Military Review English Edition January-February 2015 | Page 146
Sgt. Maj. Bennie G. Adkins
MEDAL OF HONOR
VIETNAM WAR
T
wo Vietnam War veterans, retired Command
Sgt. Maj. Bennie G. Adkins and Spc. 4 Donald
P. Sloat, were each awarded the Medal of Honor
in a ceremony at the White House, 15 September 2014.
Adkins received the medal in person from President
Barack Obama. Sloat’s award was posthumous; his
brother, Dr. Bill Sloat, received the medal on his behalf.
Adkins was presented the medal for numerous
acts of valor during a 38-hour battle at Camp A Shau,
Republic of Vietnam, and 48 hours of escape and evasion, 9-12 March 1966. He is credited with killing more
than 135 enemy soldiers during the battle while suffering
18 wounds.
When a large North Vietnamese force attacked the
Camp A Shau on 9 March, Adkins manned a mortar
position. He mounted a defense of the camp, sustaining wounds from several direct hits by enemy mortar
rounds in the process. He left the mortar position
temporarily, facing mortar and sniper fire to drag several
wounded comrades to safety. Adkins repeatedly exposed
himself to enemy fire to evacuate wounded casualties
and retrieve supplies.
On the morning of 10 March, the enemy launched
their main assault. Adkins continued to man the mortar
until he had exhausted all rounds, then fought off waves
of enemy soldiers with rifle fire. Withdrawing to a communications bunker with a small element of soldiers, he
continued to fight off the enemy, receiving more wounds
in the process. Adkins and the group destroyed the
signal equipment and classified documents, then fought
their way out of the camp. Because he was carrying a
wounded soldier, Adkins and his group could not reach
the last evacuation helicopter. Instead, he led them into
the jungle and evaded the enemy for 48 hours until they
were rescued by a helicopter on 12 March.