Medal of Honor 2020 | Page 15

Bennie G. Adkins U.S. Army/Vietnam WE ARE PROUD TO SALUTE OUR HEROES! 940-665-0053 WE ARE PROUD TO SALUTE OUR HEROES! 3401 W. Hwy 82 • Gainesville, TX 76240 S gt . F irst C lass B ennie A dkins , a native of Waurika, Oklahoma, received his Medal of Honor from then-President Obama on Sept. 15, 2014. His exploits, so numerous and heroic in the jungles of Vietnam caused President Obama to exclaim, “There would not be enough time to describe them all.” The following edited transcript of the ceremonial citation details a portion of Adkins’ incredible story. In the presentation to Adkins, the president related the events of March 9, 1966, when Adkins’ camp was attacked by a large North Vietnamese and Viet Cong force in the early morning hours. “Sergeant First Class Adkins rushed through intense enemy fire and manned a mortar position continually adjusting fire for the camp, despite incurring wounds as the mortar pit received several direct hits from enemy mortars.... During a 38-hour battle and 48 hours of escape and evasion waiting for a second evacuation helicopter, it was estimated Adkins killed up to 175 of the enemy while sustaining 18 different wounds to his body.” 3401 W. Hwy 82 Gainesville, TX 76240 904.665.0053 MEDAL OF HONOR 2 0 2 0 15