The Incredible Story of Green Beret Sergeant Roy Benavidez's Heroic Mission to Rescue a Special Forces Team Caught Behind Enemy Lines

Eric Blehm does it again! After "The Only Thing Worth Dying For" and "Fearless" one might think Mr. Blehm would miss a beat with his new book "Legend." He doesn't! Another great story, another great book. Real life heroes come alive once again. Couldn't recommend it more!

Another excellent job by the author telling a story of Special Operations in the military. I have read all of Eric's books and have truly enjoyed each one of them and this one does not disappoint. I could not put it down and enjoyed learning about a part of the Vietnam War I knew nothing about. I highly recommend it!!!

This story helped me to understand the why we were in Vietnam. also now I understand my friends from Vietnam, what made them come to America. I thank the veterans for keeping that war away from here.

This is a great story about the life of a true legend and medal of honor recipient. Possessed with superb determination, this man rose above his perceived abilities and functioned in superhuman fashion, saving countless lives in the process.

As I read this book, I was brought back to a warm, sunny Friday afternoon ten years ago at the old Walter Reed Hospital. As a military retiree, my wife had just gone through major surgery and I was taking a break with a sandwich on the front steps that overlooked the lawn that covered the underground parking lot. Two young soldiers in PT gear, both with one artificial leg below the knee (one right and one left) came out with their wives/girlfriends. They hobbled down the steps, sat down to have a snack, then one looked at the other and said, "Let's do this." They grabbed each other's hand, and slowly, slowly made their way up the steps. When they got to the top, they raised their arms in a Rocky-like celebration. I didn't know whether to cheer or cry.
Why this long introduction to a book review? Because, whether we as a people deserve it or not, this country continues to produce young men and women who go in harm's way to protect our freedoms. Even if you don't agree with the politics that sent them to foreign lands, the two soldiers I observed, like this book's subject, Roy Benavidez, have gone where few in this country will ever go.
The books itself starts slow, spending a great deal of time on the humble Texas beginnings of Sgt Benavidez. While slow reading, this introduction provides the background for the character traits that made him such an outstanding soldier. He not only survived one serious wounding, but came back as a Green Beret to become one of many heroes in a cross-border conflict on 2 May 1968, which is the focus of this story. There is a lot of military jargon used in the telling, but it is well referenced. The violent, deadly clash between a small special operations unit and a large North Vietnamese force is well told, moves fast, and there are sufficient maps to illustrate the story.
There are many stories like this that have come from our wars. This is a good reminder that we have true heroes amongst us. Read it, and cheer, or weep.

I enjoy military history and reading books about soldiers whose acts of bravery seem like things no humans should be able to do. There are a lot of books like these available and this is one that is well worth reading.

The Vietnam War has gotten some recent attention with the anniversary of the fall of Saigon. While I was not even a teenager when the war ended I have always wanted to understand it better because it was a topic that was talked and at times argued about by everyone I knew.

Legend is a true account of a team of 12 special forces soldiers who were inserted into neutral Cambodia to monitor North Vietnamese activity in 1968. The team did not know that there was a nearby North Vietnamese base and the men were quickly surrounded. Special Forces Staff Sergeant Roy Benavidez volunteered to help rescue the men only to be seriously wounded and belatedly awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions.

While this book does place the battle in a historical context a good portion of the book is recreating what happened during the battle. The author does a good job recreating the battle and at the same time allowing the reader to get to know the Americans involved.

Sergeant Benavidez is the hero of the book. His recovery and the awards he received are covered in the book. He finally received the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1981, in part because American troops were not supposed to have been in Cambodia in 1968. Interestingly the citation for valor for his Congressional Medal of Honor does not mention Cambodia, only that the men were inserted in a dense jungle area west of Loc Ninh, Vietnam.

I smiled when I read the citation for valor listing all that Sergeant Benavidez did to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. It was read by President Ronald Reagan which the book said was an honor since Presidents don't normally read them during the award ceremony.

The book is well written and is an easy read. I read it in two nights. I am glad I read it. It is a must read for me.

Legend: The Incredible Story of Green Beret Sergeant Roy Benavidez's Heroic Mission to Rescue a Special Forces Team Caught Behind Enemy Lines recounts the story of Sergeant Roy Benavidez's life, focusing on one extraordinary mission during the Vietnam war.

Sergeant Benavidez's story is one of pure determination and grit. He went from an orphan who dropped out of school in the seventh grade, to one of the most well known and highly regarded men in American special forces history. Injured in his first tour, Benavidez was never expected to walk again. He proved everyone wrong and went on not only to walk, but to qualify as an elite Green Beret. His selfless and heroic actions during one mission that went horribly wrong saved the lives of eight men.

Blehm weaves together Benavidez's story in a comprehensive and easily understandable way. He gives context of the war in general as well as the particular circumstances surrounding the SOG group Benavidez was involved in. Blehm also provides enough background on some of the other soldiers and helicopter pilots involved in the engagement to give the reader a sense of the kind of men involved. Legend is not just about Benavidez, but all the men who went above and beyond the call of duty for their country.

I would recommend Legend to anyone interested in the Vietnam war, American special forces, or simply in stories of incredible human beings.

Blogging for Books provided this book to me for free in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255

Growing up in a house with two older brothers who wanted to join the military it seemed like the concept of “war” was always on our minds. We’d simulate that idea through war movies, video games, military-style​ training routines but never through reading books, it just never dawned on me to be something that would give me that sort of adrenaline rush. BUT after reading Legend I can no longer say that. Not only did Legend satisfy my desire for action but it also triggered my inner compassion and empathy after learning what Roy Benavidez went through and why he chose to make the sacrifices that he did. This heartwarming yet motivational story really hit home with me not only because it all really happened some 50 years ago but also because Eric Blehm does a fantastic job of making the reader feel like they grew up with Roy since his childhood and throughout his life. Even through Blehm’s way of depicting the struggles that Roy faced along with the tough decisions that he had to make I felt like I was the one who had to make those same decisions. Though, I don’t think that I would have been able to do so with such confidence and bravery as Sergeant Benavidez did. Legend is a great read that I would recommend, 10 out of 10, to anybody who wants to have their jaw dropped while learning about the heartwarming sacrifices that Sergeant Benavidez made.

“Legend: A Harrowing Story from the Vietnam War of One Green Beret's Heroic Mission to Rescue a Special Forces Team Caught Behind Enemy Lines”, by Eric Blehm, is a nice surprise … a tense, taut story about an American Hero, Green Beret Staff Sergeant Roy Benavidez that reads like fiction but is very, very true.

The book covers Staff Sergeant Benavidez’s life but also covers the supporting characters as they all zero in-on May 2, 1968, when a Special Forces team gets inserted into Cambodia and things rapidly go from bad to worse. If you’re not aware of SSgt Benevidez’s story or the outcome of this mission (like I wasn’t), there are a lot of twists and turns to the narrative that keep you hooked until the end.

The author does a fine job of balancing technical jargon, mission and personal details, and gripping writing to enthrall anyone with a desire to read about the Vietnam War, heroism in the face of mortal danger, or how a person preservers though the hard times in life. I highly recommend this book. Five stars.

Lost among the forgotten tales of the Viet Nam War is a heroic act of such selflessness and courage that it demanded to be told in great detail. The veterans of the Viet Nam War were not welcomed home, they were not thanked for their service, they were marginalized and demonized rather than understood or helped. It the Greatest Generation fought World War II, the Forgotten Generation fought in Viet Nam.

In LEGEND, Eric Blehm tells the story of Sergeant Roy Benavidez. Roy was born in Cuero, Texas, lost both parents and moved in with his extended families, aunts, uncles and his grandfather; people he had little relation with before the move. The family worked as migrant labor, following the harvests. Everyone worked, including the children. Roy’s fierce work ethic would serve him well.

