Army Colonel From Alexandria Awarded Medal Of Honor After Recommendation Was 'Lost' Twice

One of the first Black officers to lead a Special Forces team into combat has received the Medal of Honor from President Joe Biden, nearly 60 years after his heroic efforts in the Vietnam War.

Col. Paris Davis received the Medal of Honor on March 3
Photo Credit: *By United States Army - https://www.army.mil/article/264186/the_long_wait_is_over_vietnam_veteran_to_receive_medal_of_honor, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=129208117*

Annie DeVoe

03/03/2023 4:26 p.m.

Alexandria resident Col. Paris Davis finally received the prestigious honor after it was re-submitted for a third time, on Friday, March 3 after several attempts in submitting a recommendation. Col. Davis's recommendation was lost not once, but twice after submission.

Davis was recommended for the honor after he heroically led the charge with the 5th Special Forces Group and went into hand-to-hand combat with the North Vietnamese in June 1965.

He refused to leave the battlefield that day until all of his men were safely removed, forcing himself to push through gunshot wounds and broken bones until he rescued every one of his teammates, leading them all to survival, according to multiple reports.

The 83-year-old hero now resides in Alexandria after his retirement from the armed forces. He is also a recipient of the prestigious Silver Star, Purple Heart, and Air Medal. He was inducted into the Army Ranger Hall of Fame in 2019.

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