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Need to hire? This is a job for Indeed Sponsored Jobs. This is Lee Habib, and this is Our American Stories, the show where America is the star and the American people. Roy Benavidez struggled in school before dropping out in the seventh grade. He worked odd jobs to help support his family.
In a tire shop, on farms, even shining shoes at the local bus station. In 1952, he enlisted in the Texas Army National Guard. and eventually became a member of the Army Special Forces known as the Green Berets. One day in nineteen sixty five he was sent to Vietnam where, on just a single action, he was wounded thirty seven times by bullets, shrapnel, a bayonet, and a rifle butt. but his thoughts that day were on his injured brothers in arms.
His actions that day saved eight other men's lives in Vietnam. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery. but it wouldn't be for 13 years. In 1981, President Ronald Reagan presented Benavidez the Medal of Honor. Reagan turned to the press and said, If the story of his heroism were a movie script, You wouldn't believe him.
Let's begin this story with President Reagan speaking at that ceremony, and later. We will be hearing the details. from Roy Benavidez himself. Let's take a listen. Men and women of the armed forces.
Ladies and gentlemen. Several years ago, We brought home a group of American fighting men. who had obeyed their country's call. and who had fought as bravely and as well as any Americans. in our history.
They came home without a victory. Not because they'd been defeated. but because they'd been denied permission to win. They were greeted by no parades. They were greeted by no parades.
no bands, no waving of the flag they had so nobly served. There's been no thank you for their sacrifice. There's been no effort to honor and thus give pride to the families of more than 57,000 young men who gave their lives in that faraway war. As the poet Lawrence Binion wrote, They shall grow not old. As we that are left grow old, Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them. Pride, of course. Cannot wipe out the burden of grief borne by their families, but it can make that grief easier to bear. The pain will not be quite as sharp. if they know their fellow citizens share that pain.
John Stuart Mill said, War is an ugly thing. but not the ugliest of things. A man who has nothing which he cares about more than his personal safety. Is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so. by the exertions of better men than himself.
Bob Hope. Who visited our men there as he had in two previous wars said of them. The number of RGIs who devote their free time, energy, and money to aid the Vietnamese would surprise you. And then he added, But maybe it wouldn't. I guess you know what kind of guys your sons and brothers and the kids next door are.
Well, yes, we do know. I think we just let it slip our minds for a time. It's time to show our pride in them and to thank them. In his book, The Bridges at Toko Ree, novelist James Michner writes movingly of the heroes who fought in the Korean conflict. In the book's final scene, an admiral stands on the darkened bridge of his carrier waiting for pilots.
he knows will never return from their mission. And as he waits, he asks in the silent darkness, Where did we get? such men. Almost a generation later, I asked that same question. when our POWs were returned from savage captivity in Vietnam.
Where did we find such men? We find them where we've always found them. in our villages and towns. On our city streets. in our shops and on our farms.
I have one more Vietnam story, and the individual in this story was brought up on a farm outside of Curreo in DeWitt County, Texas. And he is here today. Thanks to the Secretary of Defense Cap Weinberger. I learned of his story which had been overlooked or buried for several years. It has to do with the highest award our nation can give.
The Congressional Medal of Honor, given only for service above and beyond, The Call of Duty. Ladies and gentlemen, we're honored to have with us today Master Sergeant Roy P. Benavites. U.S. Army retired.
Let me read the plain factual military language of the citation that was lost for too long a time. Master Sergeant Roy P. Benavides, United States Army retired for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Yeah. Where there is a brave man, it is said, there is the thickest of the fight.
There is the place of honor. On May 2nd, 1968, Master Sergeant, then Staff Sergeant Roy P. Benavidez. distinguished himself by a series of daring and extremely valorous actions, while assigned to Detachment B fifty six, Fifth Special Forces Group Airborne, First Special Forces Republic of Vietnam. On the morning of May 2, 1968, a 12-man Special Forces reconnaissance team was inserted by helicopters in a dense jungle area west of Loch 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 Loch Nin monitoring the operation by radio. When these helicopters return to offload wounded crew members, and to assess aircraft damage. Sergeant Benavidez. voluntarily boarded a returning aircraft to assist in another extraction attempt. And we're taking you back to 1981 and to President Ronald Reagan.