He enlisted in the U.S. Army, and Army that was much different than today’s force. Roy tried on several occasions to volunteer for the Army’s Airborne elite, and was repeatedly turned down. Only after having a chance encounter driving General William Westmoreland, and coinciding with his re-enlistment, does he achieve his wish. He earns his jump wings and a slot in the vaunted 82nd Airborne.

During his first deployment to Viet Nam, a landmine seriously injured Roy. First he had to get his mind and memory back, and then face the news from surgeons and doctors that he would never walk again and that he should take the disability retirement and leave the Army. Roy defies all odds, recovering to the point where at 30-years old, he is accepted into the Green Berets.

It is during his second deployment, shortly after being forward deployed to a camp just east of the Cambodian border, that the events that led to LEGEND occurred. A twelve-man team is inserted into Cambodia with the dubious mission of capturing a truck from the Ho Chi Minh trail. The team is compromised, poor decisions delay an exfiltration, and the team comes under relentless fire and sustained attacks from a division-size Viet Cong force.

The rest of the story is simply amazing. Roy hops on a helicopter and literally jumps into the thick of the battle. His actions, how he thinks and rallies the remaining force, and the punishment he absorbs I will leave to the reader.

Remember though the politics of this era. We weren’t in Cambodia…that was the party line. And Cambodia was, in theory, a neutral. Yet the Ho Chi Minh Trail, the major supply line for arms, ammunition, and men, ran through eastern Cambodia. Viet Cong would often use the border to their advantage after operations in western Viet Nam, daring the U.S. and South Viet Nam regulars to pursue them. Politics prevented the recognition that many Special Forces operators and helicopter pilots deserved for their actions.

LEGEND is a testament to the perseverance and discipline of one man. Roy Benavidez is a legend in the Special Forces community because he embodied the code so completely. It is often said that no man dies for his country, he dies for his friends next to him.

Anyone entering Army Basic Training after 2001 will remember their Army Basic Training Handbook which contained two accounts of Medal of Honor winners, er, I mean awardees (since you had to nearly die to win this). One account was on the Ranger heroes of "Black Hawk Down" fame. The other account was of Roy Benavidez. Since he died in 1998, it might have just been added at the time. I remember reading the account over and over, wondering if I had what it took to make it through basic training, let alone a combat situation as described in his citation. Now you can read a full account of Roy's life and those who remembered his efforts to brings their fathers, husbands, sons, and brothers home. Roy would say he wasn't a hero, they were left on Vietnam's unmarked battlefields. Read this book for the human story of what true valor can be.

We read, watch movies and pretend to be super heroes, but we are looking for heroes in the wrong place. Legend is a novel about a real person, fact based story and the moral and ethics we all hope our children learn. I have read several of the author’s books and I am pleased to see he did a masterful job at capturing the real Roy Benavidez story. The book provides Roy’s childhood, losing both parents and being raised by other family members. A t a very early age he learns about helping others and the family values that would guide him the rest of his life. While his career in the military had, many difficulties he would always strive to fulfill his dream about being in the Special Forces. After a serious injury that would have left most people mentally and physically disabled Roy kept going. He overcame many physically limitations and is accepted as a Green Beret. After being station in Vietnam he finds out a mission has gone bad and they need help extracting the men. Roy volunteers to help. His efforts are inspiring and altruistic. This proves we have real heroes around us. We need to read more about this type of hero and less about a guy in a cape wearing leotards. If you enjoy history, this book will captivate you.

I received a free copy of this book from WaterBrook Multnomah in exchange for my honest review of the book.

I have never served in the military. But I have tremendous respect for those that have and those that currently do. I sometimes feel like I have cheated because I didn’t serve and was never asked to lay my life on the line for my country. I’m pretty sure I never had what it takes to serve in Special Forces, but I like to imagine that I did anyway. I love movies and books about war. I find myself getting captured by the story and imagining myself living as courageously as the main character. This was true in the book Legend by Eric Blehm.
I picked up Legend for several reasons. First, as I said earlier, I love books about war. Secondly, I love stories about people who make a difference because of their actions. I also knew the book would be intriguing because I recognized the author. I read Fearless last year. When I saw that Eric Blehm had written another book about a soldier that overcomes major obstacles and setbacks, I had to give it a shot. Legend did not disappoint.
In the book Eric tells the story of Roy Benavidez. Roy was a Special Forces staff sergeant in the army during the Vietnam War. Roy grew up poor with very little encouragement and support at home. However, he was determined to not let his past dictate his future. His past seemed to drive him to have a better future. He learned from difficulty, both his own poor choices and actions of others, and was a better man because of it. He grew up in extremely difficult surroundings to go on to be awarded the Medal of Honor. He persevered through unbelievable circumstances, both emotionally and physically, and became an American hero.
In the day and time we live, when it appears that the love and respect for our country is low, the story of Roy Benavidez is one that every American needs to hear.

Every so often there's a book I read that I think about for months and even years afterward. One of those is Fearless by Eric Blehm and now I can add Legend to that list. Before I began reading this book I knew I had a very limited knowledge of the Vietnam War so I was anxious to read this and learn more. What I took away from the story of Roy Benavidez and the events that transpired on May 2, 1968, are so much more than dates and facts but rather experiences and stories that truly made this man a legend. While the author does cover Roy's entire life the main part of the book surrounds one day's events and what he did to save the lives of those surrounded by the enemy in the jungles of Cambodia, a country where we supposedly did not have American troops. Roy's actions were nothing less than heroic and practically unbelievable considering the wounds he himself had sustained. Unfortunately it took years for him to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor which he undoubtedly deserved much sooner. What I love about Legend is that the author takes the time to make you feel like you know all the other people involved that day. This makes the book painful at times but it's a truly gifted writer that can evoke such emotions from the reader. I found myself nervous for the crews flying overhead trying to protect their men on the ground, heartbroken over those who didn't make it out that day, and guilt for how these men were treated when they arrived home. Once I finished the book I had tears streaming down my face and I couldn't help but cry again later as I recounted to my husband and then my mother why I loved this book so much.

There were several quotes from the book that I wanted to share but I'll only share a couple that I found particularly moving:

"The one good thing about this place, you sure learn not to take anything for granted. Not anything." -Larry McKibben

"Today I go to the airport and see strangers shaking the hands of men and women in uniform, and it makes me smile. I don't think those people necessarily believe in the politics of our current wars, they just know this young man or woman is serving his country. That was all we did in Vietnam. I'll say it again: I'm proud of my service."
-Pete Gailis

I can promise you that after reading this book you won't look at this period of our nation's history the same way and I'd be willing to bet it may alter your view of the struggles our Vietnam veterans still have today. Get your tissues out and prepare to be moved by the story of Roy Benavidez, a true American legend.

If you'd like to read more about the book you can do so here and if you want to learn more about Eric Blehm you can do that here. After reading Fearless and Legend I can't wait to get my hands on his other books!

I received this book free of charge from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

This is the story of Medal of Honor recipient Roy Benavidez who fought during the Vietnam War. I have not heard of him before until this book. The book also tells us that Roy’s story almost would have been lost had it not been for the work of a Texas journalist forcing the Pentagon to revisit the possibility of a Medal of Honor for the heroic effort of Roy during a tragic event in 1968. I appreciated the author’s account of Roy’s Mexican-American upbringing and the difficulties in his life as a child who lost his mother and father and was raised by extended family members. Early on as a child and even as a young man Roy Benavidez had to work hard and didn’t have the option of quitting. This would become an important character throughout the rest of his life. Benavidez first joined the State of Texas’ National Guard then the Army’s paratroopers and finally became a Green Beret. His journey was filled with many great stories of perseverance despite trials and setbacks such as injuries he sustained and difficulties with training. I like how the author didn’t just give us a war story but also tells us about the man, his marriage and his children. It add a personal dimension to the story and makes one appreciate more the kind of man Roy was both in and out of combat. A great account by an accomplished military writer whom I previously enjoyed with his work titled Fearless. In terms of the audiobook I enjoyed the quality and found it wonderful to listen to.

