Vet's plea: Return Medal of Honor

Psywar1-0 · 07-16-2005, 10:29

Ive met SGT(R) Davis, and he is a great man, but then you dont need me to tell you that, the fact that he has THE Medal says it all.

Vet's plea: Return Medal of Honor
Highest military award is stolen from retired Army sergeant's car

War hero: Using a howitzer, Sammy L. Davis defended his 42-man unit against hundreds of foes in the Vietnam War. -- Rob Goebel / The Star

By John Tuohy
john.tuohy@indystar.com

Sammy L. Davis was awarded the nation's highest military honor for his bravery and skill during a ferocious Vietnam War firefight that killed about 30 of his comrades.

Davis has kept that Medal of Honor close to his side ever since President Lyndon B. Johnson presented it to him in 1968.

But Friday morning, Indianapolis Police Department officers said, Davis discovered the medal had been stolen during a break-in of the trunk of his car in the parking lot of Wingate Inn Airport, 5797 Rockville Road.

Davis, 58, a retired Army sergeant, is one of only two Hoosiers to have received the medal awarded by Congress.

"A piece of American history has been stolen," said IPD Sgt. Steve Staletovich.

Davis said: "Whoever has it, I can personally forgive you if you return it. Please turn it in. I would even give you a hug."

The thief also took 40 harmonicas Davis plays at military ceremonies, police said.

Davis, a Mooresville High School graduate, lives in Illinois and was in Indianapolis to speak at a veterans reunion.

The medal doesn't just honor him, Davis said.

"It is for all of us," he said. "It is for 31 of my best friends whose hands I held and whose heads I cradled. That medal belongs to them."

Davis received the medal for his heroism in using a howitzer to defend his 42-man unit from hundreds of attacking Viet Cong near Cay Lai on Nov. 18, 1967.

Call Star reporter John Tuohy at (317) 444-6418.

**The Reaper** · 07-16-2005, 10:42

Hell of a man.

TR

DAVIS, SAMMY L.

Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Battery C, 2d Battalion, 4th Artillery, 9th Infantry Division.
Place and date: West of Cai Lay, Republic of Vietnam, 18 November 1967. Entered service at: Indianapolis, Ind.
Born: 1 November 1946, Dayton, Ohio.

Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Davis (then Pfc.) distinguished himself during the early morning hours while serving as a cannoneer with Battery C, at a remote fire support base. At approximately 0200 hours, the fire support base was under heavy enemy mortar attack. Simultaneously, an estimated reinforced Viet Cong battalion launched a fierce ground assault upon the fire support base. The attacking enemy drove to within 25 meters of the friendly positions. Only a river separated the Viet Cong from the fire support base. Detecting a nearby enemy position, Sgt. Davis seized a machinegun and provided covering fire for his guncrew, as they attempted to bring direct artillery fire on the enemy. Despite his efforts, an enemy recoilless rifle round scored a direct hit upon the artillery piece. The resultant blast hurled the guncrew from their weapon and blew Sgt. Davis into a foxhole. He struggled to his feet and returned to the howitzer, which was burning furiously. Ignoring repeated warnings to seek cover, Sgt. Davis rammed a shell into the gun. Disregarding a withering hail of enemy fire directed against his position, he aimed and fired the howitzer which rolled backward, knocking Sgt. Davis violently to the ground. Undaunted, he returned to the weapon to fire again when an enemy mortar round exploded within 20 meters of his position, injuring him painfully. Nevertheless, Sgt. Davis loaded the artillery piece, aimed and fired. Again he was knocked down by the recoil. In complete disregard for his safety, Sgt. Davis loaded and fired 3 more shells into the enemy. Disregarding his extensive injuries and his inability to swim, Sgt. Davis picked up an air mattress and struck out across the deep river to rescue 3 wounded comrades on the far side. Upon reaching the 3 wounded men, he stood upright and fired into the dense vegetation to prevent the Viet Cong from advancing. While the most seriously wounded soldier was helped across the river, Sgt. Davis protected the 2 remaining casualties until he could pull them across the river to the fire support base. Though suffering from painful wounds, he refused medical attention, joining another howitzer crew which fired at the large Viet Cong force until it broke contact and fled. Sgt. Davis' extraordinary heroism, at the risk of his life, are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the U.S. Army.

