[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 128 (Tuesday, September 9, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1364-E1365]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   IN RECOGNITION OF MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR 
                        (RET.) BENNIE G. ADKINS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MIKE ROGERS

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, September 9, 2014

  Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I ask for the House's attention 
today to recognize Command Sergeant Major (Ret.) Bennie G. Adkins, of 
Opelika, Alabama, for being awarded the Medal of Honor from President 
Barack Obama on September 15, 2014. In his honor, I am submitting into 
the Congressional Record the following summary of his service and 
heroism as written and prepared by the United States Army:
  ``Command Sgt. Maj. Bennie G. Adkins was drafted into the Army Dec. 
5, 1956, at the age of 22, from Waurika, Oklahoma. Upon completion of 
initial training at Fort Bliss, Texas, he was assigned as an 
Administrative Clerk-Typist to a garrison unit in Giessen, Germany, 
with a follow-on assignment to the 2nd Infantry Division, at Fort 
Benning, Georgia. After attending Airborne School, he volunteered for 
Special Forces, in 1961. He served with the Special Forces for more 
than 13 years with the 7th, 3rd, 6th and 5th Special Forces Groups 
(Airborne).
  While in the Special Forces, he deployed to the Republic of Vietnam 
for three non-consecutive tours. His first tour in the Republic of 
Vietnam lasted from February 1963 to August 1963. His second tour of 
duty in Vietnam lasted from September 1965 to September 1966. His final 
Vietnam tour lasted from January 1971 through December 1971.
  Command Sergeant Major Bennie G. Adkins distinguished himself during 
38 hours of close-combat fighting against enemy forces, March 9-12, 
1966. At that time, then-Sergeant First Class Adkins was serving as an 
Intelligence Sergeant with Detachment A-102, 5th Special Forces Group, 
1st Special Forces at Camp A Shau, in the Republic of Vietnam.
  When Camp A Shau was attacked by a large North Vietnamese and Viet 
Cong force in the early morning hours of March 9, then-Sergeant First 
Class Adkins rushed through intense enemy fire and manned a mortar 
position defending the camp. He continued to mount a defense even while 
incurring wounds from several direct hits from enemy mortars. Upon 
learning that several Soldiers were wounded near the center of camp, he 
temporarily turned the mortar over to another Soldier, ran through 
exploding mortar rounds and dragged several comrades to safety. As the 
hostile fire subsided, Adkins repeatedly exposed himself to sniper and 
mortar fire, while moving casualties to the camp dispensary.
  Adkins exposed himself to enemy fire transporting a casualty to an 
airstrip for evacuation. He and his group then came under heavy small-
arms fire from members of the Civilian Irregular Defense Group, which 
had defected to fight with the North Vietnamese. Despite this 
overwhelming force, Adkins maneuvered outside the camp to evacuate a 
seriously wounded American and draw fire away from the aircraft, all 
the while successfully covering the rescue. Later, when a resupply air 
drop landed outside of the camp perimeter, Adkins again moved outside 
of the camp walls to retrieve the much-needed supplies.
  During the early morning hours of March 10, enemy forces launched 
their main assault. Within two hours, Adkins was the only defender 
firing a mortar. When all mortar rounds were expended, Adkins began 
placing effective recoilless rifle fire upon the enemy, as they 
infiltrated the camp perimeter and assaulted his position. Despite 
receiving additional wounds from enemy rounds exploding on his 
position, Adkins fought off relentless waves of attacking Viet Cong.
  Adkins then withdrew to regroup with a smaller element of Soldiers at 
the communications bunker. While there, he single-handedly eliminated 
numerous insurgents with small-arms fire, almost completely exhausting 
his supply of ammunition. Braving intense enemy fire, he returned to 
the mortar pit, gathered vital ammunition and evaded fire while 
returning to the bunker. After the order was given to evacuate the 
camp, Adkins and a small group of Soldiers destroyed all signal 
equipment and classified documents, dug their way out of the rear of 
the bunker, and fought their way out of the camp.
  Because of his efforts to carry a wounded Soldier to an extraction 
point and leave no one behind, Adkins and his group were unable to 
reach the last evacuation helicopter. Adkins then rallied the remaining 
survivors and led the group into the jungle, where they evaded the 
enemy for 48 hours, until they were rescued by helicopter, March 12. 
During the 38-hour battle and 48 hours of escape and evasion, Adkins 
fought with mortars, machine guns, recoilless rifles, small arms, and 
hand grenades, killing an estimated 135-175 of the enemy and sustaining 
18 different wounds. Adkins' extraordinary heroism and selflessness, 
above and beyond the call of duty, are in keeping with the highest 
traditions of the military service, and reflect great credit upon 
himself, Detachment A-102, 5th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces 
and the United States Army.
  After Vietnam, Adkins served as First Sergeant for the Army Garrison 
Communications Command in Fort Huachuca, Arizona. He then joined Class 
#3 of the Army Sergeants Major Academy in El Paso, Texas. After 
graduation, Adkins served with the Special Forces at Fort Bragg, North 
Carolina, and then led training at Fort Sherman's Jungle School in the 
Panama Canal Zone. He retired from the Army in 1978.
  Adkins earned his bachelor's degree from Troy State University, in 
1979. He earned his Master's Degree in Education, in 1982, and then, a 
second Master's Degree in Management, in 1988, all from Troy State 
University. Simultaneous to pursuing his degree programs, he 
established the Adkins Accounting Service, Inc., in Auburn, Alabama, 
serving as its CEO for 22 years. He also taught night classes at 
Alabama's Southern Union Junior College, for 10 years, and at Auburn 
University, for six years. Adkins has been married to his wife, Mary, 
for 59 years, and together they have raised five children.
  Adkins' previous awards and decorations include the Distinguished 
Service Cross, Silver Star, Bronze Star Medal with one Bronze Oak Leaf 
Cluster and ``V'' Device, the Purple Heart with two Bronze Oak Leaf 
Clusters, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal with 
Bronze Clasp and Five Loops, the National Defense Service Medal, the 
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with one 
Silver Service Star and one Bronze Service Star, the Presidential Unit 
Citation, the Meritorious Unit Citation, the Republic of Vietnam 
Campaign Medal with ``60'' Device, the Republic of Vietnam Bravery 
Medal with Brass Star, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with 
Bronze Star, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with 
Palm Device, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Special Forces Tab, the 
U.S. Army Master Parachutist Badge, the Vietnamese Parachutist Badge--
Two Awards, the Expert Badge with Rifle and Pistol Bars, the 
Sharpshooter Badge with Carbine Bar, and the Marksman Badge with 
Machinegun Bar.''
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in thanking Command Sgt. Maj. Adkins for 
his service and

[[Page E1365]]

congratulating him on receiving such a well-deserved honor. He is a 
true American hero.

                          ____________________