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What the world needs is more people like Gary Bakerch (pronounced bike-kerk). This Veterans Day, I invite you to pay your respects by saying his name.
An elite Green Beret medic who served during the siege of Daxean on April 1, 1970, Beikirch narrowly survived the siege after being shot three times and temporarily paralyzed. He would think he would have given up.
But what he did while lying in the dirt, nearly destroyed by his enemies, is what makes his story so incredible.
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I interviewed Beikirch extensively to write his 2020 biography. “Blaze of Light”. In the two years we worked together, I came to see him as a man of true strength, integrity, selflessness, and resilience.
Green Beret Medal Gary Bakerch’s Medal of Honor is our nation’s highest military award for acts of bravery. (Photo courtesy of Ben Bender)
His story begins like many others. Beikirch was born on August 29, 1947 in Rochester, New York. He joined the Army in August 1967 with a desire to help people.
Then his story takes an amazing turn. After enduring the rigors of training in the Army’s special operations program, he became a Green Beret medic, the most decorated member, and was deployed to Vietnam in June 1969. The head doctor of the remote village of Daksean.
There Beikirch lived with approximately 2,700 Montagnard soldiers and civilians from the Central Highlands region of Vietnam. He trained indigenous doctors to treat diseases, promote health and hygiene techniques, and deliver babies. The mountain people welcomed his presence and made him an honorary member of their tribe, a tribute he cherished ever since.
In the early morning hours of April 1, 1970, approximately 10,000 enemy soldiers overran Daksen in a surprise attack. Beikirch was seriously wounded three times during the siege, being shot in the spine and abdomen, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down and unable to walk.
Green Beret medic Gary Bakerch has just completed basic training. (Photo courtesy of Gary Baybach Estate)
Although still under siege and in such dire conditions, Beikirch knew he still had work to do. He was the head doctor. His job was to help people survive. There were innocent women and children in the village that he and his fellow Green Berets were tasked with protecting, but they too were injured by the enemy. Not to mention his friends and fellow soldiers.
Many in Beikirch’s position would have thought their fight was over. However, Beikirch refused his own treatment. Instead, as he lay in the dirt on the battlefield, he called two helpers to his side and uttered two words that will forever resonate in the hearts of people around the world who value freedom.
“Carry me.”
Please carry me so that I can continue to help people.
The cover of “Blaze of Light,” a biography of Green Beret medic Gary Beybach.
Please try to imagine. This is an Army medic. He is bleeding heavily, barely conscious, paralyzed from the waist down, unable to walk, and still suffering from gunshot wounds. He is dragged across the battlefield from wounded to wounded.
Beikirch thus continued to provide assistance.
Beikirch finally succumbed to blood loss. He was airlifted to safety by helicopter during a horrific gunfight.
For his courage and selflessness during the Siege of Daxean, Beikirch was awarded the nation’s highest and most prestigious military award, the Medal of Honor.
Green Beret medic Gary Bakerch received the Medal of Honor for his bravery during the siege of Daxean. (Photo courtesy of Ben Bender)
This Veterans Day, we are all reminded to honor veterans like Beikirch – those who served selflessly in our nation’s armed forces. In today’s world of global conflicts and threats to peace, the importance of this day is even greater.
Our veterans are a testament to the values of duty, honor, and selflessness. They protect freedom and protect human rights. We are invited to imitate the aristocratic traits they model. Even after Beikirch suffered a huge blow, he never gave up.
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What about after the war? After a series of long hospitalizations, Beikirch regained use of his lower body and relearned to walk. He returned to the United States and devoted himself to furthering his studies and helping people.
Beikirch eventually earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and sociology from the University of New Hampshire, then a master’s degree in educational counseling from the State University of New York (SUNY) Brockport.
Although still under siege and in such dire conditions, Beikirch knew he still had work to do. He was the head doctor. His job was to help people survive. There were innocent women and children in the village that he and his fellow Green Berets were tasked with protecting, but they too were injured by the enemy. Not to mention his friends and fellow soldiers.
During his career as a middle school teacher and career guidance counselor, he was affectionately known as the beloved “Mr. B” by students and staff.
He was also ordained as a chaplain and served for many years as a hospital and prison counselor for the Veterans Outreach Center and as a chaplain for the Medal of Honor Society.
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Gary Beybach passed away from pancreatic cancer in December 2021. His beloved wife Rory and his family were by his side. He was 74 years old.
He is a true American hero. This Veterans Day… remember his name?
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