07-16-2005, 11:00

How low is it to steal someone's medal.

I hope Sgt. Davis gets his medal back and the person who stole it gets some pain.

FrontSight

mfos2 · 07-16-2005, 15:22

He came to my school and spoke when I was in grade school and handed out autographed pictures. He is the cousin of one of my friends. Seems like a really nice guy. Doesn't like the movie Forrest Gump very much from what I am told.

**Bill Harsey** · 07-16-2005, 15:47

I've met Sammy on a couple of occasions.

Fully agree with TR.

Sorry to hear this.

Murph · 07-19-2005, 13:05

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dl...62/1006/NEWS01

Investigators found the Medal of Honor wrapped around a brick from what I heard earlier today on TV. The perp threw it into the river, as he said, out of shame for having stolen it in the first place. Perp must be a logic major. Anyway, I'm glad it's back in Sgt. Davis's hands where it belongs.

jasonglh · 07-19-2005, 13:30

Good news.

Too bad the moron couldn't just drop it in a mailbox at the post office. Would like to tie the perp to a brick and toss him in the river.

lksteve · 07-19-2005, 13:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasonglh

Would like to tie the perp to a brick and toss him in the river.

i'm all for summary execution...that opens up a lot of time for the trial...

Psywar1-0 · 07-20-2005, 09:46

Small army finds missing medal in White River
A 40-person team recovers hero's stolen Medal of Honor; award will be returned to him in a ceremony Thursday.

Cherished possession: Vietnam veteran Sammy L. Davis has kept his Medal of Honor close since receiving it in 1968. -- Tom Spalding / The Star

By Tom Spalding
tom.spalding@indystar.com

Ron Gray cradled the Medal of Honor as if protecting an egg.

He was letting TV cameras film the memento in its display case Monday when a cameraman tried to pick it up to hand it back.

"No, no, no," Gray shooed him away, grabbing the case.

Gray, an Indianapolis police detective, led a 40-person team that found the medal Monday, four days after it was reported stolen.

That was good news for Sammy L. Davis, who had won the nation's highest military honor for service during the Vietnam War.

"They've done an awesome job," Davis, speaking from his home in Flat Rock, Ill., said of investigators. "Every one of them told me, 'Sam, we're not gonna quit until we find it.' "

Several local agencies and the FBI were part of the recovery team. Officials would not release a suspect's identity or discuss how or where the medal was found.

But public safety workers and others close to the case who asked not to be identified said Indianapolis Fire Department divers found the medal in White River near Harding Street on the Southside.

IPD Sgt. Judy Phillips said an Indianapolis man is being questioned and has been in custody since Saturday. He declined to talk to a reporter.

The medal was taken from the trunk of Davis' car at a hotel where the retired Army sergeant was speaking. It will be returned in an Indianapolis ceremony Thursday.

Davis, 58, said he believes a thief's conscience and his personal plea led to the medal being discarded where it could be found.

Call Star reporter Tom Spalding at (317) 444-2761.

Roycroft201 · 07-20-2005, 11:12

I hope the judge, the prosecutor, every police interrogator, every guard where the perp is being held, is a vet.

Psywar1-0 · 07-20-2005, 19:58

There is going to be a ceremony to give him his medal back tomarrow at noon on the steps of the War Memorial if anyone is here in the Indy Area.

Stargazer · 07-20-2005, 20:50

I do hope there is a respectable turnout tomorrow. Would also be great to see the fine folks who dedicated themselves to recovering the medal recognized.