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From: Trish Minton - Wedel

Dear Fellow Legion Members and Riders, Family and Friends. And to those who helped me put all the pieces together. Please join American Legion Post 17 Greenville, TX, Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024, at 12 noon, as we present The Lost Military Service Medals of Sgt. Robert W. Hook, KIA 1969, to his namesake, Robert Wayne Bennett.

A Post #17 Fish Fry will follow the presentation. Please partake in the day's events and meet the people who made this heart warming story a reality. Sincerely, Trish Minton-Wedel

One evening in late November, just a few weeks ago, friends of mine from Quinlan, TX, invited me to their home for dinner. Their first names are Bobby and Nancy. They are also members of American Legion Post 17, Greenville.

After dinner, Bobby brought out a shadow box of service medals. He told me that a friend of his found them in a dumpster in Dallas. He knew Bobby would do his best to help find their way back home. Several attempts were made with no results.

Years passed, but the thought of the medals never left his mind. While showing them to me, he asked if I could help. My thoughts were just like many of you reading this right now, "dumpster"? Who in their right mind would do something that disrespectful?

I first thought, where would I start; it's a shadow box of medals and no paper work of any kind. Just then, I turned one of the medals over and to my surprise, the name Robert W. Hook was engraved on it. I turned over another, and another, all Robert W. Hook. I turned to Bobby and Nancy and said, "There's my start!"

Taking his name and knowing they were found in the Dallas area, I started researching and putting it out on social media. Then I entered websites asking for help, researched military information, service records, classmates.com, obituaries, etc.

I had so many windows open on my computer, you could feel a breeze! And then it happened! My computer lit up like a Christmas tree! It wasn't long before there was enough information coming in to dig deeper.

He was 20 yrs old, married and stationed in Vietnam when he was awarded these medals. Information from classmates and archive researchers with pictures and personal tributes, OMG, the tears started to roll - I got him!

A classmate from South Oak Cliff High School class of 1966 in Dallas told me all about him. Another classmate helped put me in contact with the lady Robert was married to at the time. This contact called, gave her my name, and told her I would be calling soon.

When the phone stopped ringing, a soft voice on the other end said, "Hello!" I told her about the medals and the whole story. She had since remarried and said it wouldn't be proper for her to have the medals. We went over other options suggested, but none seemed to be the right one.

I told her there was information about a best friend of Robert's and how they were going to join the service on the buddy plan, but circumstances changed. Robert went into the Army and his best friend went into the Air Force. This is where the story really takes a turn.

Robert's best friend, Jim Bennett, was stationed state-side, had planned to get married, and wanted Robert to be his best man. Plans were made, knowing Robert was to return home very soon. In fact, Robert had already started paperwork to process home. 

Then a buddy told him of a mission that night. Robert volunteered to go along. He was serving as an assistant machine gunner on a contact mission near the city of Phan Thiet, Minh Thuan Providence, when Company C was alerted to conduct a combat assault against a North Vietnamese Army Battalion.

"Upon landing in the contact area his entire element was pinned down by heavy automatic weapons and B-40 rocket fire. Courageously braving the enemy fire, he ran to a stream bed and began to place accurate covering fire for his platoon as it moved to more advantageous fighting positions. When his element was faced with crossing a highway under a cross-fire of automatic weapons fire, he again charged forward and ran through the enemy fire to the other side.

Once there, he remained in a completely uncovered position while he engaged the well-entrenched enemy with accurate suppressive fire. Due to the heavy volume of fire, he was mortally wounded. As a direct result of his heroic actions, he averted further casualties to his comrades and kept the momentum of their assault going, which resulted in a resounding defeat against a numerically superior enemy force.

Specialist Hook's personal bravery and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army. By direction of the President of the United States under the provisions of the Act of Congress approved 25 July 1963."  

Sp4 Robert Wayne Hook, was Killed In Action Feb 12, 1969. The above information is from his original citation for the Silver Star, awarded (Posthumous) June 17, 1969. Robert was also promoted to Sgt.

Best friend, Jim Bennett, never got the opportunity to have Robert as his best man. But as a tribute, Jim named his son after him, Robert Wayne Bennett.  There has never been a Memorial Day go by that Jim and his family don't adorn Roberts headstone with a wreath and prayers, or any other Holiday, without mentioning just how much he is truly missed.

***Please join the members of the American Legion Post 17, Greenville, TX, plus Jim Bennett, his son Robert Wayne Bennett, and wife Kelly at the American Legion Post 17, Greenville, TX, 4509 Moulton St., Saturday Jan 13, 2024 at 12 pm (noon) as we respectfully present the Lost Medals of Sgt. Robert W. Hook "KIA" to his namesake, Robert Wayne Bennett. Presentation will be followed by a Post#17 fish fry.