Retired Col. Paris Davis receives Medal of Honor after nearly six decades

Retired Col. Paris Davis, one of the first African-American officers in the elite U.S. Army Green Berets, is receiving the Medal of Honor after nearly six decades of delays. The award recognizes that he saved the lives of two of his soldiers at a battle in Vietnam. CBS News senior investigative correspondent Catherine Herridge spoke with Col. Davis and his daughter about what the honor means to them.
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[@GTX1123]

Tears are streaming down my face for him. I knew Paris personally for many yrs. He lived 2 doors up from me decades ago. I was a mentor to his younger son. Paris is THE NICEST guy you will ever meet. He NEVER bragged about what he did in Vietnam but his son told me the stories. Every once in a while I would ask him questions very respectfully about Vietnam (look up his actions on June 18, 1965 - it reads like something out of an action movie). Paris always generously answered whatever I asked him about Vietnam. I am so glad to see this day FINALLY come. Paris is 100% deserving of that medal. Congratulations Paris!

[@Amped4Life]

Thank you for your service and selflessness in the face of danger. Thank you for being an example for all of us from younger generations, Col. Paris Davis. I am so thankful your actions were finally honored properly when you received the Medal of Honor today.

[@raymondhoagland4976]

Thank you Col. Paris Davis for your service and bravery 🙏💓💟💙💪 God Bless !

[@michaellawrence905]

I spent 26 years as an Infantry Officer and can tell the readers of COL Davis's heroics, one cannot imagine how special he is. Words cannot describe his leadership skills and how he embodies, "no Soldier left behind." Some servicemembers can learn leadership to a certain point; COL Davis has leadership in his DNA. You don't learn what he did for his team. Of course, his CMOH narrative and supporting documentation was intentionally lost x2. Very sad and not a good reflection on Army leadership during those times. I am humbled just to say I was in the same Army as COL Davis.

[@vitaminwater6235]

That big pay gonna hit different. Congrats sir

[@poppadon448]

Amazing.. Respect and blessings 💪🏾🇺🇲

[@samuraibushido7077]

It something most of us all knew :most people on top don't care about us ( as Michael Jackson said "They don't care about us" but Pau made it clearer in Ephesians 6:12 'Were not here to wage war against flesh and blood (the masses of people..." but spiritual wickedness in high places...." ,and the journalist proved it if we don't care about and look after each-other noooooooo one will!!!

[@Meme-mq4nu]

Congratulations! I remember seeing his news a while back. I’m so glad he was finally awarded the Medal of Honor.

[@MichaelGregg-wc2bg]

Congratulations sir you deserve it

[@keithsw2566]

Terrible the way the Government treated this hero

[@yvonneplant9434]

Afaik the Tuskegee Airmen didn't get the GI bill benefits. A mindblowing display of racism.

[@samuraibushido7077]

It something most of us all knew :most people on top don't care about us ( as Michael Jackson said "They don't care about us" but Paul made it clearer in Ephesians 6:12 'Were not here to wage war against flesh and blood (the masses of people..." but spiritual wickedness in high places...." ,and the journalist proved it if we don't care about and look after each-other noooooooo one will!!!

[@ThePhantommigkiller]

I Salute This Warrior , God Bless You Col. Davis ! You Certainly Deserve The Congressional Medal Of Honor !

[@teresalegler2777]

Long time coming, but so well deserved. I was surprised to learn he was a student of Southern University. I sure they are all proud of you. Thank you for your service!

[@hinthegroove9740]

Honorable indeed!

[@samuraibushido7077]

It something most of us all knew :most people on top don't care about us ( as Michael Jackson said "They don't care about us" but Pau made it clearer in Ephesians 6:12 'Were not here to wage war against flesh and blood (the masses of people..." but spiritual wickedness in high places...." ,and the journalist proved it if we don't care about and look after each-other noooooooo one will!!!

