WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) issued the following statement after President Biden awarded a medal of honor to retired U.S. Army Col. Paris Davis, a Virginian and a Black Vietnam War veteran and Special Forces officer, who was first nominated to receive the medal in 1965:

“We are extremely heartened to see President Biden finally award Colonel Paris Davis with the Medal of Honor for his heroism in Vietnam. Nearly six decades later, this long-overdue recognition serves as a reminder of the lives saved and families made whole thanks to Colonel Davis’ bravery. Davis’ leadership and his willingness to place himself in harm’s way to save others represent the highest values espoused by our military and serve as a model for our servicemembers.”

In 1965, during a battle against North Vietnamese forces, a wounded Colonel Davis led his patrol through two days of fighting against better-positioned enemy forces. Then-Captain Davis engaged in hand-to-hand combat and exposed himself to intense enemy fire in order to save two wounded non-commissioned officers and ultimately extract all members of his Company.

Following his heroic actions, Colonel Davis was twice nominated for the Medal of Honor – once in 1965 and later in 1969. Unfortunately, a final determination on his nomination packages appeared to never have been made because the packages went missing.

In 2016, Sens. Warner and Kaine wrote the Secretary of the U.S. Army, urging him to review the Medal of Honor nomination package for Colonel Davis. After ongoing advocacy by the Senators, the Secretary of Defense wrote to Sens. Warner and Kaine in December of last year notifying them that the Colonel’s actions merit the Medal of Honor.

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