Forty-six years ago, a soldier was wounded in Vietnam.<\/p>\n
SPC Robert French was a Radiotelephone Operator with the 47th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division.\u00a0 He fought in Vietnam.\u00a0 He was wounded in action on 19 June 1967, during a 3-day battle near Ap Bac in the Mekong Delta.<\/p>\n
French received a Purple Heart for his wound. However, he and three other soldiers had performed exceptionally during the battle.\u00a0 They were submitted for a Bronze Star Medal for their actions during the battle by their chain of command – specifically, by their Platoon Leader.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, in a regrettably too-common occurrence the paperwork was lost.\u00a0 At the end of his tour SPC French went home.\u00a0 And normally, that would have been the end of things.<\/p>\n
Except . . .<\/p>\n
Fast forward thirty-some years.\u00a0 In a reunion a decade or so ago, French ran into his former Platoon Leader – then-1LT Jack Benedict.\u00a0 Benedict asked him if he’d ever received his BSM for his actions at Ap Bac.<\/p>\n
On finding out that French and the others had not, Benedict contacted his Congressman, Representative Gus Bilirakis.\u00a0 Though it took a while, with Rep. Bilirakis’ help the Army was convinced to right an old wrong and award the long-overdue medals.<\/p>\n
Robert French received his Bronze Star yesterday at MacDill AFB, FL<\/a>.\u00a0 It was presented by MG Karl Horst, the CENTCOM Chief of Staff.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, Benedict was unable to attend.\u00a0 He now has Parkinson’s disease, and was unable to travel to Tampa for the ceremony.<\/p>\n Somehow, I don’t think Benedict is too bothered by the fact that he couldn’t attend.\u00a0 I’m guessing that knowing that his men were finally taken care of is enough for him.<\/p>\n Well done, 1LT Jack Benedict.\u00a0 You were obviously one of the good “LTs.”<\/p>\n And kudos as well to Representative Gus Bilirakis.\u00a0 I can see why the VFW named him their 2012 VFW Legislator of the Year.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"