page_title: Bennie G. Adkins
hierarchical_section_title: Bennie G. Adkins
caption_attribution_description: President Barack Obama bestows the Medal of Honor to retired Command Sgt. Maj. Bennie G. Adkins in the East Room of the White House, Sept. 15, 2014. Adkins distinguished himself during 38 hours of close-combat fighting against enemy forces on March 9 to 12, 1966. At that time, then-Sgt. 1st Class Adkins was serving as an Intelligence Sergeant with 5th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces at Camp "A Shau", in the Republic of Vietnam. 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. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Bernardo Fuller/Released)
context_page_description: Bennie G. Adkins was a United States Army soldier. He was a recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for actions in March 1966 during the Vietnam War.
  From March 9-12, 1966 Adkins distinguished himself during a 38-hour close-combat battle against North Vietnamese Army forces during the Battle of A Shau. At the time of the cited action, Adkins was a sergeant first class serving as an Intelligence Sergeant with Detachment A-102, 5th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces.
  In March 2020 Adkins was hospitalized with COVID-19 in Opelika, Alabama. He died on April 17, 2020 from the virus, at the age of 86.
context_section_description: Bennie G. Adkins (February 1, 1934 – April 17, 2020) was a United States Army soldier. He was a recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for actions in March 1966 during the Vietnam War. 
  From March 9-12, 1966 Adkins distinguished himself during a 38-hour close-combat battle against North Vietnamese Army forces during the Battle of A Shau. At the time of the cited action, Adkins was a sergeant first class serving as an Intelligence Sergeant with Detachment A-102, 5th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces.
  In March 2020 Adkins was hospitalized with COVID-19 in Opelika, Alabama. He died on April 17, 2020 from the virus, at the age of 86.
caption: Adkins receiving the Medal of Honor from President Obama
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