Idaho Veteran Recounts Medal of Honor Story of Master Sergeant Roy Benavidez’s Heroism in Vietnam
Priest River Businessman and Vietnam Veteran Shares Account of Extraordinary Battlefield Courage
PRIEST RIVER, Idaho — On May 2, 1968, in a jungle west of Loc Ninh, Vietnam, Master Sergeant Roy Benavidez performed one of the most remarkable acts of valor in American military history. A Priest River businessman and Vietnam War veteran is bringing renewed attention to that story, offering a firsthand perspective on a battle that earned Benavidez the nation’s highest military honor.
Roger Gregory, who served as a captain in the 1st Infantry Division in Vietnam and is now a businessman in Priest River, Idaho, recounted the events of that day in vivid detail — events he notes he has personally witnessed the terrain of firsthand.
A 12-member Special Forces team had been inserted by helicopter into a dangerous jungle region west of Loc Ninh to gather intelligence. They were quickly met by a heavy enemy force and called for extraction. Benavidez, hearing the distress call at a nearby base, voluntarily boarded a helicopter to join the rescue mission.
Thirty-Seven Wounds Over Six Hours of Combat
What followed was six hours of relentless combat that would test the limits of human endurance. Upon arriving at the scene, Benavidez found that all team members were either dead or wounded. He directed another helicopter to a clearing approximately 75 meters away to establish an extraction point.
Almost immediately, Benavidez was shot in his right leg. Another bullet grazed his face, and a third grazed his head. Despite these wounds, he took command of the situation, directing the surviving wounded soldiers toward the waiting helicopters and providing protective fire as he moved through the kill zone.
He carried and dragged half of the wounded men to awaiting aircraft. While retrieving the team leader’s body, he suffered further devastating wounds — a bullet to his abdomen and grenade fragments embedded in his back. Rather than seek evacuation, Benavidez began calling in airstrikes and directing fire from supporting gunships to suppress the enemy.
Shot again, this time in the thigh, he continued dragging wounded soldiers toward another helicopter. In hand-to-hand combat that followed, an enemy soldier stabbed him with a bayonet. Benavidez killed that soldier with his knife, then killed two more enemy combatants in close quarters.
Only then, severely weakened from catastrophic blood loss, did Benavidez crawl into a helicopter for evacuation. By the time the aircraft landed, he had lost consciousness. A doctor, believing Benavidez to be dead, placed him in a body bag. It was at that moment that Benavidez summoned whatever remained of his strength and spat in the doctor’s face — proving he was still alive.
In total, Benavidez sustained 37 separate wounds during the six-hour engagement. He was subsequently awarded the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary actions that day.
A North Idaho Voice Honoring American Military Service
Gregory’s account serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made by American servicemen during the Vietnam War — a conflict that shaped a generation and left a lasting imprint on communities across North Idaho and the broader Panhandle region. Priest River, like many small Idaho towns, has deep roots in military service, with veterans making up a significant portion of the community’s fabric.
Stories of military valor are part of the tradition honored each year at events celebrating North Idaho’s finest, including the North Idaho Athletic Hall of Fame’s annual induction banquet in Sandpoint, which recognizes individuals who have brought honor to their communities through dedication and excellence.
Gregory’s contribution as a contributing writer brings a ground-level, veteran’s perspective to the history of American military service in Southeast Asia — a perspective grounded not only in historical research but in personal experience on the same soil where battles like the one Benavidez fought were waged.
For residents of Bonner County and across the Idaho Panhandle, the story of Master Sergeant Roy Benavidez stands as a testament to the courage that defines American military service at its highest expression. For more on Idaho community and veteran affairs statewide, visit Idaho News.
What Comes Next
Gregory’s account is part of an ongoing series of community contributions highlighting Idaho’s connection to American military history. Residents interested in honoring local veterans and their service are encouraged to attend upcoming community events in Sandpoint, Priest River, and across Bonner County. Additional columns and tributes to Idaho’s veteran community are expected to continue through the spring and summer of 2026.