The 1960s was a turbulent decade in American History. Between civil rights, gender equality, and political discord, it seemed that everyone was protesting something. That is probably why the Vietnam War became a most unpopular war. Still today, some 45 years later, many Vietnam veterans continue to fight their own battles on the home front after experiencing the horrors of a new type of guerrilla warfare in the jungles of East Asia.

Judging from the prominent stories of political unrest, peace protests, and PTSD, one would think that stories out of Vietnam would be just as dire. However, many young men that went over acted heroically, and some 60,000 paid the ultimate sacrifice and never returned home. An unbelievably heroic and daring mission is brought to life in Eric Blehm’s new book, Legend.

The book is about one fateful day in May of 1968, eventually ending with a legendary act by Army Master Sergeant Roy Benavidez. Benavidez came from humble beginnings–a middle school drop out from Texas, orphaned at a young age, Roy and his brother Roger were adopted into their aunt and uncle’s migrant family. The family spent the summers working the fields of Colorado, all helping to provide for each other. Roy was often in trouble for fighting, and having grown up watching paratrooper movies at the local theater, decided he was going to join the Army National Guard. Soon, he volunteered for active duty and rose to become a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division.

The first part of Legend details Roy’s early life from birth until marriage, enlistment, and examples of the his indomitable, tenacious spirit. In 1966, Roy suffered a serious injury and was medevaced from his first tour in Vietnam, having been told he would never walk again. But, that tenacious spirit picked up, and a year later after a much therapy and willpower, Roy not only regained his ability to walk, but qualified to become an elite Army Green Beret.

The 2nd part of the book gives a lot of background into the MACV-SOG (special operations out of Vietnam) and 240th Assault Helicopter Company, including a lot of names, dates, acronyms, and otherwise background information. A lot of reviews mentioned this to be “dull” or “dragging”, but because Vietnam was such a complex war and because there were so many players in the 2 May 1968 incident, this was actually a necessary part of the book. We got to know the history of some of the pilots involved, so I felt like I had a personal connection to each soldier when he was mentioned later on.

The last third of the book detailed the events of 2 May 1968, when a group of Green Berets were trapped deep beyond enemy lines and Roy Benavidez’s heroic rescue attempt where others had failed. Armed with only a knife and a bottle of Tabasco, Roy was able to hold of the Vietcong and save men who would certainly have died. Because this top secret mission took place in Cambodia (a country the government had vehemently denied being in), details could not be shared, so Roy was denied the Congressional Medal of Honor. Finally, years later after a compelling letter from a forgotten survivor, MSG Benavidez was awarded the CMH from President Reagan himself.

Legend was a compelling story of ordinary men doing extraordinary things, turning them into heroes. I also felt sad for the way Vietnam War veterans were treated as they attempted to fall back into society after their return stateside. This book is a must-read to understand exactly what kinds of things these young men experienced in the Vietnam War, and to appreciate the camaraderie and sacrifices they made. For every story that is told, there are a thousand more that aren’t.

Blehm is a wonderful storyteller, and every single word in his books has a purpose. It is a lot of information, but written in a way that reads like a novel instead of a textbook.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher and Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

During the Vietnam War, Cambodia was supposedly neutral in the conflict, however unknown masses of NVA soldiers were actually housed just inside the country, launching attacks at the South Vietnamese and American forces and then hurrying back over the border, where the U.S were not allowed to be. Determined to find proof of this issue, a Special Forces team of 12 men was flown in and dropped off over the border in a covert operation. Immediately discovered and surrounded by seemingly endless amounts of enemy soldiers, the unit requested extraction. U.S. helicopter pilots made multiple attempts, however they sustained such heavy fire that two crashed and multiple others had to pull out when it got too hot. As the members of the unit on the ground were all either critically injured or killed, the outcome looked bleak.

Hearing of the dire situation on the ground, and aware that a rescue mission was all but suicidal, Special Forces Staff Sergeant Roy Benavidez joined the next helicopter team set to attempt an extraction, and, as the chopper hovered, jumped from the craft and ran to the aid of those on the ground. Throughout the next couple of hours, Benavidez provided cover fire, organized, treated, and attempted to load all the unit onto a chopper. Once that chopper was shot down before it could lift off he got them off it and later finally got everyone onto a chopper that successfully extracted them. Having sustained multiple serious wounds from bullets, shrapnel and even a bayonet, Benavidez did not give up until he was certain everyone was accounted for, then quietly collapsed in the back of the helicopter. This is the story not only of Benavidez, but of the unit on the ground that day, and the helicopter crew that attempted extraction. The heroism of extraordinary men in an impossible situation.

Author Eric Blehm has clearly done extensive background research into the events of that day which allowed him to create a complete narrative of an event where official documentation was patchy due to the politics of the soldiers being where they shouldn’t. Providing intimate looks at some of the men’s personalities and the families waiting for them back home made them more than just names on paper and caused the reader to feel the dire situation they were in. The only hang-up about the book was the slow beginning. In attempting to provide a detailed background of Benavidez, the plot was bogged down in the minutiae of Benavidez’s schooling and early jobs and things didn’t really seem to pick up until about 75 pages in. This is lamentable because once the mission itself began the book was a fast and enjoyable read. Overall this is an amazing story that deserves to be told; Benavidez was clearly a soldier of epic proportions making the title Legend apropos.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Shelf Awareness in exchange for an honest review.

History we need to know, told in an utterly riveting way.
That's how I'd describe "Legend."

If you read James Bradley's "Flags of our Fathers" and "Flyboys" for World War II, then you should read "Legend" for the Vietnam War... and Karl Marlantes novel "Matterhorn" also.

This book focuses on Special Forces staff sergeant Roy Benavidez, who willingly placed himself in grave danger on behalf of his fellow soldiers, and who saved multiple lives while sustaining terrible injuries. Ultimately, he was recognized with the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Eric Blehm mined never-before-released documents and made use of extensive personal testimonies to create as full a picture as possible of the May 2, 1968 Special Forces mission and all what led up to it. As an author, he puts the facts together coherently, but he also tells compelling personal stories.

We get to read excerpts of letters and transcripts of audio tapes sent home by these these soldiers to their families. We see their character, their fortitude, their fidelity. We see young men (ordinary young men- who never expected to be called heroes) who knew what it was like to stare death in the face daily, to eat and drink war, and who did what was necessary to protect their brothers in arms. They made the hard choices. They spent themselves in the name of serving their country. We see "greater love has no man than this- to lay down his life for his friends" in all its original rawness.

I'd put this book on a required-reading for high school students.
Now I'm off to wrap and mail my copy down to a college age cousin who's minoring in Military History.

I thank Crown Publishers for providing me with a review copy through Blogging for Books.

As good as a movie in book form, a harrowing tale of a man named Roy Benavidez, a Green Beret Staff Sergeant and member of the U.S Army's 240th assault Helicopter company who served his country in Vietnam and participated in a rescue mission to save some of his Army comrades while they were under attack... for this he ultimately received the Congressional Medal Of Honor for his bravery and heroism in combat. The whole book tells his own personal story, his participation in the mission, along with the other men who served with him. Roy initially received the 2nd highest Medal of Honor the Army can bestow due to circumstances beyond his control. Over the course of a decade managed to ultimately receive the recognition he was due. Regardless of your opinions on the war this is a man who believed in what he was fighting for and was willing to die for what he believed in Interesting glimpse into the late 60's and the war in Vietnam, from the beginning to the end. I'd recommend this if you're interested in a good war story.

This book is quite simply superb. Eric Blehm has beautifully captured the life story, both civilian and military of Congressional Medal of Honor winner Master Sergeant Roy Benavides.

The book describes how Roy was orphaned at a young age and was taken in by his Uncle’s family, where he quickly learned that in this family everybody worked. The work was as migrant field hands and as you can imagine the hours were long and hard. This certainly hindered his formal education as his school years were necessarily shortened to allow him to travel from field to field with his family.