Presenting the Medal of Honor to Master Sergeant Roy Benavidez. When we come back, a bit more of Reagan. and then Benavidez himself. Here on Our American Stories. Lee Habib here, the host of Our American Stories.
Every day on this show, we're bringing inspiring stories from across this great country. Stories from our big cities and small towns. But we truly can't do this show without you. Our stories are free to listen to, but they're not free to make. If you love what you hear, go to ouramericanstories.com and click the donate button.
Give a little, give a lot. Go to ouramericanstories.com and give. Liberty has never been just a word to we Americans. It has guided every one of our endeavors for the past 250 years. And now it takes form in a new way.
The 2026 Semi-Quincentennial Coin and Metal Program from the United States Mint. It celebrates the founding ideals that have long shaped our coinage. Available one year only, this historic collection features new coin designs, limited edition releases, and reissues. Shop new official coins at usmint.gov forward slash semi-q. That's usmint.gov/slash S-E-M-I-Q.
IceCube's big brief season is heating up. The most competitive basketball league on earth is on CBS this Sunday. The defending champion, Miami 305, led by two-time MVP Michael Beasley and Lance Stevenson, take on the Houston Righands looking for their first win. Then Coach Steven Jackson and the DMV Trilogy look to take down the undefeated Dallas Power, led by Coach Nancy Lieberman and Captain Greg Monroe. The game played the way you love.
Watch live Sunday on CBS at 4 p.m. Eastern, 1 p.m. Pacific, and catch replays Mondays on BET. Presented by iHeart. America is the stage for the biggest World Cup ever, and Fox is your home for it all.
None bigger than this one. Four-world countries, sixteen cities. One golden dream. The biggest stars, the biggest games, the biggest moments. The 2026 FIFA World Cup, June 11th through July 19th, on Fox.
The United States is about to mark its 250th anniversary. And so on the Global Story Podcast from the BBC, we're telling surprising tales of American influence on the world stage and in ordinary people's lives all across the globe. We have this ability to export our story, and a lot of people have bought it. I feel like the American dream is alive, but not well. From the BBC, it's the United States at 250.
Listen wherever you get your podcasts or find us on YouTube. And we return to our American stories and the story of Roy Benavidez and President Ronald Reagan, who in 1981 presented Benavidez with the Medal of Honor. for his heroism in the Vietnam War. On May 2nd, 1968, Benavidez, a devout Catholic, was attending a prayer service when he heard that a twelve-man Special Forces patrol team had inserted into a hornet's nest of NVA, and that's the enemy's troops in Vietnam, numbering between a thousand and fifteen hundred. Here's President Reagan, followed by Roy Benavidez himself.
to share the rest of the story. 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 the classified documents on the dead team leader. When he reached the team 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 Benavites 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 build-up of enemy opposition with a beleaguered team, Sergeant Benavides mustered his strength and began calling in tactical airstrikes and directing 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 carry his comrades to the craft. On his second trip with the wounded, he was clubbed from behind by an enemy soldier. In the ensuing hand-to-hand combat, he sustained 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 serious condition from numerous wounds and loss of blood. did he allow himself to be pulled into the extraction aircraft? Sergeant Benavita's gallant choice. to join voluntarily as comrades who are in critical straits. to expose himself constantly to withering enemy fire.
And his refusal to be stopped, despite numerous severe wounds, saved the lives. have 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 finest traditions of the military service. and reflect the utmost credit on him. and the United States Army. Sergeant Beneditis. A nation grateful to you and to all your comrades living and dead.
awards you its highest symbol of gratitude. for service above and beyond. The Call of Duty. the Congressional Medal of Honor. Yeah.
Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much.
