Bill Text: TX HCR76 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Paying tribute to the life of U.S. Army Master Sergeant Roy Perez Benavidez.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Passed) 2017-05-04 - Signed by the Governor [HCR76 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-HCR76-Enrolled.html
| H.C.R. No. 76 | ||
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| WHEREAS, U.S. Army Master Sergeant Roy Perez Benavidez built | ||
| a distinguished military career that spanned nearly a quarter | ||
| century, and his bravery and self-sacrifice in the service of his | ||
| fellow Americans have become legendary; and | ||
| WHEREAS, The son of Salvador Benavidez and Teresa Perez, Roy | ||
| Benavidez was born in Lindenau on August 5, 1935; he answered his | ||
| nation's call to duty in 1952, enlisting in the Texas Army National | ||
| Guard, and three years later, he joined the U.S. Army; after | ||
| completing airborne training in 1959, he was assigned to the 82nd | ||
| Airborne Division at Fort Bragg in North Carolina; he went on to | ||
| join the elite Army Special Forces and became a member of the 5th | ||
| Special Forces and the Studies and Observations Groups; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Sergeant Benavidez was deployed to Southeast Asia in | ||
| 1965 as an advisor to an infantry regiment in the Army of the | ||
| Republic of Vietnam; one day, while on patrol, he was seriously | ||
| injured when he stepped on a land mine, and he was subsequently | ||
| evacuated to the United States; though doctors believed he had | ||
| permanently lost the use of his legs, he remained determined to | ||
| continue his military service, and in July 1966, more than a year | ||
| after he was injured, he was able to walk out of the hospital; two | ||
| years later, he returned to South Vietnam; and | ||
| WHEREAS, On the morning of May 2, 1968, while assigned to | ||
| Detachment B56, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special | ||
| Forces, west of Loc Ninh, Sergeant Benavidez heard a distress call | ||
| from a 12-man Special Forces Reconnaissance Team that was pinned | ||
| down by a North Vietnamese Army battalion of about 1,000 soldiers; | ||
| he quickly volunteered to assist in an extraction attempt, and | ||
| after reaching the battle zone, he ran through withering enemy fire | ||
| to reach his comrades, sustaining multiple injuries; despite | ||
| agonizing pain, he loaded the wounded and dead members of the team | ||
| onto the aircraft, but then the pilot was killed and the helicopter | ||
| crashed; Sergeant Benavidez quickly called in tactical air strikes | ||
| and directed fire from supporting gunships, enabling another | ||
| extraction helicopter to land; over the course of the six-hour | ||
| fight, he received dozens of bullet, bayonet, and shrapnel wounds, | ||
| and his valiant actions saved the lives of at least eight men and | ||
| prevented classified documents from falling into enemy hands; and | ||
| WHEREAS, In recognition of his heroism, Sergeant Benavidez | ||
| was presented with the Medal of Honor by President Ronald Reagan on | ||
| February 24, 1981; this courageous Texan was also the recipient of | ||
| the Purple Heart with four oak-leaf clusters, the Defense | ||
| Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army | ||
| Commendation Medal, and the Vietnam Service Medal with four | ||
| campaign stars; and | ||
| WHEREAS, After retiring with the rank of master sergeant in | ||
| 1976, Roy Benavidez returned home to his wife, Hilaria, and their | ||
| three children in El Campo; during the ensuing years, he spoke often | ||
| at the invitation of schools, military and civic groups, and | ||
| businesses, and he wrote several books recounting his life | ||
| experiences, including The Three Wars of Roy Benavidez and Medal of | ||
| Honor: A Vietnam Warrior's Story; he passed away on November 29, | ||
| 1998, at the age of 63; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Through his unfaltering courage and devotion to | ||
| duty, Master Sergeant Benavidez exemplified the highest ideals of | ||
| the U.S. armed forces; his actions and accomplishments are an | ||
| inspiration to all Americans, and he is truly deserving of special | ||
| recognition for his notable contributions as a soldier and patriot; | ||
| now, therefore, be it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the 85th Legislature of the State of Texas | ||
| hereby pay tribute to the life of U.S. Army Master Sergeant Roy P. | ||
| Benavidez and to his exceptional service in behalf of his nation. | ||
| Stephenson | ||
| ______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
| President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
| I certify that H.C.R. No. 76 was adopted by the House on April | ||
| 6, 2017, by a non-record vote. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
| I certify that H.C.R. No. 76 was adopted by the Senate on | ||
| April 19, 2017, by a rising vote. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Secretary of the Senate | ||
| APPROVED: __________________ | ||
| Date | ||
| __________________ | ||
| Governor | ||