Roy entered the National Guard when he could and after a short stint joined the U.S. Army, with the goal of qualifying to be an airborne soldier. A fortuitous meeting with General Westmoreland while serving as his temporary driver allowed this to happen.

Fast forward to Vietnam where he served two tours, suffering devastating wounds in each of his tour. The battle where he won the MOH actually occurred in Cambodia. A Special Forces team was surrounded and being overrun, Roy was so excited to get to the battlefield to help his buddies he forgot his weapons. No matter he had plenty to choose from when he got there due to the mass casualties.

Mr. Blehm has captured the actions in a proper historical context of a true hero. This should be required reading in any history course focusing on Vietnam. I look forward to reading all of Mr. Blehm’s books.

On May 2, 1968 Roy Benavidez, then a Staff Sergeant with the Army’s Green Beret Special Forces unit stationed in Vietnam, willingly jumped onto a helicopter to enter no-man’s-land in Cambodia where 12 men from his team were pinned down by enemy fire, sustaining heavy loss. Without thinking of his own safety, Benavidez jumped from the helicopter and into Special Forces history with his daring rescue of the surviving 8 men despite suffering devastating wounds. “Legend” tells his story, along with the years long battle to award him the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Using eyewitness accounts, archival and military records, among other sources, Blehm gives readers insight into Benavidez’s home life and what led him to become a member of the Green Berets, along with minute-by-minute accounts of the events leading up to the Special Forces unit’s foray into the supposedly neutral country of Cambodia which had been giving support to the North Vietnamese. At times the narrative becomes bogged down with technical lingo, but the urgency of battle and the story of the heroic men who suffered that day, shines through the technicalities.

Highly recommended for Adult readers.

Overview: Green Beret Sargeant Roy Benavidez flies into Vietnam to rescue a special forces team.
Positive elements: an amazing true story

Negative elements: The book is really slow in the middle. The first third of the book is fast-paced, but then it takes some slogging through.

Conclusion: As great of a story this is, the middle got so slow that my husband said he just couldn't get back into the story. This may be a book for the more serious reader who is willing to push through all the military details to get to the end.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

Legend is a must read story that will make you appreciate those who put themselves in harm's way in service of our country. The book starts a bit slow, but quickly and thoroughly crescendoes and becomes a "just one more chapter" kind of page turner. There are not enough good books from the Vietnam War, there are not enough memories of those who bravely fought, many dying, in service of a country who largely didn't appreciate them. Many of my patient's are Vietnam vets, and I so appreciate a book like Legend that accurately and thoroughly presents the good, bad, and ugly of the historical and political context the acts of bravery are set it. Blehm gives all the details necessary to understand what is going on, without bogging down the action in the details. This is excellent writing telling an excellent story that is just one of many that must be known.

Highly recommended

For some reason the Vietnam War seems to be one that many people don’t know much about and that includes me though I remember seeing it on the news through lots of my childhood. A greater understanding of this wars history is one of the reasons I liked “Legend”. Another reason is the process of getting to know Roy Benavidiz. Roy, the son of Mexican immigrants, grew up in Texas moving around with the crops. Because of this he usually started school late and left early. Then he lost both parents and went to live with his uncle and other extended family. Luckily they provided a soft place to land…mostly.

After fighting his demons (and some other kids) he joined the Marines and went to Vietnam. His story is horrible but it’s also uplifting. One day on his way to breakfast he heard one of his old friends was in trouble out in the field so he volunteered to go out to the battle site. He and his fellow soldiers took a beating. They were working undercover which also complicated things so when it came to doling out medals they were short changed. The history in “Legend” is wonderfully wrapped in these personal stories and Blehm does a good job of giving the complicated details of the battle.

Legend by Eric Blehm is a fast-paced read filling with in-depth character analysis, historical context, and amazing story-telling skills. This particular era was one of secret missions into Cambodia that were being driven by politicians, and you will see how that plays out on the date that serves as the primary subject of the book. If you are unfamiliar with the author, I stumbled upon his work through the book Fearless about a Navy S.E.A.L. I loved that book and, quite frankly, I love this new book Legend just as much.

This newest work focuses on the Vietnam era and the amazing story of MSG Roy Benavidez and the events of May 2, 1968. Before getting to that life-changing day, Blehm provides significant biographical information about Roy, which offers insight into how he made his decision on that fateful day. As he was taught from a child -- when you know someone needs help, you just go help them. That is exactly what he did in heroic fashion saving the lives of at least 8 men. Although, he would be quick to tell you that he was no hero - the heroes are those that never made it back. Yet, the fact remains that his story is one of humility, hard work, honor, and heroism.

I do not want to spoil the story for you in this review, but I will saw this much - that day in May started like any other for Sgt. Benavidez. He was able to hear that some men were in a tough fire fight - some men that were his friends - and when a chopper was head out to attempt extraction, he jumped on board. Now, mind you, he was not assigned to that chopper nor did he have his normal load (rucksack with ammo, grenades, or even his weapon). He went in with only a knife and a medical kit. As the chopper tried to find the men to resupply them with ammo, they realized they could not get to them. That's why Sgt. Benavidez made the critical decision to jump from the chopper and into the battle when that Huey was there to try and remove men from the battle. I will stop there but will offer this one final tidbit -- his actions led to his receipt of the Medal of Honor.

If you love history and stories of amazing encounters in combat, this is a must read. His call sign - Tango, Mike, Mike - has become synonymous in special forces circles referencing the need for courage during conflict. Please, read this book about an amazing American and see what is possible through the selflessness of one individual.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for free from the Blogging for Books Publishing Group for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 25: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

There is a reason Chris Kyle didn't like the word Legend attached to his name. He felt it belonged to the men such as Roy Benavidez. Blehm has a way of making his heroes part of your family. Though I received this before it was on newsstands, I wanted a bigger picture of Blehm's work to compare, and thus read Fearless which documented a home state hero for me.
Both are fantastic and will lead you into a world of true engagement with the enemy.
What makes this special is the Vietnam era setting. There are not as many war biographies from this time period, and very few that deal with the previously classified information regarding these special operations teams who achieved greatness in an area where we were technically not fighting. You will have a greater understanding for the poor political environment that handcuffed these great warriors and the unknown war they fought to preserve freedom. It was an unpopular war, but after reading this epic, I feel we achieved far more than most realize, and had we been less politically motivated, could have changed the dynamic in most of Europe and Asia during a time of political upheaval.
If you like war epics or biographies, this is one of a kind. I met, by sheer coincidence, a man who flew in one of these units. His recollections line up perfectly with Blehm's account and detail of these flying tanks that changed the landscape of the war. Benavidez is a legend, and your kids should know his name. May we all learn the selfless courage that drove him to greatness.

I have never served in the military. But I have tremendous respect for those that have and those that currently do. I sometimes feel like I have cheated because I didn’t serve and was never asked to lay my life on the line for my country. I’m pretty sure I never had what it takes to serve in Special Forces, but I like to imagine that I did anyway. I love movies and books about war. I find myself getting captured by the story and imagining myself living as courageously as the main character. This was true in the book Legend by Eric Blehm.
I picked up Legend for several reasons. First, as I said earlier, I love books about war. Secondly, I love stories about people who make a difference because of their actions. I also knew the book would be intriguing because I recognized the author. I read Fearless last year. When I saw that Eric Blehm had written another book about a soldier that overcomes major obstacles and setbacks, I had to give it a shot. Legend did not disappoint.
In the book Eric tells the story of Roy Benavidez. Roy was a Special Forces staff sergeant in the army during the Vietnam War. Roy grew up poor with very little encouragement and support at home. However, he was determined to not let his past dictate his future. His past seemed to drive him to have a better future. He learned from difficulty, both his own poor choices and actions of others, and was a better man because of it. He grew up in extremely difficult surroundings to go on to be awarded the Medal of Honor. He persevered through unbelievable circumstances, both emotionally and physically, and became an American hero.
In the day and time we live, when it appears that the love and respect for our country is low, the story of Roy Benavidez is one that every American needs to hear.

