House Concurrent Resolution 11
 

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 gunsights; 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 gunships 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 praisedas 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.

By:  Representatives Wise, Cook, Noriega, Olivo, Dukes, Berman, Farrar, Garcia, Hawley, Martinez Fischer, Menendez, Najera, Seaman, Uresti

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE RESOLUTION:

The purpose of this legislation is to bestow posthumously the prestigious Texas Legislative Medal of Honor on Master Srgt. Roy P. Benavidez of El Campo, Texas, who passed away on November 28, 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 Srgt. 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 Srgt. 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 Texas Legislative Medal of Honor can only be awarded by the governor on approval by the legislature.  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 Srgt. Benavidez meets all the criteria to receive this prestigious Legislative Medal of Honor in Texas.  Even upon his retirement from the military,  Master Srgt. 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.