STEVEN LOGAN BENNETT

Medal of Honor · awarded posthumously

For conspicuous gallantry

Steven Logan Bennett received the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest award for valor, for his actions on June 29, 1972. The official citation reads:

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR

posthumously 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, June 29, 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 4 such passes, the enemy force began to retreat. Capt. Bennett continued the 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

^ "Medal of Honor recipients - Vietnam (A-L)". United States Army Center of Military History. August 3, 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-06-27. Retrieved 2009-09-21.

^ "BENNETT, STEVEN L." CMOHS.

Citation text as reproduced in Wikipedia’s article on Steven Logan Bennett; Medal of Honor citations are official U.S. government records. See also the Congressional Medal of Honor Society and all Medal of Honor recipients on the Wall.