Every so often there's a book I read that I think about for months and even years afterward. One of those is Fearless by Eric Blehm and now I can add Legend to that list. Before I began reading this book I knew I had a very limited knowledge of the Vietnam War so I was anxious to read this and learn more. What I took away from the story of Roy Benavidez and the events that transpired on May 2, 1968, are so much more than dates and facts but rather experiences and stories that truly made this man a legend. While the author does cover Roy's entire life the main part of the book surrounds one day's events and what he did to save the lives of those surrounded by the enemy in the jungles of Cambodia, a country where we supposedly did not have American troops. Roy's actions were nothing less than heroic and practically unbelievable considering the wounds he himself had sustained. Unfortunately it took years for him to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor which he undoubtedly deserved much sooner. What I love about Legend is that the author takes the time to make you feel like you know all the other people involved that day. This makes the book painful at times but it's a truly gifted writer that can evoke such emotions from the reader. I found myself nervous for the crews flying overhead trying to protect their men on the ground, heartbroken over those who didn't make it out that day, and guilt for how these men were treated when they arrived home. Once I finished the book I had tears streaming down my face and I couldn't help but cry again later as I recounted to my husband and then my mother why I loved this book so much.

There were several quotes from the book that I wanted to share but I'll only share a couple that I found particularly moving:

"The one good thing about this place, you sure learn not to take anything for granted. Not anything." -Larry McKibben

"Today I go to the airport and see strangers shaking the hands of men and women in uniform, and it makes me smile. I don't think those people necessarily believe in the politics of our current wars, they just know this young man or woman is serving his country. That was all we did in Vietnam. I'll say it again: I'm proud of my service."
-Pete Gailis

I can promise you that after reading this book you won't look at this period of our nation's history the same way and I'd be willing to bet it may alter your view of the struggles our Vietnam veterans still have today. Get your tissues out and prepare to be moved by the story of Roy Benavidez, a true American legend.

If you'd like to read more about the book you can do so here and if you want to learn more about Eric Blehm you can do that here. After reading Fearless and Legend I can't wait to get my hands on his other books!

I received this book free of charge from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

This is the story of Medal of Honor recipient Roy Benavidez who fought during the Vietnam War. I have not heard of him before until this book. The book also tells us that Roy’s story almost would have been lost had it not been for the work of a Texas journalist forcing the Pentagon to revisit the possibility of a Medal of Honor for the heroic effort of Roy during a tragic event in 1968. I appreciated the author’s account of Roy’s Mexican-American upbringing and the difficulties in his life as a child who lost his mother and father and was raised by extended family members. Early on as a child and even as a young man Roy Benavidez had to work hard and didn’t have the option of quitting. This would become an important character throughout the rest of his life. Benavidez first joined the State of Texas’ National Guard then the Army’s paratroopers and finally became a Green Beret. His journey was filled with many great stories of perseverance despite trials and setbacks such as injuries he sustained and difficulties with training. I like how the author didn’t just give us a war story but also tells us about the man, his marriage and his children. It add a personal dimension to the story and makes one appreciate more the kind of man Roy was both in and out of combat. A great account by an accomplished military writer whom I previously enjoyed with his work titled Fearless. In terms of the audiobook I enjoyed the quality and found it wonderful to listen to.

The 1960s was a turbulent decade in American History. Between civil rights, gender equality, and political discord, it seemed that everyone was protesting something. That is probably why the Vietnam War became a most unpopular war. Still today, some 45 years later, many Vietnam veterans continue to fight their own battles on the home front after experiencing the horrors of a new type of guerrilla warfare in the jungles of East Asia.

Judging from the prominent stories of political unrest, peace protests, and PTSD, one would think that stories out of Vietnam would be just as dire. However, many young men that went over acted heroically, and some 60,000 paid the ultimate sacrifice and never returned home. An unbelievably heroic and daring mission is brought to life in Eric Blehm’s new book, Legend.

The book is about one fateful day in May of 1968, eventually ending with a legendary act by Army Master Sergeant Roy Benavidez. Benavidez came from humble beginnings–a middle school drop out from Texas, orphaned at a young age, Roy and his brother Roger were adopted into their aunt and uncle’s migrant family. The family spent the summers working the fields of Colorado, all helping to provide for each other. Roy was often in trouble for fighting, and having grown up watching paratrooper movies at the local theater, decided he was going to join the Army National Guard. Soon, he volunteered for active duty and rose to become a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division.

The first part of Legend details Roy’s early life from birth until marriage, enlistment, and examples of the his indomitable, tenacious spirit. In 1966, Roy suffered a serious injury and was medevaced from his first tour in Vietnam, having been told he would never walk again. But, that tenacious spirit picked up, and a year later after a much therapy and willpower, Roy not only regained his ability to walk, but qualified to become an elite Army Green Beret.

The 2nd part of the book gives a lot of background into the MACV-SOG (special operations out of Vietnam) and 240th Assault Helicopter Company, including a lot of names, dates, acronyms, and otherwise background information. A lot of reviews mentioned this to be “dull” or “dragging”, but because Vietnam was such a complex war and because there were so many players in the 2 May 1968 incident, this was actually a necessary part of the book. We got to know the history of some of the pilots involved, so I felt like I had a personal connection to each soldier when he was mentioned later on.

The last third of the book detailed the events of 2 May 1968, when a group of Green Berets were trapped deep beyond enemy lines and Roy Benavidez’s heroic rescue attempt where others had failed. Armed with only a knife and a bottle of Tabasco, Roy was able to hold of the Vietcong and save men who would certainly have died. Because this top secret mission took place in Cambodia (a country the government had vehemently denied being in), details could not be shared, so Roy was denied the Congressional Medal of Honor. Finally, years later after a compelling letter from a forgotten survivor, MSG Benavidez was awarded the CMH from President Reagan himself.

Legend was a compelling story of ordinary men doing extraordinary things, turning them into heroes. I also felt sad for the way Vietnam War veterans were treated as they attempted to fall back into society after their return stateside. This book is a must-read to understand exactly what kinds of things these young men experienced in the Vietnam War, and to appreciate the camaraderie and sacrifices they made. For every story that is told, there are a thousand more that aren’t.

Blehm is a wonderful storyteller, and every single word in his books has a purpose. It is a lot of information, but written in a way that reads like a novel instead of a textbook.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher and Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

During the Vietnam War, Cambodia was supposedly neutral in the conflict, however unknown masses of NVA soldiers were actually housed just inside the country, launching attacks at the South Vietnamese and American forces and then hurrying back over the border, where the U.S were not allowed to be. Determined to find proof of this issue, a Special Forces team of 12 men was flown in and dropped off over the border in a covert operation. Immediately discovered and surrounded by seemingly endless amounts of enemy soldiers, the unit requested extraction. U.S. helicopter pilots made multiple attempts, however they sustained such heavy fire that two crashed and multiple others had to pull out when it got too hot. As the members of the unit on the ground were all either critically injured or killed, the outcome looked bleak.

Hearing of the dire situation on the ground, and aware that a rescue mission was all but suicidal, Special Forces Staff Sergeant Roy Benavidez joined the next helicopter team set to attempt an extraction, and, as the chopper hovered, jumped from the craft and ran to the aid of those on the ground. Throughout the next couple of hours, Benavidez provided cover fire, organized, treated, and attempted to load all the unit onto a chopper. Once that chopper was shot down before it could lift off he got them off it and later finally got everyone onto a chopper that successfully extracted them. Having sustained multiple serious wounds from bullets, shrapnel and even a bayonet, Benavidez did not give up until he was certain everyone was accounted for, then quietly collapsed in the back of the helicopter. This is the story not only of Benavidez, but of the unit on the ground that day, and the helicopter crew that attempted extraction. The heroism of extraordinary men in an impossible situation.

