Who survived the most gunshot wounds?

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Well, I don't know; but I came across a well documented tale of a fellow who seemingly could not be killed. Recovering from grievous wounds again and again, he continued to be sent back for more. The last living recipient of the military version of the Pour le Mérite, i.e., Blue Max, he lived to the ripe age of 102. A very unlikely, yet true story; here's the details: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernst_Jünger
 
Not necessarily gunshot wounds, although he had several. But Roy Benavidez survived more physical damage and lived through it than anyone else I've heard of.

As the medevac chopper landed the wounded were examined one by one. Staff Sergeant Benavidez could only hear what was going on around him. He had over thirty seven puncture wounds. His intestines were exposed. He could not see as his eyes were caked in blood and unable to open. Neither could he speak, his jaw broken, clubbed by a North Vietnamese rifle. But he knew what was happening, and it was the scariest moment of his life, even more so than the earlier events of the day. He lay in a body bag, bathed in his own blood. Jerry Cottingham, a friend screamed:

That's Benavidez. Get a doc.

When the doctor arrived he placed his hand on Roy's chest to feel for a heartbeat. He pronounced him dead. The physician shook his head as he said:

There's nothing I can do for him.

As the doctor bent over to zip up the body bag. Benavidez did the only thing he could think of to let the doctor know that he was alive. He spit in the doctor's face. The surprised doctor reversed Roy's condition from dead to:

He won't make it, but we'll try.
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Rest of story here.

http://www.psywarrior.com/benavidez.html
 
I always appreciate it when we validate our statements with a link or at least give a reference for where more information can be found. Especially so when folks are quoting the Founding Fathers, like so often happens in some of the tag-lines. So, who is Mc Greggar?
 
jmr40 said:
Not necessarily gunshot wounds, although he had several. But Roy Benavidez survived more physical damage and lived through it than anyone else I've heard of.



Rest of story here.

http://www.psywarrior.com/benavidez.html
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I met Master Sergeant Benavidaz at an event right after Gulf War 1.Truly an inspiration........the man relit some serious fires in the hearts of some BAMF'rs in that room that night.He also took some grown azz men from tears of sorrow to tears of laughter.........He knew his audience.

Truly a man of inspiration...........
 
Pathfinder45 said:
I always appreciate it when we validate our statements with a link or at least give a reference for where more information can be found. Especially so when folks are quoting the Founding Fathers, like so often happens in some of the tag-lines. So, who is Mc Greggar?
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Random search; so I can't say it's dead accurate. My father was CBI - OSS 101. He told me about a Japanese soldier who was hit by fourteen or fifteen .50 caliber rounds, and lived. Like being hit by a freight train 15 times in less than a second. My father never ever used the word Jap; he always said, Japanese Soldier. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Some trivia: OSS 101 has the highest kill, lowest loss ratio, in the recorded history of American combat. I believe it was 15,000 enemy troops killed and wounded; 27 Americans lost.
 
Whistlebritches said:
I met Master Sergeant Benavidaz at an event right after Gulf War 1.Truly an inspiration........the man relit some serious fires in the hearts of some BAMF'rs in that room that night.He also took some grown azz men from tears of sorrow to tears of laughter.........He knew his audience.

Truly a man of inspiration...........
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Story goes; and I have absolutely no reason to doubt this; there are hospitals - clinics that care for wounded military personnel, who have such severe injuries, they can never return to society; but they are very much alive. Very sobering thought.
 
Only two soldiers from my home town, died in Vietnam. One young guy was a friend mine. I told him to avoid it like the plague. He did not listen to me. I am back from there 50 years, and I still have no idea what was going on. My father was vehemently against the Vietnam conflict; and he had 3+++ years in the Burma jungle during WW2. ( OSS 101 ). He called the Vietnam conflict: "The 100 yard dash for people with no sense of direction". I think he heard that on Monty Python, but it was the best description for sure.
 
jimsouth - wasn't OSS 101 the successor to Merrill's Marauders? Have you read American Guerrilla? Can you tell us more things about your father?
 
4V50 Gary said:
jimsouth - wasn't OSS 101 the successor to Merrill's Marauders? Have you read American Guerrilla? Can you tell us more things about your father?
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I met 3 of the men who served with my father in Burma. I remember a comment from one of them, concerning Merrill ( since my father & 40 other Americans were there quite some time before Merrill ). He said, Sarge, remember Merrill & his men dragging those poor mules up & down those ravines in Burma, when the roads were open & secure? Who was the lunatic who planned that? I still have an original Kukri knife that actually took heads off. After the war, my father ( who was a 1st Sgt ) was offered a commission to teach jungle warfare; but the malaria, dengue fever, dysentery, & God knows what else, took too much of a toll. Besides, my father told them, he had already digested enough human misery. I have a photo of my dad, and I'll try to post it. FULL BATTLE GEAR in Burma. Boots, shorts, no shirt, a rag hat; and a Thompson slung over his shoulder.
 
At the wars end, my dad was ordered to burn all records. He followed orders. When he got back to the states, he was not checked once. He could have brought back any records that covered critical moves if he wanted to. What a story/book that would have made.,
 
Thanks JimSouth. :D . The book I mentioned talked about all the illnesses that affected the men there. I'd leave the place to the Japanese and let them all get killed by nature. Can't say I blame your father for wanting to return to civilian life.

During Korea, my father was sent to Panama and trained in jungle warfare. It was in anticipation of bailing out the French in Vietnam.
 
One of my buddies at our local VFW club house was struck by mortar shrapnel in three places within his legs. He has walked with a cane ever since.

Jack
 
4V50 Gary said:
Thanks JimSouth. :D . The book I mentioned talked about all the illnesses that affected the men there. I'd leave the place to the Japanese and let them all get killed by nature. Can't say I blame your father for wanting to return to civilian life.

During Korea, my father was sent to Panama and trained in jungle warfare. It was in anticipation of bailing out the French in Vietnam.
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My father told me, hands down, the most fearless soldiers he ever met, were the Gurkha Troops. He said they moved through the jungle like a mist. My dad said, the British & Americans adapted quickly, but the Gurkhas were without fear. He said, it would be a pitch black, dead quite night, and out of nowhere, a Gurkha's hand would be on your shoulder, asking for a cigarette. Very unnerving . I can see way the Japanese lived in terror of those soldiers.
 
Jack O'Conner said:
One of my buddies at our local VFW club house was struck by mortar shrapnel in three places within his legs. He has walked with a cane ever since.

Jack
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I was in the Portsmouth Naval Hospital in 68. All the time I spent in Vietnam & not a scratch. I come back to the states to finish my enlistment; and while working in a ship's engine room, I get wailed on my hand by a sledge hammer. Had to have a finger sown back on. Vietnam, not a scratch, back in the states, WHAM !!! GOD WILL HAVE HIS JOKES !!! I was in two helicopter crashes. Both times, Tail Rotors. First time a hit, second time, the rotor just flew apart. The pilots recovered quickly, but we still went down; and thankfully, neither time was high altitude. Since then, I'm not a big fan of flying.
 
My father told me, the spotter planes, I believe he called them B planes, would be on a short strip for takeoff. The tail wheel would be tied to a tree with a rope, and they would rev the engine up; and when the plane was bouncing up and down trying to get airborne, someone would cut the rope with an axe, and it would shoot out of the gate like a scalded dog. I can't say it's dead on true; but it's a good story; and if it ain't true, it otta be.
 
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