He jumped into hell with only a knife and an aid bag.🧵🇺🇸 On May 2, 1968, then-Staff Sgt. Roy Benavidez heard a…

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Summary

Staff Sgt. Roy Benavidez rescued a 12-man Special Forces team trapped in the jungle on May 2, 1968, fighting relentlessly for six hours while suffering 37 wounds from gunfire, shrapnel, and stabbing. Despite being shot multiple times and nearly bleeding to death, he saved 8 lives by directing fire, calling airstrikes, and refusing to leave until all men were evacuated, earning the Medal of Honor in 1981.

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#1
He jumped into hell with only a knife and an aid bag.🧵🇺🇸 On May 2, 1968, then-Staff Sgt. Roy Benavidez heard a 12-man Special Forces team was trapped in the jungle, outnumbered 100-to-1. He fought relentlessly for six hours, losing so much blood in the process, medics thought he died by the battle's end. In honor of his birthday, take a moment to honor him and read his remarkable story of courage and survival.
#2
Upon landing, he was shot, stabbed, and hit by grenade shrapnel, yet he kept fighting. Wounded in his leg, face, and head before reaching the team, Benavidez took command. He directed fire, threw smoke grenades to direct the helicopters, dragged the wounded out, all under unceasing fire. Then things got worse.
#3
Their extraction helicopter crashed, killing the pilot, and the enemy closed in. Benavidez was shot again, this time in the stomach. However, he immediately pulled his fellow Soldiers from the wreckage and formed a defense. Bleeding out, he still handed out ammo, called airstrikes, and kept his men alive. But the fight wasn’t over yet.
#4
Barely conscious, he made one last trip into the fire. Wounded 37 times, he killed two enemy soldiers rushing the second helicopter, secured classified intel, and refused to leave until the last man was safe. He saved 8 lives with his courageous actions that day. When the medics arrived to the site, they thought Benavidez was dead due to blood loss. When they tried to zip him in a body bag, he spit to show he was still alive.
#5
Master Sgt. Benavidez was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1981 by President Ronald Reagan, who remarked at the ceremony: “If the story of his heroism were a movie script, you would not believe it.” Benavidez passed away on November 29, 1998, at age 63, due to complications from the wounds he sustained in combat. His unwavering spirit, resilience, and gallantry have solidified his place as a true legend in Army history. 👉 Read more about Master Sgt. Benavidez on our Army Heroes site: army.mil/heroes/#rbenav…