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Definition of COMMITMENT
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
BENAVIDEZ, Roy P.
Rank and Organization: Master Sergeant, 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. Date and Place of Birth: 5 August 1935, DeWitt County, Cuero, Texas. Master Sergeant (then Staff Sergeant) Roy P. Benavidez United States Army, who distinguished himself by a series of daring and extremely valorous actions on 2 May 1968 while assigned to Detachment B56, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces, Republic of Vietnam. On the morning of 2 May 1968, a 12-man Special Forces Reconnaissance Team was inserted by helicopters in a dense jungle area west of Loc Ninh, Vietnam to gather intelligence information about confirmed large-scale enemy activity. This area was controlled and routinely patrolled by the North Vietnamese Army. After a short period of time on the ground, the team met heavy enemy resistance, and requested emergency extraction. Three helicopters attempted extraction, but were unable to land due to intense enemy small arms and anti-aircraft fire. Sergeant Benavidez was at the Forward Operating Base in Loc Ninh monitoring the operation by radio when these helicopters returned to off- load wounded crewmembers and to assess aircraft damage. Sergeant Benavidez voluntarily boarded a returning aircraft to assist in another extraction attempt. Realizing that all the team members were either dead or wounded and unable to move to the pickup zone, he directed the aircraft to a nearby clearing where he jumped from the hovering helicopter, and ran approximately 75 meters under withering small arms fire to the crippled team. Prior to reaching the team's position he was wounded in his right leg, face, and head. Despite these painful injuries, he took charge, repositioning the team members and directing their fire to facilitate the landing of an extraction aircraft, and the loading of wounded and dead team members. He then threw smoke canisters to direct the aircraft to the team's position. Despite his severe wounds and under intense enemy fire, he carried and dragged half of the wounded team members to the awaiting aircraft. He then provided protective fire by running alongside the aircraft as it moved to pick up the remaining team members. As the enemy's fire intensified, he hurried to recover the body and classified documents on the dead team leader. When he reached the leader's body, Sergeant Benavidez was severely wounded by small arms fire in the abdomen and grenade fragments in his back. At nearly the same moment, the aircraft pilot was mortally wounded, and his helicopter crashed. Although in extremely critical condition due to his multiple wounds, Sergeant Benavidez secured the classified documents and made his way back to the wreckage, where he aided the wounded out of the overturned aircraft, and gathered the stunned survivors into a defensive perimeter. Under increasing enemy automatic weapons and grenade fire, he moved around the perimeter distributing water and ammunition to his weary men, reinstilling in them a will to live and fight. Facing a buildup of enemy opposition with a beleaguered team, Sergeant Benavidez mustered his strength, began calling in tactical air strikes and directed the fire from supporting gunships to suppress the enemy's fire and so permit another extraction attempt. He was wounded again in his thigh by small arms fire while administering first aid to a wounded team member just before another extraction helicopter was able to land. His indomitable spirit kept him going as he began to ferry his comrades to the craft. On his second trip with the wounded, he was clubbed from additional wounds to his head and arms before killing his adversary. He then continued under devastating fire to carry the wounded to the helicopter. Upon reaching the aircraft, he spotted and killed two enemy soldiers who were rushing the craft from an angle that prevented the aircraft door gunner from firing upon them. With little strength remaining, he made one last trip to the perimeter to ensure that all classified material had been collected or destroyed, and to bring in the remaining wounded. Only then, in extremely serious condition from numerous wounds and loss of blood, did he allow himself to be pulled into the extraction aircraft. Sergeant Benavidez' gallant choice to join voluntarily his comrades who were in critical straits, to expose himself constantly to withering enemy fire, and his refusal to be stopped despite numerous severe wounds, saved the lives of at least eight men. His fearless personal leadership, tenacious devotion to duty, and extremely valorous actions in the face of overwhelming odds were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service, and reflect the utmost credit on him and the United States Army.
Awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.