[@nlp6082]

Congratulations 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽❤‼️

[@samuraibushido7077]

It something most of us all knew :most people on top don't care about us ( as Michael Jackson said "They don't care about us" but Pau made it clearer in Ephesians 6:12 'Were not here to wage war against flesh and blood (the masses of people..." but spiritual wickedness in high places...." ,and the journalist proved it if we don't care about and look after each-other noooooooo one will!!!

[@mahamudahmedy8496]

Congratulation colonel davis! Right delayed finally has come.❤

[@dirtdiver7171]

Brave Man 🎗🫡

[@melindadavis8273]

Thank you CBS. This recognition is so well deserved and so sorry delayed. Congratulations Maj Davis!

[@edklein5485]

Honors to the gentleman

[@cherylrleigh1912]

Colonel Paris Davis (born 6 May 1939) is a retired United States Army officer who has been approved to receive the Medal of Honor in 2023 for his actions on 18 July 1965 during the Vietnam War. He was twice previously nominated for the Medal of Honor, but both times the paperwork relating to his nomination disappeared. Davis, then a Captain with the 5th Special Forces Group, was instead awarded the Silver Star. He subsequently commanded the 10th Special Forces Group. Source Wikipedia

[@NinjaSushi2]

Honestly, saving two dudes is a silver Star worthy but then you factor in he was wounded by a grenade and gunfire and still saved two dudes, that's above and beyond. I wonder where he got hit though. Was it just a flesh wound?

[@mels5299]

Salute 🥰🙏🏾

[@mamiedupreehegwood]

Gran Gran Just Saying, Thanks For Your Service. It Hurts My Heart That He Had To Wait Over 50 Years Due To RACSIM. Davis Was A Hero And Still Our Hero . God Bless You And Happy You Finally Got Your Medal Of Honor .

[@sharoncox3734]

God bless you, Col. Paris Davis, thank you for your bravery services! God bless your daughter and family and our country for stepping up.

[@fishermann1102]

Finally! I am so proud of him!

[@sirusclay9831]

This is a part of American history that should be in the books. A man's color should not be the definition of his patriotism, but instead the actions they took

[@AnkhEmFentu]

Col. Davis was my Commander at the 10th SFG(A), Ft Davens, MASS when I arrived there in 1980. Approximately 1.5 years later, he was relieved of his duties as Commander of the 10th, because of a power conflict (Jealousy) from the Post Installation Commander at the time Col. Richard Kattar. They tried to ruin his reputation by saying he was being relieved of his Duties because he stolen a pack of doughnuts from the PX. But actually, I think it was because he was Black and willed a lot of Esteem, Power and Prestige being a Green Beret Officer with a lot of Honors from the Vietnam War that made the Post Installation Commander felt threaten by this Black Man. Congratulations to my 10SFG(A) Commander, one of the first Black Green Beret officers that has been awarded the Medal of Honor, Ret. Col. Paris Davis! I salute you then, and I salute you now Sir and it was a pleasure serving under you!

[@michaelwalusimbi3869]

Good job,sir

[@arttenoyan8100]

This guy is amazing. More than 15 hours of combat. I mean saving all of his guys under withering fire at more than 15 hours if combat! I mean just walking for 6 hours without stress is stressful enough.

[@sanwuch]

Salute

[@TheSuperGringo]

For those of us who actually served, no, it doesn't actually have to be racism, it could just be the fact that the United States government is that incompetent. It's the government, paperwork didn't mysteriously disappear, the government is that incompetent. I would say congratulations, but normally to get that medal, a lot of people have to die. Thank you for your service.

[@thegreatbuwante519]

🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡 to you sir

[@ShakeMixPoundRoll]

Do we start wars just to have war heroes?

[@NinjaSushi2]

No one's going to talk about how they backdated him a million dollars? Lol

[@05Hogsrule]

56 years of back-pay and never has to pay taxes...again. DE OPPRESSO LIBER!!!!!

