Colonel Paris D. Davis

Paris D. Davis was born on May 13, 1939 in Cleveland Ohio. In 1959, he enlisted in to the Army and graduated from both Airborne and Ranger schools in 1960. In April of 1965, during his second tour in Vietnam, Davis took command of 5th Special Forces Group. During the late hours of June 17, 1965, the 26 year old Davis led his team in the dark back from a successful raid on a Viet Cong camp. As the sky began to lighten on the early hours of June 18, while returning from the mission, Davis’s Company was surrounded and ambushed by approximately 300 North Vietnamese enemy troops. Davis took part of a 19 hour battle where he was shot or took shrapnel eight different times, and personally shot or killed at least 20 enemies. He saved multiple lives while being the last American to be evacuated. Defending his positions and rushing forward to reach his wounded comrades, Davis engaged enemy soldiers with virtually every weapon and method a Green Beret might need in a full career: He fired his M16, his pistol, a heavy machine gun, and a heavy mortar, threw grenades and dropped them into hidden foxholes, helped pinpoint airstrikes, and killed at least one enemy soldier in a hand-to-hand fight. On March 3, 2023, Davis was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Joe Biden at the White House. Davis was twice previously nominated for the Medal of Honor, but both times the paperwork relating to his nomination disappeared. For his actions, Davis earned the Silver Star, the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart. Davis also saved the life of a soldier who was stuck in a burning fuel truck and won the Soldier’s Medal. Davis is one of the first African American green berates to receive the award, and one of only four service members in the history of the US military to receive both the Medal of Honor, and the Soldier’s Medal. Colonel Paris D. Davis was honored with numerous awards, including the Combat Infantryman Badge; Expert Infantryman Badge; Medal of Honor; Soldier's Medal for Heroism; Bronze Star Medal with "V" device and 1 bronze oak leaf cluster; Purple Heart with 1 bronze oak leaf cluster; Defense Meritorious Service Medal; Meritorious Service Medal with 1 bronze oak leaf cluster; Air Medal with "V" device & award numerals 2; Joint Service Commendation Medal; Army Commendation Medal with "V" device and 3 oak leaf clusters; Army Commendation Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; Vietnam Service Medal with 3 service stars; Korea Defense Service Medal; Humanitarian Service Medal; Army Service Ribbon; Army Overseas Service Ribbon with bronze star; Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm, Gold Star, Silver Star; Bronze Star; Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal First Class; Vietnam Campaign Medal; Special Forces Tab; Master Parachutist Badge; Ranger Tab; Republic of Vietnam Master Parachute Badge; Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge; Expert Marksmanship badge with rifle component bar; Presidential Unit Citation; Navy Unit Commendation; Meritorious Unit Commendation; Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation; Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Medal Unit Citation; and the Army Staff Identification Badge.