Mucha de racias, like you say in Spanish. In German, Dankerschoen. Japanese are got on there. And in French, mercy becoul. Thank you very much.
I don't speak those languages fluently, but I'll never get lost in those countries if I ever go there. I come from I left town. Named Quirrell, Texas. I was born there, Tarakic capital of the world. After the death of my mother and father, At an early age, my brother and I were adopted by an ann-uncle.
Yeah, we moved to El Campo, Texas. Town southwest of Houston, about an hour and a half. I was raised there. I went to school there. I work at our jobs there.
Chan Chuz.
sold papers. Pay cardinal. And like a fool, I dropped out of school and I ran away from home. I'm not proud of that. I need to learn the skills.
I needed an education. My adopted father would tell me, Son, An education and a diploma. is the key to success. Bad habits and bad company. We'll run you.
Well, I was Too old to go back to school. I didn't want to return back, so I joined the Texas National Guard. And I like it. what I saw in men in uniform. And I qualified to join the regular army.
I needed that education and learned the skill.
So I was accepted into the regular army. And I heard about Airborne. I heard about that extra pay that you get for jumping out of airplanes.
So I qualified to go to jump school at Fort Bend, Georgia. But the Durham recruiters never told me what the training was like. For every mistake that you make, you do push-ups. And I can honestly tell you, ladies and gentlemen, I'm one of the guys that helped. Georgia.
into South Carolina doing push-ups.
Well, I finished my training. I got assigned to a well-known unit. At Fort Brandon, North Carolina, they eighty second airborne division. I like the eight-second, thank you. Are born all the way.
I like that. And so after a while there, heard about the special forces. You know it as the Green Braves. And they were coming up.
So I qualify to join the Spatch Force. Of course I'm a linguist. We and the special forces are trained to operate deep behind enemy lines with little or no support at all. We are trained in five specialties. I'm training three.
Operational intelligence, where I learn oceanography, meteorology, photography. I'm an interrogator and I'm a linguist. I'm trained in light and heavy weapons and cross-trained Zematic. I've been all over the world, the Far East, Europe, South of Central America. and two tours.
In Vietnam. I was assigned to Berlin, Germany. And I was declared one time that I was the only Hispanic American that could speak German with a southern accent. Feeling down there, down the shore.
So I came back. And Retrained at Fort Bragg. And Vietnam was growing up. And you're listening to Roy Benavidez telling one heck of a story about his life. Humble roots hustling for work when he's young, looking for structure.
Looking towards the future, A father I'll just rooting for him, praying for him, encouraging him. And he ends up Well, in the National Guard. And ultimately A green beret. What intelligence? What skill sets?
Light and heavy weapons, intelligence, a medic. Master of many languages, I was the only Hispanic American who could speak German with a southern accent. Doesn't get any better than that, folks. That is the story of America. This guy is a walking diversity experiment.
And it's beautiful. And when we come back, we're going to hear more from Benavidez. This is one heck of a story. One of our best. Here on our American story.
Liberty has never been just a word to we Americans. It has guided every one of our endeavors for the past 250 years. And now it takes form in a new way. The 2026 Semi-Quincentennial Coin and Metal Program from the United States Mint. It celebrates the founding ideals that have long shaped our coinage.
Available one year only, this historic collection features new coin designs, limited edition releases, and reissues. Shop new official coins at usmint.gov forward slash semi-q. That's usmint.gov/slash S-E-M-I-Q. IceCube's big three season is heating up. The most competitive basketball league on earth is on CBS this Sunday.
The defending champion, Maya. 305 led by two-time MVP Michael Beasley and Lance Stevenson, take on the Houston Righands looking for their first win. Then Coach Steven Jackson and the DMV Trilogy look to take down the undefeated Dallas Power, led by Coach Nancy Lieberman and Captain Greg Monroe. The game played the way you love. Watch live Sunday on CBS at 4 p.m.