Author Eric Blehm has clearly done extensive background research into the events of that day which allowed him to create a complete narrative of an event where official documentation was patchy due to the politics of the soldiers being where they shouldn’t. Providing intimate looks at some of the men’s personalities and the families waiting for them back home made them more than just names on paper and caused the reader to feel the dire situation they were in. The only hang-up about the book was the slow beginning. In attempting to provide a detailed background of Benavidez, the plot was bogged down in the minutiae of Benavidez’s schooling and early jobs and things didn’t really seem to pick up until about 75 pages in. This is lamentable because once the mission itself began the book was a fast and enjoyable read. Overall this is an amazing story that deserves to be told; Benavidez was clearly a soldier of epic proportions making the title Legend apropos.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Shelf Awareness in exchange for an honest review.

History we need to know, told in an utterly riveting way.
That's how I'd describe "Legend."

If you read James Bradley's "Flags of our Fathers" and "Flyboys" for World War II, then you should read "Legend" for the Vietnam War... and Karl Marlantes novel "Matterhorn" also.

This book focuses on Special Forces staff sergeant Roy Benavidez, who willingly placed himself in grave danger on behalf of his fellow soldiers, and who saved multiple lives while sustaining terrible injuries. Ultimately, he was recognized with the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Eric Blehm mined never-before-released documents and made use of extensive personal testimonies to create as full a picture as possible of the May 2, 1968 Special Forces mission and all what led up to it. As an author, he puts the facts together coherently, but he also tells compelling personal stories.

We get to read excerpts of letters and transcripts of audio tapes sent home by these these soldiers to their families. We see their character, their fortitude, their fidelity. We see young men (ordinary young men- who never expected to be called heroes) who knew what it was like to stare death in the face daily, to eat and drink war, and who did what was necessary to protect their brothers in arms. They made the hard choices. They spent themselves in the name of serving their country. We see "greater love has no man than this- to lay down his life for his friends" in all its original rawness.

I'd put this book on a required-reading for high school students.
Now I'm off to wrap and mail my copy down to a college age cousin who's minoring in Military History.

I thank Crown Publishers for providing me with a review copy through Blogging for Books.

As good as a movie in book form, a harrowing tale of a man named Roy Benavidez, a Green Beret Staff Sergeant and member of the U.S Army's 240th assault Helicopter company who served his country in Vietnam and participated in a rescue mission to save some of his Army comrades while they were under attack... for this he ultimately received the Congressional Medal Of Honor for his bravery and heroism in combat. The whole book tells his own personal story, his participation in the mission, along with the other men who served with him. Roy initially received the 2nd highest Medal of Honor the Army can bestow due to circumstances beyond his control. Over the course of a decade managed to ultimately receive the recognition he was due. Regardless of your opinions on the war this is a man who believed in what he was fighting for and was willing to die for what he believed in Interesting glimpse into the late 60's and the war in Vietnam, from the beginning to the end. I'd recommend this if you're interested in a good war story.

This book is quite simply superb. Eric Blehm has beautifully captured the life story, both civilian and military of Congressional Medal of Honor winner Master Sergeant Roy Benavides.

The book describes how Roy was orphaned at a young age and was taken in by his Uncle’s family, where he quickly learned that in this family everybody worked. The work was as migrant field hands and as you can imagine the hours were long and hard. This certainly hindered his formal education as his school years were necessarily shortened to allow him to travel from field to field with his family.

Roy entered the National Guard when he could and after a short stint joined the U.S. Army, with the goal of qualifying to be an airborne soldier. A fortuitous meeting with General Westmoreland while serving as his temporary driver allowed this to happen.

Fast forward to Vietnam where he served two tours, suffering devastating wounds in each of his tour. The battle where he won the MOH actually occurred in Cambodia. A Special Forces team was surrounded and being overrun, Roy was so excited to get to the battlefield to help his buddies he forgot his weapons. No matter he had plenty to choose from when he got there due to the mass casualties.

Mr. Blehm has captured the actions in a proper historical context of a true hero. This should be required reading in any history course focusing on Vietnam. I look forward to reading all of Mr. Blehm’s books.

On May 2, 1968 Roy Benavidez, then a Staff Sergeant with the Army’s Green Beret Special Forces unit stationed in Vietnam, willingly jumped onto a helicopter to enter no-man’s-land in Cambodia where 12 men from his team were pinned down by enemy fire, sustaining heavy loss. Without thinking of his own safety, Benavidez jumped from the helicopter and into Special Forces history with his daring rescue of the surviving 8 men despite suffering devastating wounds. “Legend” tells his story, along with the years long battle to award him the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Using eyewitness accounts, archival and military records, among other sources, Blehm gives readers insight into Benavidez’s home life and what led him to become a member of the Green Berets, along with minute-by-minute accounts of the events leading up to the Special Forces unit’s foray into the supposedly neutral country of Cambodia which had been giving support to the North Vietnamese. At times the narrative becomes bogged down with technical lingo, but the urgency of battle and the story of the heroic men who suffered that day, shines through the technicalities.

Highly recommended for Adult readers.

Overview: Green Beret Sargeant Roy Benavidez flies into Vietnam to rescue a special forces team.
Positive elements: an amazing true story

Negative elements: The book is really slow in the middle. The first third of the book is fast-paced, but then it takes some slogging through.

Conclusion: As great of a story this is, the middle got so slow that my husband said he just couldn't get back into the story. This may be a book for the more serious reader who is willing to push through all the military details to get to the end.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

Legend is a must read story that will make you appreciate those who put themselves in harm's way in service of our country. The book starts a bit slow, but quickly and thoroughly crescendoes and becomes a "just one more chapter" kind of page turner. There are not enough good books from the Vietnam War, there are not enough memories of those who bravely fought, many dying, in service of a country who largely didn't appreciate them. Many of my patient's are Vietnam vets, and I so appreciate a book like Legend that accurately and thoroughly presents the good, bad, and ugly of the historical and political context the acts of bravery are set it. Blehm gives all the details necessary to understand what is going on, without bogging down the action in the details. This is excellent writing telling an excellent story that is just one of many that must be known.

Highly recommended

For some reason the Vietnam War seems to be one that many people don’t know much about and that includes me though I remember seeing it on the news through lots of my childhood. A greater understanding of this wars history is one of the reasons I liked “Legend”. Another reason is the process of getting to know Roy Benavidiz. Roy, the son of Mexican immigrants, grew up in Texas moving around with the crops. Because of this he usually started school late and left early. Then he lost both parents and went to live with his uncle and other extended family. Luckily they provided a soft place to land…mostly.

After fighting his demons (and some other kids) he joined the Marines and went to Vietnam. His story is horrible but it’s also uplifting. One day on his way to breakfast he heard one of his old friends was in trouble out in the field so he volunteered to go out to the battle site. He and his fellow soldiers took a beating. They were working undercover which also complicated things so when it came to doling out medals they were short changed. The history in “Legend” is wonderfully wrapped in these personal stories and Blehm does a good job of giving the complicated details of the battle.

Legend by Eric Blehm is a fast-paced read filling with in-depth character analysis, historical context, and amazing story-telling skills. This particular era was one of secret missions into Cambodia that were being driven by politicians, and you will see how that plays out on the date that serves as the primary subject of the book. If you are unfamiliar with the author, I stumbled upon his work through the book Fearless about a Navy S.E.A.L. I loved that book and, quite frankly, I love this new book Legend just as much.

This newest work focuses on the Vietnam era and the amazing story of MSG Roy Benavidez and the events of May 2, 1968. Before getting to that life-changing day, Blehm provides significant biographical information about Roy, which offers insight into how he made his decision on that fateful day. As he was taught from a child -- when you know someone needs help, you just go help them. That is exactly what he did in heroic fashion saving the lives of at least 8 men. Although, he would be quick to tell you that he was no hero - the heroes are those that never made it back. Yet, the fact remains that his story is one of humility, hard work, honor, and heroism.

