Emory L. Bennett Park - New Smyrna Beach, FL
N 29° 01.553 W 080° 55.327
17R E 507583 N 3210855
The Emory L. Bennett Park is a small municipal park in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, USA.
Waymark Code: WMBKB6
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 05/29/2011
Views: 8
ABOUT THE PARK:
This park is located in the downtown district of New Smyrna Beach on Sams Avenue. It's just a short distance away from the New Smyrna Beach City Hall. It's a lovely place for passersby to just sit and enjoy the shade of a beautiful oak tree.
ABOUT EMORY L. BENNETT:
"Emory Lawrence Bennett (December 20, 1929 – June 24, 1951) was a United States Army soldier in the Korean War who received the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor.
Bennett was born in New Smyrna, Florida on December 20, 1929. His family moved to Indianola on Merritt Island when he was six and to Cocoa in 1937. His parents ran "Bennett Fish Market", and he helped catch fish in the nearby Indian River to sell. The family supplemented their diet by duck hunting, and Emory proved a crack shot. He had three older brothers: Gary, Marvin and John. Bennett graduated from Cocoa High School in 1948 and enlisted in the Army on July 25, 1950.
Bennett served in Korea as a private first class with Company B of the 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. In the early morning hours of June 24, 1951, two enemy battalions launched a human wave attack against his company's defensive position near Sobangsan. Bennett left his foxhole and stood exposed to hostile fire in order to attack with his automatic rifle. Although wounded, he maintained this position long enough to momentarily halt the enemy advance and allow Company B to regroup. The assault resumed, however, and the company was forced to pull back. Bennett voluntarily stayed behind to provide covering fire while the rest of the unit withdrew, during which time he was mortally wounded. For these actions, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor six months later, on February 1, 1952.
His body arrived home on November 23, 1951."