Roy Benavedez Notes
ROY PEREZ BENAVIDEZ (1935-1998) Roy Perez Benavidez was born in Cuero, Texas, on August 5, 1935. He was the son of a sharecropper and endured much racism in his life because of his mixed Yaqui Indian and Mexican heritage. Benavidez was orphaned as a child and raised by an uncle. He dropped out of school in the seventh grade. For a period of time in his teens, Benavidez worked as a migrant farm worker and traveled as far as Colorado to harvest sugar beets. Benavidez joined the Army in Houston, Texas, in 1955.
Benavidez was first stationed at Fort Ord, California. He was then transferred to Germany, where he received parachute training. While in Germany, the letters he exchanged with childhood sweetheart Hilaria "Lala" Coy increased in intensity. When Benavidez returned to the U.S., he immediately sent his uncle, grandfather, and the local priest to ask Lala's father for his blessing.
Lala and Roy Benavidez were married on June 7, 1959, in El Campo, Texas. Benavidez was then assigned to Military Police training at Fort Gordon, Georgia. Throughout his training, Benavidez periodically got into trouble because of his stubbornness and hot temper. However, Benavidez later credited these qualities for his success in Special Forces training at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. By the time Benavidez was ordered to Vietnam, he had risen to the rank of Staff Sergeant with the Fifth Special Forces Group, Airborne, Detachment B-56, First Special Forces.
On the morning of May 2, 1968, a 12-man Special Forces team was inserted in Cambodia to observe large scale North Vietnamese troop movements and was discovered by the enemy. Most of the team members were close friends of Benavidez, who was at the Forward Operating Base in Loc Ninh, Vietnam. Three helicopters were sent to rescue the team, but were unable to land due to heavy enemy fire. When a second attempt was made to reach the stranded team, Benavidez jumped aboard one of the helicopters, armed only with a Bowie knife. As
Benavidez was first stationed at Fort Ord, California. He was then transferred to Germany, where he received parachute training. While in Germany, the letters he exchanged with childhood sweetheart Hilaria "Lala" Coy increased in intensity. When Benavidez returned to the U.S., he immediately sent his uncle, grandfather, and the local priest to ask Lala's father for his blessing.
Lala and Roy Benavidez were married on June 7, 1959, in El Campo, Texas. Benavidez was then assigned to Military Police training at Fort Gordon, Georgia. Throughout his training, Benavidez periodically got into trouble because of his stubbornness and hot temper. However, Benavidez later credited these qualities for his success in Special Forces training at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. By the time Benavidez was ordered to Vietnam, he had risen to the rank of Staff Sergeant with the Fifth Special Forces Group, Airborne, Detachment B-56, First Special Forces.
On the morning of May 2, 1968, a 12-man Special Forces team was inserted in Cambodia to observe large scale North Vietnamese troop movements and was discovered by the enemy. Most of the team members were close friends of Benavidez, who was at the Forward Operating Base in Loc Ninh, Vietnam. Three helicopters were sent to rescue the team, but were unable to land due to heavy enemy fire. When a second attempt was made to reach the stranded team, Benavidez jumped aboard one of the helicopters, armed only with a Bowie knife. As