Roy Benavidez

Roy BenavidezWikipediaRoy Benavidez

Cody J

As bullets flew past, bombs were falling down from the sky and helicopters were racing to evacuate and in the middle of all of it, one person and eight wounded soldiers stood against 1,000 enemies. Would you like to learn about a person who was valiant, willing, strong, and who risked his life? Well, his name is Roy Benavidez, and he has accomplished so many things, and his background isn’t a normal one.

Roy Benavidez didn’t have a normal childhood. He was born in 1935 near Cuero, Texas of Mexican and Yaqui ancestry. However, he had a younger brother named Roger, along with eight cousins. Sadly, his parents died of tuberculosis when he was only 7 years old. After that, he was raised by his grandpa, aunt, and uncle. In fact, Roy Benavidez worked hard as he shined shoes at the local bus station and worked on a farm. Eventually, he dropped out of school in 7th grade. By 1959 he got married to Hilaria Coy, and also joined the army the same year. As you can see, his background isn’t that normal.

Roy Benavidez has accomplished and done so many great things! His first accomplishment was when he was in Vietnam on his first tour, when he stepped on a landmine. The doctors said he would never walk again. But with the support of his wife and hard work he was able to walk again. After that, he was sent to Vietnam for a second tour. While he was attending a mass at his base camp, distress came in from a 12 man Recon Team. Roy Benavidez volunteered so quickly that he only brought a first aid kit and a knife. When he got to the scene 4 were dead and 8 were wounded. Roy Benavidez started dragging the men to the helicopter. At the same time he was injecting all the men with medicine, calling in air support, and also returning shots with an AK47. When doing that, he took AK47 shots and grenades. After surviving 6 hours in hell and saving all the men, he had suffered a broken jaw from a NVM (North Vietnamese Army) soldier, seven major bullet wounds, shrapnel, and his right lung destroyed. After the horrific events, Roy Benavidez finally received the Medal of Honor on February 1, 1981 from Ronald Reagan. That is why I think Roy Benavidez is a hero.

As you can see, Roy Benavidez truly was strong, willing, valiant, and a hero who had accomplished so many things and, as you can see, his background is not like a background children would have these days.

Sources: www.psywarrior.com