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Steven Bennett
Dario Leone, Aviation Geek Club
Episode 3288 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature story about the US Air Force Vietnam War hero Steven Bennett. The featured story is titled: The Bronco pilot who died ditching his OV-10 to save his observer who couldn’t eject because his parachute was shredded by the explosion of a North Vietnamese SA-7. It appeared on the Aviation Geek Club website and was submitted by Dario Leone.
Dario reported that Captain Steven L. Bennett’s story is one of extraordinary courage, selflessness, and devotion to duty during the Vietnam War. Flying the versatile OV-10 Bronco, an aircraft used for forward air control, reconnaissance, artillery spotting, and ground attack missions, Bennett served in one of the conflict’s most dangerous roles. The Bronco was lightly armed but highly adaptable, carrying machine guns, external ordnance, and even troops or medical patients when needed.
On June 29, 1972, Captain Bennett was flying an artillery adjustment mission near Quang Tri City, South Vietnam, with a Marine observer in the rear seat. After spending several hours directing naval gunfire and air strikes against enemy positions, Bennett received an urgent call for help. A small South Vietnamese unit was on the verge of being overwhelmed by a much larger North Vietnamese force. With no friendly fighter aircraft available and naval gunfire too risky because of the proximity of allied troops, Bennett made a courageous decision.
Despite knowing that enemy soldiers were equipped with deadly SA-7 heat-seeking missiles, he repeatedly dove his OV-10 Bronco into low-level strafing attacks. His actions disrupted the enemy advance and bought precious time for the threatened South Vietnamese troops. During his fifth attack run, an SA-7 missile struck his aircraft, setting an engine ablaze and severely damaging the plane.
When Bennett learned that his Marine observer’s parachute had been destroyed, he refused to abandon him. Instead of ejecting, he attempted a water landing in the Gulf of Tonkin. The Bronco crashed and flipped into the sea. The Marine observer escaped, but Bennett became trapped in the wreckage and perished.
For his heroic sacrifice and unwavering commitment to saving another life, Captain Bennett was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, a fitting tribute to one of the Vietnam War’s greatest heroes.
Listen to Episode 3288 and discover more about the US Air Force Vietnam War hero Steven Bennett.