Eastern, 1 p.m. Pacific, and catch replays Mondays on BET. Presented by iHeart. Ah! America is the stage for the biggest World Cup ever, and Fox is your home for it all.
None bigger than this one. 48 countries, 16 cities. One golden dream. The biggest stars, the biggest games, the biggest moments. The 2026 FIFA World Cup, June 11th through July 19th on Fox.
The United States is about to mark its 250th anniversary. And so on the Global Story Podcast from the BBC, we're telling surprising tales of American influence on the world stage and in ordinary people's lives all across the globe. We have this ability to export our story and a lot of people have bought it. I feel like the American Dream is alive but not well. From the BBC, it's the United States at 250.
Listen wherever you get your podcasts or find us on YouTube. And we continue with our American stories and the story of Roy Benavidez as told by Roy himself. in front of a military audience. Let's pick up where we last left off. Here's Roy.
In 1965, I was sent to Vietnam as an advisor. to Vietnamese infantry unit. After a short period of time there, I stepped on the mine. I woke up in the Philippine Islands. in Clock Air Force Base.
I was paralyzed from the waist down. I will declare never to walk again. I was transferred to Fort Sam Houston, Texas Beach Pavilion. The doctors were initiating my medical discharge papers. But at night I would slip out of bed.
and crawl to a wall. Using my elbows for my chin. My back would just be killing me. I'd be crying. But I get to the wall.
and I set myself against a wall. and I backed myself up against the wall. And I stand there. Black Elijah, the Indian. I stand there and move my toes right and left, right.
Every single chance I got a... I got it. I wanted to walk. I wanted to go back to Vietnam. Because of what?
The news media was saying about us that our president was not needed there to burn the flag and what. And I saw a lot of other patients coming back. Lynch machine. I wanted to go back. I was determined.
Because I remember Well, I was taught in jump school. That old master sergeant will tell me Benavides Quitters never win and winners never quit. What are you?
So I'm a winner. And I remember in my spectrum. And I remember my special forces training. One uh training matrix that I was on. I remember that My leader will tell me.
Faith. Determination. and a positive attitude. A positive attitude will carry you further than ability. You can do it, Benoitis.
You can do it. I never forgot those three words. Never.
So there I was at night. I'd slip out of bed. The nurses would catch me sometimes. They would chew me out, give me a pill of slicking pills, put me to sleep. They would tell the doctors in the morning.
I was determined to woman. Nine months later. Here comes my medical discharge paper. And I told the doctor, Doctor. Look what I can do.
He said, Sergeant, I'm sorry, even if you can stand up. you'll never be able to walk. I jumped out of bed and I stood up right before him. My back was hurting, aching, I was crying. And I moved just a little bit.
The doctor said, Menoire, if you walk out of this room, I'll tear these papers up. I walked out of that ward at Beach Pavilion. I walked out with a limp. I went back to Fort Bury, North Carolina. I started my therapy again.
running five or ten miles a day, doing fifty, a hundred push-ups. And I made three parachute jumps in one day. I was ready to go back to Vietnam. physically and mentally rare to go back. My orders were to go to Central America.
As an advisor, But being a non-commissioned officer and knowing some of the good officers in the right places, my orders were diverted.
So So I went back to Vietnam. In 1968. Latter part of April, I was inserted, my buddy and I. to gather intelligent information behind enemy lines. After two days on the ground, my buddy was shot through the eye.
the back and legs Our mission was completed, but I didn't want to leave my buddy behind. I call in for an extraction helicopter to come and get us out. They came in with the Maguire rig. McGuire rig is nothing but a piece of rope, nylon rope with a hook. In this case, there was two ropes.
We hooked on, the enemy was firing at us. We pulled up. Going up through the canopy of the jungle, our rope started to twist. and rub. you know, an island that burns when it erupts.
As we cleared the canopy, our ropes were completely twisting and rubbing. Another Non-commissioned officer that looked out of the helicopter, he was riding as a safety man. And when he saw those two ropes burning. He immediately tied himself with a piece of rope around his waist and he pulled himself out of the helicopter. And undid those two roves.