THIS is the example that we should aspire to, regardless of nationality, race, or sect. To do what must be done, as it must be done, when it must be done, without regard to consequences to self. THIS is the definitive WARRIOR, and all of the discriminating deleting of threads detract nothing from his stature...
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Total Commitment!
Anything else is the duty of lesser folk!
OK, he saved 8 people, bu thow many did he kill, or aid to kill. An american soldiers life is no more or less sacred than a vietnam soldiers life.
OK, it was a war, but i think the world has made up its mind about whether vietnam ( the event rather than place) was a good idea for the americans.
Maybe a better moral would be "even when you're commited, its sometimes a good plan to say to yourself "prehaps this was all a mistake"".
just this little pacifists view.
War is that peculiar state of human conflict in which one sees men simultaneously at their best and their worst.
It is totally irrrelevant as to whether US involvement in Vietnam "was a good idea". Commitments are not a thing of convenience, whether as individual combatants within a battle, or nations. Once the commitment is made, you are compelled to follow through... or, as my grandfather used to say: "Make no threats; KEEP your promises."
Commitments through SEATO compelled US participation. What disgusts me was/is the gutless politicians who said "perhaps this was all a mistake". Tens of thousands of US troops, and MILLIONS of Vietnamese died as a result of that gutless waffling, that lack of commitment and resolve.
Another war looms with Iraq, because of the gutlessness of Colin Powell, and the lack of prosecuting the Gulf War to its requisite resolution.
'Tis easy to be a pacifist from the perspective of safety, that safety provided by the sacrifice of those who are not so "high minded", who distance you from reality. Those who I served with, led during my two tours of hell, were not cowards waffling within their commitment, or lack thereof. There were cases of war correspondents who - when the platoons they were traveling with were under tremendous attack - set aside their "objective observation", and passed ammo to the troops, taking an active part when their lives were in extreme peril. If you had seen first hand the butchery of civilians at the hand of the NVA and VC, you would understand.
Personally? I detest war. How could I not, having seen it first hand? However... like many others who served - rather than shirking their responsibility and running away, cowering - I accept the necessity of occaisionally standing the post, standing resolute, and defending both my nation, and its interests. Without that commitment and resolve, the nation would devolve to a submissive rabble who would suffer any indignity rather than defend their ideals.
And THAT cowardice is the revulsive fetid offal which nauseates and strangles both of our nations...
To an American it is. And that's all that mattered.
I think that the world recognises that Vietnam was a political fuck up rather than a military one. Had the politicians satyed out, not put unnecessary restrictions on thUS forces (such as you cannot bomb your enemy's homeland) then the US would have come out of it a little better...
Which is your problem really. The pacifist thing really gets in the way of objectivity. If you rule out an action before you start, then you start from a weakened position. A nation must be willing to do whatever becomes necessary if they are to prevail.
Im not sure what country your sitting in or what planet. Going to Viet Nam wasnt the idea of any of the soldiers sent there. Anymore than the soldiers sent into europe to fight the Nazis.
What if they said "hum this must be some sort of mistake" Your obviously NOT Vietnamese. Id be very surprised if you were. Im guessing your sitting in europe somewhere. Basking in the peace provided to you with the blood of Americans.
While you sit passing judgement and blaming Americans for what you view as the "evils" of the Viet Nam war.
Pacifists in my personal experience feel all well and good about themselves, judging and casting blame. Till its they themselves that are under attack. Its one of the most selfish views Ive discovered. They usually talk big but do NOTHING and expect to be saved by someone when it is them thats under threat.
You have definately proven my point.
:rolleyes:
I'll accept i've lost this one. I was just trying to say "There are better examples".
Was gonna write more but get a feeling it'll just antagonise.
So: sorry if i've offended.
I guess this is your demonstration of "A Pacifists Commitment" Its a good thing you have a real army too, or you would be in real trouble.
A good debate requires that you stand up for your point of view.;)