Veteran of the Day — December 6, 2025
Colonel Paris D. Davis (Ret.)
United States Army – Special Forces (Green Beret)
Vietnam War – Bong Son, 1965
Born: May 13, 1939 • Cleveland, Ohio
🟢 Early Years & The Making of a Green Beret
Paris D. Davis grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, in a working-class family during segregation. As a young man, he pursued both academics and athletics, earning an ROTC scholarship to Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he studied political science and prepared for Army service.
Commissioned in 1959, Davis earned his Airborne wings, Ranger tab, and Special Forces qualification by the early 1960s, becoming one of the first Black officers in Army Special Forces.
⚔️ Bong Son, Vietnam — “Every Weapon I Had.”
In June 1965, then-Captain Davis commanded Detachment A-321, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), advising the 883rd Regional Force Company of the South Vietnamese Army near Bồng Sơn, Bình Định Province.
On June 17–18, 1965, Davis and three other Green Berets led their Vietnamese company on a night raid against a much larger Viet Cong force. The initial attack was successful, killing an estimated 100 enemy fighters, but at dawn the Viet Cong counterattacked in waves. Davis was wounded multiple times, but refused evacuation.
For nearly 19 hours, he:
- Directed close-in artillery and small-arms fire, sometimes calling rounds within 30 meters of his own position.
- Personally assaulted enemy machine-gun positions at point-blank range.
- Crawled back into open ground, again and again, to rescue wounded American teammates and Vietnamese soldiers, dragging them to safety under heavy fire.
At one point, he carried a badly wounded comrade to safety, returned to the fight, and then went back out through the killing zone one more time to retrieve another man whom everyone else thought was lost.
His actions held the line, saved lives, and kept his small force from being overrun.
🎖️ A Medal of Honor Delayed for 58 Years
Davis was initially awarded the Silver Star for his heroism. His commander nominated him for the Medal of Honor, but the paperwork was “lost” not once, but twice over the years.
Decades later, former teammates, advocates, and leaders pushed to set the record straight. After a renewed review, the United States finally did what it should have done long ago.
On March 3, 2023, at the White House, President Joe Biden presented Colonel Paris D. Davis with the Medal of Honor for his actions at Bong Son.
In his remarks, the President called Davis:
“Brave and big-hearted, determined and devoted, selfless and steadfast… everything our nation is at its best.”
Davis’ decorations now include:
- Medal of Honor
- Soldier’s Medal
- Bronze Star Medal (2) with “V” device
- Purple Heart (2)
- Air Medal (2) with “V” device
- Army Commendation Medal (4) with “V” device, and more (Wikipedia)
📰 Life After War: From Green Beret to Newspaper Publisher
After Vietnam, Davis continued to serve, eventually commanding the 10th Special Forces Group and retiring as a full colonel in 1985 after 26 years of active duty.
He then spent roughly 30 years as publisher of the Metro Herald, a newspaper in Virginia, staying engaged with his community and using his voice to highlight service, opportunity, and progress. Today he lives in Arlington County, Virginia, still representing the quiet strength of a soldier who never stopped serving.
In 2025, he released his memoir, “Every Weapon I Had: A Vietnam Vet’s Long Road to the Medal of Honor,” sharing not only the battle but also the long, emotional, and bureaucratic fight for recognition.
🌟 Reflection
For nearly six decades, the medal was missing — but the courage was never in doubt.
Colonel Paris D. Davis is a living reminder that valor doesn’t expire, and that sometimes our nation has to circle back and finally say, “We see you. We’re grateful.”
🎙️ Coolbeaners Appreciation
At mickyspano.com/, we honor the men and women who stepped forward when our nation called.
Today, we proudly recognize Colonel Paris D. Davis, United States Army Special Forces — a Vietnam Green Beret whose courage at Bong Son saved lives, whose patience outlasted bureaucracy, and whose story now shines as a beacon of honor for generations to come.
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