Separated him. That's dedication. That's love of fellow men and country. I'll never forget that man. And the enemy was still firing at us, but they never shot us.
We landed. We landed in a safe spot. My buddy was taken to the hospital shortly thereafter he expired. I was in another station area, waiting for an extra assignment. When I heard on the radio Something like a popcorn machine.
Then I heard a voice, get us out of here, get us out of here, come in and get us out quick, ASAP. I asked the radio operator, who are those? He said, I don't know. They haven't gave us any call sign. And I saw some helicopter pilot.
Run to the flight line. Scrambling. I ran right behind him. We saw a helicopter coming in. The land and had a door gunner slumped over his weapon.
When the helicopter landed, I unstrapped the door gunner. Michael Crave. nineteen years old. We just celebrate his nineteenth birthday in March. I cradled him in my arms.
And his last words were My God. My mother and father. I asked the pilot. Who are the people on the ground? He said, hey, he says, it's that black NCO, that non-commissioned officer, saved your life the other day, remember?
I said, Leroy rides. Leroy always get always got paid for it. top seeker assignments, heyman Musso and Color.
So It was an instant reaction. I saw a bag of medical supplies, I picked it up, went over to my helicopter. Did I own a helicopter? We got on with the fall-air controller, the guy that's in, he said, you can't go in there, you can't go in. It's too hot.
Little did I know. that I was going to spend six hours in hell. You heard what the President s read the citation. of hour and the Medal of Honor. But He didn't tell you.
of what I went through when I engaged in a hand-to-hand combat. And what a story you're hearing you're listening to Roy Benavitez. share the story of his life. And my goodness, in 1965, when he's sent to Vietnam as an advisor, he steps on a mine and he's paralyzed from the waist down. And he's told he'll never walk.
Benavidez disagrees. and he fights and struggles. and pushes his way. wills his way to walk again, with some real memories of his mentors in his mind. one of his special forces leaders and trainers.
told him once faith, determination, and a positive attitude. I will carry you further than ability, Benavides. That stuck with em. I was determined to walk. he said.
and in nineteen sixty eight he walked straight back to Vietnam. and straight into trouble. When we come back. More of the remarkable story of Roy Benavidez. His selflessness, his sacrifice, and by the way, the story of so many other Vietnam veterans that he talks about, including how Americans.
treated Vietnam vets. Stateside. An embarrassing chapter in American history. More of Roy Benavitez's story. Here on Our American Story.
Liberty has never been just a word to we Americans. It has guided every one of our endeavors for the past 250 years, and now it takes form in a new way. The 2026 Semi-Quincentennial Coin and Metal Program from the United States Mint. It celebrates the founding ideals that have long shaped our coinage. Available one year only, this historic collection features new coin designs, limited edition releases, and reissues.
Shop new official coins at usmint.gov forward. Slash semi-q. That's usmint.gov/slash S-E-M-I-Q. Ice Cube's big three season is heating up. The most competitive basketball league on earth is on CBS this Sunday.
The defending champion Miami 305, led by two-time MVP Michael Beasley and Lance Stevenson, take on the Houston Righands looking for their first win. Then coach Steven Jackson and the DMV Trilogy look to take down the undefeated Dallas Power, led by Coach Nancy Lieberman and Captain Greg Monroe. The game played the way you love. Watch live Sunday on CBS at 4 p.m. Eastern, 1 p.m.
Pacific, and catch replays Mondays on BET. Presented by iHeart. America is the stage for the biggest World Cup ever, and Fox is your home for it all. None bigger than this one. 48 countries, 16 cities.
One golden dream. The biggest stars, the biggest games, the biggest moments. The 2026 FIFA World Cup, June 11th through July 19th on Fox. The United States is about to mark its 250th anniversary. And so on the Global Story Podcast from the BBC, we're telling surprising tales of American influence on the world stage and in ordinary people's lives all across the globe.
