U.S. Steven Bennett, Medal of Honor, Vietnam

[bobdina]

*
Steven Logan Bennett
* Date of birth: 22 April 1946
* Place of birth: Palestine, Texas
* Home of record: Lafayette, La.
*

Awards and Citations

1.
Medal of Honor

Awarded for actions during the Vietnam War
CITATION:

Capt. Bennett was the pilot of a light aircraft flying an artillery adjustment mission along a heavily defended segment of route structure. A large concentration of enemy troops was massing for an attack on a friendly unit. Capt. Bennett requested tactical air support, but was advised that none was available. He also requested artillery support, but this too was denied due to the close proximity of friendly troops to the target. Capt. Bennett was determined to aid the endangered unit and elected to strafe the hostile positions. After four such passes, the enemy force began to retreat. Capt. Bennett continued to attack, but, as he completed his fifth strafing pass, his aircraft was struck by a surface-to-air missile, which severely damaged the left engine and the left main landing gear. As fire spread in the left engine, Capt. Bennett realized that recovery at a friendly airfield was impossible. He instructed his observer to prepare for an ejection, but was informed by the observer that his parachute had been shredded by the force of the impacting missile. Although Capt. Bennett had a good parachute, he knew that if he ejected, the observer would have no chance of survival. With complete disregard for his own life, Capt. Bennett elected to ditch the aircraft into the Gulf of Tonkin, even though he realized that a pilot of this type aircraft had never survived a ditching. The ensuing impact upon the water caused the aircraft to cartwheel and severely damaged the front cockpit, making escape for Capt. Bennett impossible. The observer successfully made his way out of the aircraft and was rescued. Capt. Bennett's unparalleled concern for his companion, extraordinary heroism and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty, at the cost of his life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the U.S. Air Force.

(signed) GERALD R. FORD

Service: Air Force Reserve

GB-1007, September 6, 1974

[bobdina]

On June 29, 1972, Capt. Steven Bennett piloted his OV-10 on an artillery adjustment mission southeast of Quang Tri City. A forward air controller (FAC) assigned to the 20th Tactical Air Support Squadron, Bennett had already directed two close air support strikes by Navy fighters on that mission. From the backseat, his partner, Capt. Michael B. Brown-a U.S. Marine Corps airborne artillery observer-directed gunfire from two American destroyers in the Tonkin Gulf. They were about to return to their base at Da Nang when a Marine ground artillery spotter with a platoon of South Vietnamese marines radioed for help because a much larger force of North Vietnamese Army (NVA) regulars was overrunning their position. Bennett called for air support, but no fighters were available. Brown could not call in artillery fire without hitting the South Vietnamese marines.

At great personal risk, Bennett decided to attack the NVA troops with his OV-10's four 7.62 mm machine guns. In addition to large numbers of 23 mm and 37 mm antiaircraft guns used by the enemy, Bennett had to face a new threat-the new, shoulder-launched SA-7 Grail surface to air missile (SAM) carried by the NVA. Very effective against low-flying aircraft, the heat-seeking SA-7 had inflicted serious losses on American fighters. The OV-10's twin engines produced a large amount of heat, and to stay out of the SA-7's range, the OV-10 FACs had to fly above 9,500 feet. The area patrolled by Bennett and Brown had so many SA-7s that American pilots had nicknamed it "SAM-7 Alley."

After four strafing attacks, Bennett had forced the NVA to retreat, and his OV-10 had received only slight damage from ground fire. On his fifth attack, however, Bennett's left engine was hit by an SA-7, which set the engine on fire and damaged the landing gear. Another FAC pilot warned Bennett to eject because the damaged OV-10's wing was about to explode, but Bennett refused. Shrapnel from the SA-7 had destroyed Brown's parachute, and Bennett refused to leave Brown. Therefore, Bennett decided to ditch his aircraft in the nearby Tonkin Gulf. It was well-known by OV-10 pilots that a backseater might survive a crash-landing at sea, but the pilot's chances of surviving were remote.

Choosing to risk his own life to save that of his backseater, Bennett landed the OV-10 in the Tonkin Gulf. Upon hitting the water, the OV-10 flipped over, and the front cockpit broke apart. Brown managed to free himself from the wreckage, but he could not help Bennett. The following day, Capt. Bennett's body was recovered, and he was buried at Lafayette, La.

On Aug. 8, 1974, Vice President Gerald R. Ford presented the Medal of Honor to Bennett's widow and daughter.

[Ripcord]

"It was well-known by OV-10 pilots that a backseater might survive a crash-landing at sea, but the pilot's chances of surviving were remote.

Choosing to risk his own life to save that of his backseater, Bennett landed the OV-10 in the Tonkin Gulf. Upon hitting the water, the OV-10 flipped over, and the front cockpit broke apart. Brown managed to free himself from the wreckage, but he could not help Bennett. The following day, Capt. Bennett's body was recovered, and he was buried at Lafayette, La."


John 15:13
"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

I'm not religious but this quote says it all.

[nastyleg]

Well put ripcord.

[scoutsout80]

Wow, that would be the slow version of laying on a hand grenade, wonder what he was thinking as he prepared to ditch? Great hero stuff.

[Cruelbreed]

Wow, that would be the slow version of laying on a hand grenade, wonder what he was thinking as he prepared to ditch? Great hero stuff.

Vietnam seemed to have a lot of the great hero stuff. You here of some pretty ballsy figures