I do not want to spoil the story for you in this review, but I will saw this much - that day in May started like any other for Sgt. Benavidez. He was able to hear that some men were in a tough fire fight - some men that were his friends - and when a chopper was head out to attempt extraction, he jumped on board. Now, mind you, he was not assigned to that chopper nor did he have his normal load (rucksack with ammo, grenades, or even his weapon). He went in with only a knife and a medical kit. As the chopper tried to find the men to resupply them with ammo, they realized they could not get to them. That's why Sgt. Benavidez made the critical decision to jump from the chopper and into the battle when that Huey was there to try and remove men from the battle. I will stop there but will offer this one final tidbit -- his actions led to his receipt of the Medal of Honor.

If you love history and stories of amazing encounters in combat, this is a must read. His call sign - Tango, Mike, Mike - has become synonymous in special forces circles referencing the need for courage during conflict. Please, read this book about an amazing American and see what is possible through the selflessness of one individual.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for free from the Blogging for Books Publishing Group for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 25: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

There is a reason Chris Kyle didn't like the word Legend attached to his name. He felt it belonged to the men such as Roy Benavidez. Blehm has a way of making his heroes part of your family. Though I received this before it was on newsstands, I wanted a bigger picture of Blehm's work to compare, and thus read Fearless which documented a home state hero for me.
Both are fantastic and will lead you into a world of true engagement with the enemy.
What makes this special is the Vietnam era setting. There are not as many war biographies from this time period, and very few that deal with the previously classified information regarding these special operations teams who achieved greatness in an area where we were technically not fighting. You will have a greater understanding for the poor political environment that handcuffed these great warriors and the unknown war they fought to preserve freedom. It was an unpopular war, but after reading this epic, I feel we achieved far more than most realize, and had we been less politically motivated, could have changed the dynamic in most of Europe and Asia during a time of political upheaval.
If you like war epics or biographies, this is one of a kind. I met, by sheer coincidence, a man who flew in one of these units. His recollections line up perfectly with Blehm's account and detail of these flying tanks that changed the landscape of the war. Benavidez is a legend, and your kids should know his name. May we all learn the selfless courage that drove him to greatness.

I thought Blehm's last book was better put together but this was very interesting. The first third of the book was a little hard for me to follow but you get really sucked into what was going on when the actual events start to get described. It makes you wonder how many feats of heroism have gone unrecognized, I'm sure there must be many.
A lot of people skip over prologues and epilogues but you should not skip over the epilogue of this one, you find out what happened to all the soldiers you read about.

Roy P. Benevidez was an amazing person. And the fact that he didn't see himself as special makes him that much more extraordinary. I was a teenager during the time he was in Vietnam and like most civilians at that time, I was totally clueless as to what our servicemen were facing. I was married to a serviceman who was in his second tour in Vietnam and like so many veterans, hardly ever spoke of what he experience while in-country or what he had done to receive his medals. While reading this book it explained so much of what we, at home, were unaware of. The way our Vietnam veterans have been mistreated has always anger me. Reading of the sacrifice, dedication and heroism brought me to tears throughout the book. I sincerely believe this is what our high school students should be reading for history class.

I highly recommend this unforgettable story of an extraordinary American.

Eric Blehm tells an exciting unforgettable story of Green Beret Staff Sergeant Roy Benavidez who risked his life along with his team to rescue a Special Forces team caught behind enemy lines. Staff Sergeant Benavidez fought valiantly to rescue this team of soldiers despite overwhelming odds and being severely wounded, He would grab one wounded warrior after another until all were accounted far on the helicopter then and only then did he himself get on the helicopter. This story tells of a soldier tells of a soldier that risked is very life for the brotherhood of fighting men and was denied the Medals normally given for this type of valor. Thirteen years would pass before the author decided to discover the reasons why this hero was denied his rightful place in history.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story and would highly recommend it.
I received this book free from the publisher for this review.

Just when you think you've read all there is to read about the Vietnam war, you encounter a book like Legend that takes you in a new direction. This book is a hard to put down account of a covert mission occurring in 1968, with special forces soldiers who went into Cambodia to monitor North Vietnamese activity. The story focuses on Roy Benavidez who was sent in to rescue these men when they were captured by the the North Vietnamese. Despite his bravery and valor, he couldn't be recognized for his actions because they were undertaken on a covert mission in a country where the US was not supposed to have troops. His story is remarkable, and this book is a well written and fast read that will take you into the war and tell you the full account.

This is a true story of the Viet Nam War focusing in on Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, Roy Benavidez and the amazing events of May 2, 1968 west of Loc Ninh, Viet Nam (somewhere in Cambodia, close to the Ho Chi Minh trail). The author, Eric Blehm, is a very talented writer and extraordinary researcher. He has reconstructed this story through tireless research and endless interviews and recounted the story in an engaging and intense narrative (One of Blehm’s earlier books, The Last Season, is a tremendous book and was designated as one of the ten ‘greatest adventure biographies ever written’). The heroism, courage, fortitude and toughness of not only Benavidez but all the Special Forces personnel including the helicopter, fighter and bomber pilots are recounted in vivid, bloody and painful detail. Benavidez, a Mexican American high school dropout, former migrant worker, turned paratrooper and Green Beret hero is, in and of himself, a tremendous example of the best of America. I highly recommend this book. Every reader should follow up completion of the book by watching the You Tube video of President Ronald Reagan, presenting the Congressional Medal of Honor to Roy Benavidez on February 24, 1981.

A great story about an inspirational man Rou Benavidez. Roy was injured two separate times in Vietnam. On the second tour, his leadership and help saved the lives of 8 men of a SOG command sent to hijack a truck and take a prisoner. Instead, the SOG team was identified early and confronted by hundreds (or thousands) of NVA in the jungles of Cambodia. Roy wanted to help this team, so he came by helicopter into their encampment and fought off hours of attacks. If it wasn't for his leadership, the whole twelve man crew would have been killed. Roy received over thirty injuries, but helped in the extraction of the 8 men. His wounds jeopardized his livelihood, but loyal officers kept him on the U.S. Army payroll until he could retire in 1975.

Roy was a leader who died all too young. He will always be remembered as the man who headed into combat to support his Army and his friends. This is truly an inspirational story.

"Legend: A Harrowing Story from the Vietnam War of One Green Beret's Heroic Mission to Rescue a Special Forces Team Caught Behind Enemy Lines" by Eric Blehm is an edge of your seat, nail biting account of one battle during the Vietnam War. This book had me cringing with some of the harrowing situations these men found themselves in.

Truly an amazing true story of a battle I never heard of before but will never forget. Nor will I forget troops who were there and there for each other.

Legend is well written,documented, and fascinating story about a man that was an american heroe. The book is an amazing depiction of the life of Roy Benivedez. I love the fact that the author brings to light an American heroe who would otherwise go unknown. Just when there seems to be a shortage of heroes in our country, Blehm finds and tells the story of one we can all look up too. Hard not to feel proud of our servicemen and women after reading Legend.
Epic story!

Just finished reading THE LEGEND by Eric Blehm, an incredible book documenting the remarkable service of SF veteran MSG Roy Benavidez. The story is well written, and the true story is better than many novel plots. His Congressional of Honor citation is the most incredible ever written. And recognizing the incredible nature of Benavidez's personal sacrifice. President Reagan read the entire CMOH Citation himself

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5yJK...

Our military is often undervalued and this book seemed an extremely well timed reminder on all that they do to ensure our freedom each day. Eric Blehm's recount of this true story is well written and engrossing. A highly recommended read for both military aficionados and those are who not-Blehm's story makes it a worthwhile read for all.

