Steven L. Bennett

Infobox Military Person
name= Steven L. Bennett
born= Birth date|1946|4|22
died= Death date and age|1972|6|29|1946|4|22
placeofbirth=Palestine, Texas
placeofdeath=Quang Tri, Vietnam
placeofburial=


allegiance=flag|United States of America
branch= air force|United States
serviceyears= 1968–1972
rank= Captain
unit= 20th Tactical Air Support Squadron Pacific Air Forces
battles= Vietnam War
awards= Medal of Honor Air Medal (4)

Steven Logan Bennett (April 22, 1946–June 29, 1972) of Palestine, Texas was a United States Air Force pilot who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism during the Vietnam War on August 8, 1974.

Military service

Prior to entering the U.S. Air Force, Steven Bennett attended University of Southwestern Louisiana in Lafayette, Louisiana; he graduated with a degree in Aerospace Engineering. He was in ROTC and received his private pilot's license in 1965. He entered the Air Force in 1968, and earned his pilot wings at Webb AFB, Texas in 1969. In 1970, he completed B-52 bomber training course at Castle AFB, CA. He flew B-52s out of Thailand for almost a year. He then transitioned to become a Forward Air Controller (FAC), and graduated from the FAC and fighter training courses at Cannon AFB, New Mexico, before reporting to DaNang Vietnam in April 1972. He had only been in combat for three months before his Medal of Honor mission and had also won the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters. He was also awarded the Purple Heart and the Cheny Award.

His call-sign at DaNang was Covey 87. Bennett had recently turned 26 when he was killed.

Captain Bennett was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. President Gerald Ford presented the decoration to Captain Bennett’s wife, Linda, and daughter, Angela, at the Blair House on August 8, 1974. Bennett is buried in Lafayette Memorial Cemetery at Lafayette, Louisiana. He was survived by his wife and one child. He had two brothers, David and Miles and three sisters, Kathe, Lynne and Ardra. His mother preceded him in death and his father died many years later in 2006. His daughter now lives near Dallas, TX with her husband, Paul, and two children Jake and Elizabeth.

Bennett's co-pilot, Mike Brown, also lives near Dallas, TX and was reunited with Bennett's wife and daughter in 1988. They have since remained close and have attended numerous dedications together throughout the United States.

Angela is a life-time member of the OV-10 Association located at Meachum Air Field in Fort Worth, TX. They have acquired an OV-10 and painted both Bennett and Brown's names on the side in memory of their last flight together. She was named by her father, he chose Angela Noelle, as in Christmas Angel...she was born near Christmas.

Honors

He is the namesake of the ship MV Capt Steven L. Bennett (T-AK-4296) and his name is engraved on the Vietnam Memorial at Panel 01W - Row 051. There have been numerous other dedications done in his honor. They range from streets being named after him to buildings, gymnasiums, sports arenas and VFW posts. He has been mentioned in several military history books.

Medal of Honor citation

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONORposthumously to CAPTAIN STEVEN L. BENNETT UNITED STATES AIR FORCE 20th Tactical Air Support Squadron, Pacific Air Forces. Place and date of action: Quang Tri, Republic of Vietnam, 29 June 1972. For service as set forth in the following

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

ee also

*List of Medal of Honor recipients
*List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Vietnam War

References

* [http://www.zianet.com/tedmorris/dg/tt060428.pdf Tropical Times article]
* [http://www.msc.navy.mil/inventory/citations/bennett.htm Medal of Honor Citation] at msc.mil
* [http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ship/docs/n19971113_971432.htm article at Air Force News]
* [http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/BB/fbeyv.html Handbook of Texas Online article]
*cite book
last = Schneider
first = Donald K.
authorlink = Donald K. Schneider
title = Air Force Heroes in Vietnam
publisher = University Press of the Pacific
month = December | year = 2002
location = Washington
isbn = 1410203840
* [http://www.mishalov.com/Bennett_S.html article at] mishalov.com

Persondata
NAME= Bennett, Steven L.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States Air Force Medal of Honor recipient
DATE OF BIRTH=
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=