House Concurrent
Resolution 11
(Conferring the Texas
Legislative Medal of Honor to Roy Benavidez)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE RESOLUTION
The
purpose of this legislation is to bestow posthumously the
prestigious Texas Legislative Medal of Honor on Master Sgt. Roy
P. Benavidez of El Campo, Texas, who passed away on November 29,
1998. This will mark only the third time in Texas history that
this prestigious honor has been awarded to a Texas veteran. The
bestowing of the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor on Master Sgt.
Benavidez represents several FIRSTS in Texas
history: (1) it will mark the first time that the
Legislative Medal of Honor is awarded in the new millennium in
Texas; (2) Master Sgt. Benavidez will be the first
Hispanic veteran to receive the Legislative Medal of Honor; and
(3) it will also mark the first time that the
Legislative Medal of Honor has been bestowed on a Vietnam
veteran.
Currently, the
Governor on approval by the Legislature can only award the Texas
Legislative Medal of Honor. This prestigious honor, which has
only been bestowed twice before, was established by the 58th
Legislature in 1963 to recognize a member of the state military
forces of Texas who bravely performs a deed of self sacrifice,
risking one's life in a mission so conspicuously courageous and
intrepid so as to clearly distinguish the individual above the
person's comrades. It was awarded during the 75th Regular
Session (HCR 238 by Merritt) to Technical Sergeant James
Marion Logan on May 16, 1997, and to First Lieutenant Jack
Llewellyn Knight during the 76th Regular Session (SCR 59
by Sibley) on April 19, 1999. Additionally, legislation passed
during the 76th Regular Session (HB 3425) added language to the
statutes, which allows the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor to
be awarded to any person who has been awarded the Congressional
Medal of Honor.
Without a
doubt, through his courageous actions during battle in the
Vietnam War and his exceptional and extraordinary valor in
rescuing insured fellow soldiers, Master Sgt. Benavidez meets
all the criteria to receive this prestigious Legislative Medal
of Honor in Texas. Even upon his retirement from the military,
Master Sgt. Benavidez continued to unselfishly serve his country
and the State of Texas by devoting his time and energy to
veterans groups across the U.S. and spreading his message of
hope and bravery by visiting schools and speaking to youths on
critical issues such as education, drug abuse, and gang
violence.
It is only
fitting that the Texas Legislature, on behalf of all Texans,
bestow the highest commendation that it can bestow on members of
our state military forces, on Master Sergeant Roy P. Benavidez
in recognition of his heroic service and valor.
As proposed,
H.C.R. 11 submits the following resolutions:
That
the 77th Legislature posthumously confer the Texas Legislative
Medal of Honor on Master Sergeant Roy P. Benavidez in
recognition of his heroic service and courageous actions while
serving in the military.
That the 77th
Legislature express to the family of Master Sergeant Roy P.
Benavidez its deepest appreciation on behalf of all Texans.
That an
official copy of this resolution be prepared for the family of
Master Sergeant Roy P. Benavidez as an expression of highest
regard.
HOUSE
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION:
WHEREAS,
The Texas Legislative Medal of Honor was established by the 58th
Texas Legislature to honor gallant and intrepid service by a
member of the State Military Forces of Texas, and through his
courageous actions during battle in the Vietnam War, Master
Sergeant Roy P. Benavidez distinguished himself as a worthy
recipient of this prestigious honor; and
WHEREAS,
A native Texan, Sergeant Benavidez was born on August 5, 1935,
in DeWitt County, the son of a sharecropper; orphaned at an
early age and raised by relatives, he dropped out of school at
the age of 14 to work in the fields before enlisting in the U.S.
Army in June 1955; and
WHEREAS,
While on his first tour of duty in Vietnam, this admirable
soldier was injured by a land mine and though doctors feared he
might never walk again, Sergeant Benavidez recovered fully and
returned to Vietnam with the Green Berets, an elite Special
Forces unit; and WHEREAS, On the morning of May 2, 1968, while
assigned to the Loc Ninh base in South Vietnam, Sergeant
Benavidez learned that 12 members of a Special Forces
reconnaissance team were surrounded by enemy troops inside
Cambodia and under heavy fire; this heroic Texan courageously
volunteered for the evacuation mission to aid in the rescue of
his fellow soldiers; and
WHEREAS,
Though intense small‑arms and anti‑aircraft fire made the rescue
operation tremendously dangerous, Sergeant Benavidez jumped from
the helicopter into enemy gun sights; even before he reached the
stranded team's position he had been wounded in his right leg,
face, and head, yet despite his painful injuries, Sergeant
Benavidez carried the wounded men to the waiting helicopter and
provided protective fire to cover the remaining crew; and
WHEREAS,
The mission grew more complicated as Sergeant Benavidez
retrieved classified documents from dead and wounded team
members, and he worked quickly to secure them despite sustaining
more severe wounds from gunshots to his abdomen and grenade
fragments in his back; while attempting takeoff, the pilot was
mortally wounded and the helicopter crashed; despite the chaos
around him, Sergeant Benavidez freed those aboard from the
wreckage and established a defensive perimeter under increasing
enemy gunfire and grenade attacks; and
WHEREAS,
Acting as medic, directing by radio the fire from gun ships
overhead, and even engaging in hand‑to‑hand combat with the
enemy, Sergeant Benavidez bravely weathered a harrowing six
hours in the field and saved the lives of eight men through his
leadership and action; he had been clubbed, shot, and bayoneted,
yet Sergeant Benavidez prevailed, and when his actions were
praised as awesome and extraordinary, he defined them only as
duty; and
WHEREAS,
For his exceptional valor, Sergeant Benavidez was awarded the
Distinguished Service Cross and in 1981 he was presented with
the Congressional Medal of Honor by President Ronald Reagan;
even after his retirement from the military he continued to
serve his country by devoting his time and energy to veterans
groups and by visiting schools to speak to youths on critical
issues such as education, drug use, and gangs; and
WHEREAS,
Though this brave soldier died on November 29, 1998, the
extremely valorous actions displayed by Master Sergeant Roy P.
Benavidez in the face of overwhelming odds continue to serve as
an inspiration; the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor is the
highest commendation Texans can bestow on members of our state
military forces, and it is truly fitting that it be awarded to
Sergeant Benavidez; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED,
That the 77th Legislature of the State of Texas hereby
posthumously confer the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor on
Master Sergeant Roy P. Benavidez in recognition of his heroic
service and express to his family our deepest appreciation on
behalf of all his fellow Texans; and, be it further
RESOLVED,
That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for the
family of Sergeant Benavidez as an expression of highest regard
by the Texas Legislature.
