, he defined them only as duty; and 2-23 WHEREAS, For his exceptional valor, Sergeant Benavidez was 2-24 awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and in 1981 he was 2-25 presented with the Congressional Medal of Honor by President Ronald 2-26 Reagan; even after his retirement from the military he continued to 2-27 serve his country by devoting his time and energy to veterans 3-1 groups and by visiting schools to speak to youths on critical 3-2 issues such as education, drug use, and gangs; and 3-3 WHEREAS, Though this brave soldier died on November 29, 1998, 3-4 the extremely valorous actions displayed by Master Sergeant Roy P. 3-5 Benavidez in the face of overwhelming odds continue to serve as an 3-6 inspiration; the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor is the highest 3-7 commendation Texans can bestow on members of our state military 3-8 forces, and it is truly fitting that it be awarded to Sergeant 3-9 Benavidez; now, therefore, be it 3-10 RESOLVED, That the 77th Legislature of the State of Texas 3-11 hereby posthumously confer the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor on 3-12 Master Sergeant Roy P. Benavidez in recognition of his heroic 3-13 service and express to his family our deepest appreciation on 3-14 behalf of all his fellow Texans; and, be it further 3-15 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 3-16 prepared for the family of Sergeant Benavidez as an expression of 3-17 highest regard by the Texas Legislature.