Withdraw 60 Years Of Honorary Medals For Colonel Paris Davis

Photo via Twitter @POTUS

JAKARTA - 60 years is a long time. After being nominated and then ignored, the plan to award the nation's highest military award to one of the first black officers in the US Special Forces.

Finally, President Joe Biden on Friday 3 March, awarded the Honorary Medal to Colonel Paris Davis who was considered an example, as quoted by the New York Times.

"Dare and have a big heart. Determined and devoted. Independent and steadfast. America," President Biden said of Colonel Davis.

Colonel Davis is considered of having a big spirit, refusing to leave his team-mates in the middle of a battle in Vietnam despite suffering multiple gunshot wounds.

The fourth president's Honorary Medal Ceremony is the culmination of decades of veterans and volunteers' efforts to recognize the sacrifices a black officer has made.

Arriving in Vietnam just a month after a bloody civil rights march injuni, Ala., Colonel Davis and three other Special Forces troops led South Vietnamese volunteers to attack enemy camps on June 18, 1965, when they were attacked.

Even after a grenade exploded on his finger and several other soldiers were shot down, he continued to struggle. When reinforcements arrived and he was ordered to flee, he refused to leave before rescuing his medical personnel. The four special forces soldiers finally managed to get out alive.

Colonel Davis was immediately nominated for Honorary Medal. But I don't know what happened, the Army admitted to losing the document twice.

"This Medal reflects what team cooperation, service and dedication can achieve," Colonel Davis said in a brief statement after the event.

Colonel Davis and local volunteers held the attack wave for about 10 hours. When the American fighter jet bombed the enemy's position, Colonel Davis ran back to his fellow soldiers.

He brought a sergeant back to safety even after the bullet hit his arm. He avoided grenade explosions to crawl back to his medics.

"Will I die?" asked the medics asking Colonel Davis.

"Not before me," he replied.

"America is behind me.' He never lost faith, which I think is astonishing. Praise Biden.