HOLY S&%$. I started reading and could NOT put this book down. Eric Blehm is one heck of a writer. he put into words about the realities of War that not very many people can do. he puts you right there in the action. you hear and feel the bullets wizing by. you feel the blast of grenades. you are there experiencing everything. if after reading this book you do not come away feeling humble--check your pulse-for you are dead or have zero emotions. Kudos to the pilots, U S Army's 240th Assault Helicopter company and Special Forces staff sergeant Roy Benavidez

As I read this book, "Legend", the more I became interested in the history associated with this conflict. The author Eric Blehm did a masterful job explaining the geopolitics behind this war. He also selected a person as the main character who was truly an American hero. In fact, I found it hard to believe all the wounds the character suffered and still managed to provide medical care to the wounded troops, call in precise air support, set up defensive perimeters and take charge in a dire situation (outnumbered by approx. 250 to 8). And manage to survive and get the wounded soldiers back to safety with these overwhelming odds. This should be a movie, it would surely be a big hit with audiences across America.

I easily gave this five stars. A profound read, to say the least. I was hooked, read it all the way through in just two sittings, and now I can't get it out of my head. It will stay with me for a long time. I'm honored to have read it.

FTC Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Eric Blehm hits it out of the ballpark again with his new book, Legend. It tells the incredible story of a true American Vietnam War hero, Roy Benavidez. Left for dead, Roy Benavidez, was placed in a body bag after single handedly mustering the spirits, getting them into a defensive perimeter, and dragging the dead and badly wounded members of an American Special Forces Reconnaissance Team to an extraction helicopter. The team had been inserted into the jungle outside of Loc Ninh, Vietnam heavily occupied by North Vietnamese soldiers. Three prior extraction attempts had failed due to the enemy’s anti-aircraft fire, automatic weapons and grenade fire resulting in several wounded and killed, including a downed aircraft. Despite these dire reports, Roy Benavidez volunteered and jumped into the thick of the fight to help and that he did. Too many veterans of the Vietnam War served our country, and returned to a thankless America. It’s time to thank all of those who have served our country. Thank you Eric for telling Roy Benavidez’s story. It needed to be told!

An almost unbelievable account, and yet absolutely true! Intriguing not just from a survival standpoint, but for all the now de-classified operations that went on "over the fence". As a young person, most of what we're told about the Vietnam War is how wrong it was; this book will open your eyes to the necessity of the mission, and the honorable service of so many men. A shout out to all Vietnam vets - THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!

The finest, most edge of your seat exciting battle account I've ever read and I've read thousands in the decades I've been reading military histories. A remarkable story about a remarkable man. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

If you want a hardcore action story about the Vietnam war, this is the book for you. At times the action in this book defies belief. You've got a guy with an eyeball hanging out laying down suppressing fire. Later you've got a guy holding his intestines in while dragging a wounded man onto a helicopter. The book reads like Black Hawk Down mixed with We Were Soldiers Once and Young. As well-told action story this book is great. The problem with this is book is the background. The history is presented in a simplistic " 'Merica good, Nam bad. America only want people be free." I feel that Blehm's earlier book Last Season is top notch and the author had complete command of his subject matter. With this book the author had a strong command of the battle (the three diagrams were particularly useful), but an elementary view of the larger war. Despite my criticism, it is a helluva action story that deserves and should receive a wide audience.

HOLY S&%$. I started reading and could NOT put this book down. Eric Blehm is one heck of a writer. he put into words about the realities of War that not very many people can do. he puts you right there in the action. you hear and feel the bullets wizing by. you feel the blast of grenades. you are there experiencing everything. if after reading this book you do not come away feeling humble--check your pulse-for you are dead or have zero emotions. Kudos to the pilots, U S Army's 240th Assault Helicopter company and Special Forces staff sergeant Roy Benavidez

As I read this book, "Legend", the more I became interested in the history associated with this conflict. The author Eric Blehm did a masterful job explaining the geopolitics behind this war. He also selected a person as the main character who was truly an American hero. In fact, I found it hard to believe all the wounds the character suffered and still managed to provide medical care to the wounded troops, call in precise air support, set up defensive perimeters and take charge in a dire situation (outnumbered by approx. 250 to 8). And manage to survive and get the wounded soldiers back to safety with these overwhelming odds. This should be a movie, it would surely be a big hit with audiences across America.

I easily gave this five stars. A profound read, to say the least. I was hooked, read it all the way through in just two sittings, and now I can't get it out of my head. It will stay with me for a long time. I'm honored to have read it.

FTC Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Eric Blehm hits it out of the ballpark again with his new book, Legend. It tells the incredible story of a true American Vietnam War hero, Roy Benavidez. Left for dead, Roy Benavidez, was placed in a body bag after single handedly mustering the spirits, getting them into a defensive perimeter, and dragging the dead and badly wounded members of an American Special Forces Reconnaissance Team to an extraction helicopter. The team had been inserted into the jungle outside of Loc Ninh, Vietnam heavily occupied by North Vietnamese soldiers. Three prior extraction attempts had failed due to the enemy’s anti-aircraft fire, automatic weapons and grenade fire resulting in several wounded and killed, including a downed aircraft. Despite these dire reports, Roy Benavidez volunteered and jumped into the thick of the fight to help and that he did. Too many veterans of the Vietnam War served our country, and returned to a thankless America. It’s time to thank all of those who have served our country. Thank you Eric for telling Roy Benavidez’s story. It needed to be told!

An almost unbelievable account, and yet absolutely true! Intriguing not just from a survival standpoint, but for all the now de-classified operations that went on "over the fence". As a young person, most of what we're told about the Vietnam War is how wrong it was; this book will open your eyes to the necessity of the mission, and the honorable service of so many men. A shout out to all Vietnam vets - THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!

The finest, most edge of your seat exciting battle account I've ever read and I've read thousands in the decades I've been reading military histories. A remarkable story about a remarkable man. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

If you want a hardcore action story about the Vietnam war, this is the book for you. At times the action in this book defies belief. You've got a guy with an eyeball hanging out laying down suppressing fire. Later you've got a guy holding his intestines in while dragging a wounded man onto a helicopter. The book reads like Black Hawk Down mixed with We Were Soldiers Once and Young. As well-told action story this book is great. The problem with this is book is the background. The history is presented in a simplistic " 'Merica good, Nam bad. America only want people be free." I feel that Blehm's earlier book Last Season is top notch and the author had complete command of his subject matter. With this book the author had a strong command of the battle (the three diagrams were particularly useful), but an elementary view of the larger war. Despite my criticism, it is a helluva action story that deserves and should receive a wide audience.

Wow, this book is riveting! I started the first chapter and couldn't put the book down. Much like Fearless, Blehm did it again with another fascinating story honoring the men & women of our armed services. Thank you for sharing Roy's amazing story and recognizing the sacrifices our soldiers make for our freedom.

Another outstanding book by Eric Blehm - this one telling the story of Sgt. Roy Benavidez.
Suffice it to say that you'll shake your head in wonder at what Sgt. Benavidez did on the ground on
May 2nd, 1968, and you'll have a new appreciation of the routine heroism demonstrated by the helicopter
pilots in Vietnam.

Terrific book. One of the best books about Vietnam I have read. I had heard about Roy Benavidez but never knew the whole story about why he earned the Medal of Honor. What an incredible soldier. I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in the Vietnam War or Special Forces.

This reviewer has been aware of Roy Benavidez and his bravery in Vietnam for many years. Legend tells his story very well, and honors his service. This book should be read by anyone who wants to know what our young men indured in Vietnam in the 1960s.

As a Marine Vietnam Vet, I appreciated the research and detail that went into this story. Roy Benavides was the “real deal”, a guy who went from the streets to a great soldier. A credit to the Hispanic community and their patriotism.

More American's need to read this story, especially the NFL players. It tells the story of a young boy who grew up to be a true hero. All the obstacles that he had to over come. And when it came to protecting his fellow solders, he put them above himself. It tells about a boy who grew to be a man by listening to people he care about and taking their lessons to heart and using those lessons to be the person he was.