Medal of Honor recipient Bennie Adkins of Alabama has succumbed to the coronavirus after a long battle.

The Vietnam War hero was 86 when he died Friday. “We are deeply saddened to notify you that after a courageous battle with COVID-19, Command Sergeant Major Bennie G. Adkins departed this life today, with beloved family at his bedside,” according to the foundation that bears his name.

Adkins had been hospitalized in critical condition at East Alabama Medical Center after being diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, in late March, according to the Birmingham News.

He spent 20 years in the Army, 13 as a Green Beret. He deployed to Vietnam three times, his heroic efforts in one 1966 battle later recognized in 2014 with the awarding of the Medal of Honor. The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded in the name of Congress the Medal of Honor to SERGEANT FIRST CLASS BENNIE G. ADKINS UNITED STATES ARMY For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty:

The citation;


Sergeant First Class Bennie G. Adkins distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as an Intelligence Sergeant with Detachment A-102, 5th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces, during combat operations against an armed enemy at Camp A Shau, Republic of Vietnam from March 9 to 12, 1966. When the camp was attacked by a large North Vietnamese and Viet Cong force in the early morning hours, Sergeant First Class Adkins rushed through intense enemy fire and manned a mortar position continually adjusting fire for the camp, despite incurring wounds as the mortar pit received 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, Sergeant First Class Adkins exposed himself to sporadic sniper fire while carrying his wounded comrades to the camp dispensary. When Sergeant First Class Adkins and his group of defenders came under heavy small arms fire from members of the Civilian Irregular Defense Group that had defected to fight with the North Vietnamese, he maneuvered outside the camp to evacuate a seriously wounded American and draw fire all the while successfully covering the rescue. When a resupply air drop landed outside of the camp perimeter, Sergeant First Class Adkins, again, moved outside of the camp walls to retrieve the much needed supplies. During the early morning hours of March 10, 1966 enemy forces launched their main attack and within two hours, Sergeant First Class Adkins was the only man firing a mortar weapon. When all mortar rounds were expended, Sergeant First Class Adkins began placing effective recoilless rifle fire upon enemy positions. Despite receiving additional wounds from enemy rounds exploding on his position, Sergeant First Class Adkins fought off intense waves of attacking Viet Cong. Sergeant First Class Adkins eliminated numerous insurgents with small arms fire after withdrawing to a communications bunker with several soldiers. Running extremely low on ammunition, he returned to the mortar pit, gathered vital ammunition and ran through intense fire back to the bunker. After being ordered to evacuate the camp, Sergeant First Class 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. While carrying a wounded soldier to the extraction point he learned that the last helicopter had already departed. Sergeant First Class Adkins led the group while evading the enemy until they were rescued by helicopter on March 12, 1966. During the thirty-eight-hour battle and forty-eight hours of escape and evasion, fighting with mortars, machine guns, recoilless rifles, small arms, and hand grenades, it was estimated that Sergeant First Class Adkins killed between one hundred thirty five and one hundred seventy five of the enemy while sustaining eighteen different wounds to his body. Sergeant First Class 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.

R.I.P.

RIP SFC. Adkins

All respect and honour to this man....after all he endured....to deal with that illness.

A true hero! Rest in Peace.

True American Hero

What a hero! Thank you for your service, and may you RIP

Rest easy, Bennie.

Did you ever bump into him over there, White?

Jack

R.I.P.

Rest in peace brother, thanks for paving the way for those of us that served after and those that still serve today

I'm absolutely in awe of this true American Hero! May he rest in peace.

RIP Sarge. A True Hero !

Wow, what a hero! Rest in Peace.

I'm speachless. What a soldier! RIP brother.

An amazing story! RIP and thanks to him and all who have served our great country

CSM Adkins was well known and respected in the SF community long after he retired. He established a foundation to help support transitioning SF soldiers from active duty to civilian life and there is a building in the 5th Group area named after him at Ft Campbell.
Old school hero that will certainly be missed.

A true American hero.
They don't make them like this anymore.
He will be missed , but remembered.

Thank you, Sir. God bless