[@jayl8547]

🫡

[@donjosegomburza835]

Discrimination during Vietnam war was rampant and even now in USA military. During Vietnam, majority of field promotions only was for white folks. Majority of Blacks and Filipinos were denied for field promotion. I am one of them who were denied for field promotions.

[@jeremiahmendoza-zg4ko]

Too much inflammation

[@jeremiahmendoza-zg4ko]

My guts and kidneys shutting down and thanks to grifolds plasma pallets kills people

[@myname2938]

Let's not forget the war crimes in Vietnam

[@samuraibushido7077]

It something most of us all knew :most people on top don't care about us ( as Michael Jackson said "They don't care about us" but Pau made it clearer in Ephesians 6:12 'Were not here to wage war against flesh and blood (the masses of people..." but spiritual wickedness in high places...." ,and the journalist proved it if we don't care about and look after each-other noooooooo one will!!!

[@Wolfwolveswolf]

Yes- Ho Chi Minh for North Vietnam Communist evil, killed so many Civilians in Vietnam. Which was so truly an inhumane evil by Ho Chi Minh, the North Vietnam Communist evil way they pushed, also the help from fellow evil Communists in other lands, and put extremely lightly for such War crimes these Communists just mentioned here- so grossly did there across Vietnam in that day, and time of history. (correction made, sorry, but all on the mark now) (4-)

[@samuraibushido7077]

What about agent Orange wihch has the same chemicals PCBs in Love Canal??

[@samuraibushido7077]

@@Wolfwolveswolf What about agent Orange wihch has the same chemicals PCBs in Love Canal??

[@VNExperience]

Let's not forget the atrocities committed by the North Vietnamese in Hue in 1968 or the reign of terror after the fall of Saigon. There's a reason so many escaped Vietnam up until the 90s, including founding NLF members who were mistreated by the northern invaders who stole everything they could from the people in the south, imprisoning everyone with ties to westerners, even doctors. The war was horrible but most Americans soldiers were motivated by their will to survive the war or help the southerners. Blame the politicians, not the soldiers who, as in this very case, were willing to sacrifice everything to save their brothers.

[@zutrue]

This gallant warrior's paperwork for the CMH vanished...TWICE! I'm shocked!! He has only waited 60 years for the appropriate recognition. I'm shocked! RACE was a factor here...ya think? Yeah. RACE is always a factor HERE. In spite of the daughter trying to be diplomatic, they both know damn well race was a factor. In fact, RACE was the primary factor.

[@jamesmitch9792]

He's whiter than me. lol

[@chicofresh4396]

He looks white

[@robertwalker8453]

But he is not. He identifies as black, his troops saw him as black and the country saw him as black. Its obvious that his daughter is black. Haven't you ever seen a light-skinned black person?

[@MilanNedicSerbia]

I have to admit that he is the whitest black man I have ever seen.

[@robertwalker8453]

@@MilanNedicSerbia Please educate yourself about the “one-drop rule” which was practiced during the Jim Crow era under which Col. Davis grew up. Also please watch some documentaries available about Col. Davis in them he makes it very apparent that those around saw and treated him as black. He could have possibly passed for white, but he comes across as a man of such high esteem, honor, and character that he would not lower himself to be deceptive in that way. Lastly if you ever do spend time in predominantly black spaces, then you will sell many light-skinned black people. Remember race is a construct, African-Americans on average have 10-55% of their genome from Europe. The concept of being accepted as biracial in modern American society didn’t catch on until the late 1990s. Remember he didn’t make the “rules” for the society he lived in, he just did the best that he possibly could and ironically he he never stopped believing that America could and would be better.

[@MilanNedicSerbia]

@@robertwalker8453 Thanks for the lesson...but he's still the whitest black man I've ever seen. And when I say that I don't mean anything bad or offensive.

[@robertwalker8453]

@@MilanNedicSerbia I get it. No offense taken. If you do have the time read about “one drop rule” as well as the concept of “passing” for white in America. It will make for some interesting and informative reading that will give insight into “quirks” of American culture