We have this ability to export our story, and a lot of people have bought it. I feel like the American dream is alive, but not well. From the BBC, it's the United States at 250. Listen wherever you get your podcasts or find us on YouTube. And we continue with our American stories.
On May 2nd, 1968, a 12-man Special Forces patrol was surrounded by a thousand North Vietnamese soldiers. Army Special Forces Staff Sergeant Roy Benavitez. heard the radio appeal for help. and boarded a helicopter voluntarily. The hell.
Armed only with a knife, he jumped from the helicopter carrying his medical bag and ran to help the trap patrol. Here again. is Roy Benavidez. I was hitting the mouth with the butt of the weapon. My jaws were locked.
After my last return back to the helicopter when I was boarded on. I was holding my intacher in my hand. We are Lift it up. The helicopter had an over payload. Blood was flowing on both sides of the helicopter.
We landed. It locked me in our staging area. and start unloading You start identifying the bodies. They find out I loaded a thing. three dead enemy soldiers in that helicopter.
I didn't want to leave anybody behind. My mission was to recover the classified material, so if anybody had it, he was on a helicopter.
So They left the three enemy soldiers on the side, and because I sort of look oriental. They thought I was one of them, so they let me lay right next to them. and they were putting us in body bags. And I I remember in my feet being Lift it, and I was inserting it to the body bag, and I could hear that zipper coming up, and I thought, oh my god, no, no. My eyes were shut because I had blood all over my face and my eyes and the blood had dried up in my eyelids.
And I couldn't talk because my doors were locked and I could hear that zipper coming up, coming up. And one of my buddies was doing the Mexican head dance. And he was yelling at the doctor, that's Roy, that's Roy Benavita. The doctor said, sorry. There's nothing I can do for 'em.
Oh my god, and that zipper just is just coming up. I was trying to wiggle in my own blood. And finally, I'll find out later, Jerry Cottenham May that doctor at least to feel my heartbeat. When I felt that hand on my chest, I made the luckiest shot I ever made in my life. I spit in the doctor's face.
So the doctor says, I think he'll make it.
So I uh Yeah. I was uh Cleaned up. Put her in a helicopter. alongside with my buddy. One of the guys that I had saved.
We got airborne. I just said to myself, hold on, buddy, just hold on. We're going to get some medical attention. and his grip tightened up on me. And then he let go.
I said, oh God, why do you put me through this test? Why? You helped me get these men out, save them, save this material, and now you take them away from me. Bye. And I was crying, I was moving so much at the co-pilot.
He happened to look back and he thought that I was gasping for air, so he gets out of his seat, get his bayonet out, and he's going to do a track on me, and I'm about to kick him out of the helicopter. That's just too much for one day. We landed in the hospital at Long Been. And I was flung to the operating room. And it's our being lifted to my operating table.
I saw this nurse on her hands and knees crying, yelling, asking God. Why do you do this to these men? Why? Just crime. And as I turned a little bit to my left, I saw on the other operating table.
Amen. They had both legs and both arms missing. I passed out it. I woke up in award. One of my buddies was land.
Next to me. We're so bandaged up. We couldn't talk. we used to wiggle our toes to make sure that we were still alive. After a short while, My buddy was transfer.
Furred from there and I thought he had died. I was transferred. The Japan. Tachikawa. And that airplane that I was flying in Medevac.
We lost two men. And I remember this nurse kept yelling at me. And now he says, you're not going to die on me. I'm going to pinch you every time you close your eyes. I'm going to pinch you.
I'm going to pinch you. Boy, she kept pinching me. When I got the Tachikawa, When I got to Japan. And this Who me into the operating room, they disrobed me again. I remember the doctor, I heard him say, What in the world happened to you?
had blue spots, red spots all over me and I said, that lady kept pinching me up there.
So after I went back to Fort Sam Houston, the Beach Pavilion. And I stayed in a hospital. Almost a year. I continue with my Career. Yeah.
