Key takeaways:
- Retired Army Col. Paris Davis is set to receive the Medal of Honor for his service in the Vietnam War.
- Davis was one of the first Black officers to lead a Special Forces team in combat.
- Despite being shot multiple times, Davis continued to fight and protect his fellow soldiers.
Retired Army Col. Paris Davis, an Ohio native, is set to receive the Medal of Honor for his service in the Vietnam War. On Friday, President Joe Biden will present the prestigious award to Davis at the White House in recognition of his “gallantry and intrepidity” during a June 1965 attack.
Davis, now 83 years old and living in Virginia, was one of the first Black officers to lead a Special Forces team in combat. His recommendation for the Medal of Honor was lost and resubmitted, but then lost again. It was only recently rediscovered, nearly 60 years after the attack.
During the grueling, nearly 19-hour firefight against enemy North Vietnamese soldiers, Davis was shot multiple times. Despite his injuries, he continued to fight and protect his fellow soldiers.
“I was just doing my job,” Davis said in an interview with the Associated Press. “I was just trying to keep everybody alive.”
Davis’ fellow soldiers have long said he deserved the recognition, and now he is finally getting it. The Medal of Honor is the nation’s highest award for bravery, and Davis’ story is a testament to the courage and strength of all who served in the Vietnam War.
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