As an Army captain in 1965 during the Vietnam War, Paris D. Davis rescued two of his fellow Americans who were “incapacitated” during combat with the enemy.
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden will award the Medal of Honor to retired Army Col. Paris D. Davis for “conspicuous gallantry” during combat operations in the Vietnam War.
Davis, who was serving as a captain, “distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty” while he was a commander of a special forces group during combat with the enemy over two days in June of 1965, the White House said in a description of Davis’ heroic actions.
In Bong Son, Vietnam, Davis was commanding an “inexperienced South Vietnamese” force and learned that a “vastly superior North Vietnamese enemy force” was in the area. “Through surprise and leadership, he gained the tactical advantage, personally engaging and killing several enemy soldiers,” during which he was wounded and then engaged in hand-to-hand combat, the White House said.
During the attacks and counterattacks, Davis was hit by automatic weapons fire and had to fight an enemy soldier in “close-quarter combat,” which left him wounded even further.
While calling for artillery and air support and leading his men to reorganize in an abandoned enemy area, Davis realized that two of his fellow Americans were “incapacitated and unable to move while trapped by enemy fire,” the White House said.
“Captain Davis located their positions and moved to suppress enemy guns and personally rescue each to the safety of the friendly company position. While enacting the rescue of the first American, Captain Davis was shot in the leg,” according to the White House. “In great pain, he continued forward and dragged him to the company perimeter. Captain Davis then exposed himself again to the intense enemy fire to rescue the second American, crawling 150 yards to complete the rescue while being hit by enemy grenade fragments.”
After he rescued the second American, he directed the helicopter extraction for his wounded men but refused medical evacuation for himself. “Captain Davis continued to engage the enemy until all members of his company were extracted,” the White House said. “He remained on the battlefield to continue personal coordination of tactical air and artillery fire, ensuring the destruction of the enemy force.”
Davis wrote about his experience for a book on Vietnam studies, saying that while rescuing the first American, he shot a sniper who was in a camouflaged man-hole and then dropped a grenade in the hole, killing two more enemies.
“I ran out and pulled SSG Morgan to safety,” he wrote. “He was slightly wounded, and I treated him for shock. The enemy again tried to overrun our position. I picked up a machine gun and started firing.”
Davis said the second American, who he said was MSG Waugh, had been wounded in his right foot.
“I tried to pick him up, but I was unable to do so. I was shot slightly in the back of my leg as I ran for cover,” wrote Davis, who said he then ran out again and was then shot in the wrist. “But I was able to pick up MSG Waugh and carried him fireman style in a hail of automatic weapon fire to safety.”
The White House said the conduct for those who qualify for the Medal of Honor “must involve great personal bravery or self-sacrifice so conspicuous as to clearly distinguish the individual above his or her comrades and must have involved risk of life.”
Since the creation of the medal in the 1860s, more than 3,400 have been awarded to soldiers, airmen, sailors, marines and members of the Coast Guard, according to the Army.