Then I was awarded with a medal. I was dedicating myself to come and speak to schools. Do civic groups? to help anyone that I can help. My life was spared for a reason.
And I hope there's a good reason. A lot of people call me a hero. I appreciate the title. But the real heroes are the ones that gave the life of this country. The real heroes are our wives, our mothers.
Above all. The heroes are the ones that are laying. in those hospital disabled for life, in those hospital beds. But the real heroes are the future leaders of our country. these students that are staying in school.
and learning to say no to drugs, those are real screws. You know, there's a saying among us veterans. For those that had fought for it, Life has a special flavor. The protected will never know. You have never lived.
Till you almost died. And it is us veterans. They pray for peace. Most of all. especially the wounded.
Because we have to suffer. The wounds o' war. I'm asked hundreds of times Would you do it over again? In my 25 years in the military, I feel like I've been overpaid. for the service to my country.
There'll never be enough paper. To print the money. nor enough gold in Fort Notch. for me to have. The keep.
from doing what I did. I'm proud to be an American. and even prouder. And I'm even prouder that I've earned the privilege to wear the green beret. I live by the motto.
of duty Honor. country. Ladies and gentlemen. Thank you very much. Thank you.
God bless you. And God bless America. And a terrific job on the editing and the storytelling and production by our own Greg Hengler. And a special thanks to Medal of Honor recipient Roy Benavidez. What a story he told.
It was an instant reaction, he said, to board that helicopter and head straight as he put it. into hell. And to do one thing Save his brothers. And my goodness, that scene where he's back at the hospital and that nurse Sees all of these boys blown to bits. And she says, crying to God, why do you do this to these men?
And my goodness, the humour and the jokes, too. What a wit this man has, and how hopeful he is after he's seen what he's seen. He's in the hospital almost a year after having experienced what he experienced. earning that Medal of Honor. A lot of people call me a hero.
I appreciate the title, but the real heroes are the ones who gave their lives to the country. And I love this, and he said. For those who have fought for it, life has a special flavor. The protected will never know. You've never lived.
until you've almost died. I'm proud to be an American. and even prouder that I earned the privilege to wear The green beret. His mission, by the way, to speak to school children? Ronald Reagan challenged him to do that.
Always the good Soldier. He followed the orders. or the recommendations at this point. of the Commander in Chief. The story of Roy Benavita is here.
on Our American Story. Liberty has never been just a word to we Americans. It has guided every one of our endeavors for the past 250 years. And now it takes form in a new way. The 2026 Semi-Quincentennial Coin and Metal Program from the United States Mint.
It celebrates the founding ideals that have long shaped our coinage. Available one year only, this historic collection features new coin designs, limited edition releases, and reissues. Shop new official coins at usmint.gov forward slash semi-q. That's usmint.gov/slash S-E-M-I-Q. IceCube's big brief season is heating up.
The most competitive basketball league on earth is on CBS this Sunday. The defending champion, Miami 305, led by two-time MVP Michael Beasley and Lance Stevenson, take on the Houston Righands looking for their first win. Then Coach Steven Jackson and the DMV Trilogy look to take down the undefeated Dallas Power, led by Coach Nancy Lieberman and Captain Greg Monroe. The game played the way you love. Watch live Sunday on CBS at 4 p.m.
Eastern, 1 p.m. Pacific, and catch replays Mondays on BET. Presented by iHeart. America is the stage for the biggest World Cup ever, and Fox is your home for it all. None bigger than this one.
48 countries, 16 cities. What a goal! One golden dream. The biggest stars, the biggest games, the biggest moments. The 2026 FIFA World Cup, June 11th through July 19th on Fox.
The United States is about to mark its 250th anniversary. And so on the Global Story Podcast from the BBC, we're telling surprising tales of American influence on the world stage and in ordinary people's lives all across the globe. We have this ability to export our story, and a lot of people have bought it. I feel like the American dream is alive, but not well. From the BBC, it's the United States at 250.
Listen wherever you get your podcasts or find us on YouTube.
