\"Medal of Honor” Sammy L. Davis Signed 4X6 B&W Photo For Sale

SammyLee Davis(born November 1,1946) is an American soldier who served in theUnited States ArmyduringtheVietnam Warand was awarded the nation\'s highest militarymedal for valor, theMedal of Honor. BorninDayton, Ohio, on November1, 1946, Davis was raised inFrench Camp, California.Hisfamily had a long tradition of military service; his grandfather served intheSpanish–American War, hisfather Robert Davis was inWorld War II, and his brothers Hubert (\"Buddy\") andDarrell Davis served inKoreaandVietnam, respectively. Davis attendedManteca High SchoolinManteca, California, wherehe was a member of the football and diving teams. He also participated inSea ScoutinginStockton. After his junioryear of high school, Davis\' family moved to Indiana.He graduatedfromMooresville High Schoolin1966. Davis enlisted in theUnited States ArmyfromIndianapolis, Indiana, in1965. In March 1967, Davis was sent toSouth Vietnamas aprivate first class, andwas assigned to Battery C, 2nd Battalion,4th Artillery Regiment,9th InfantryDivision. On November 18, 1967, his unit atFirebase Cudgel(10.4198°N 105.991°E)]west ofCai Lay, fell under machine gun fire and heavy mortar attackby an estimated three companies ofViet Congfrom the 261st Viet Cong Main Force Battalion,whichswarmed the area from the south and then west.Upon detecting an enemyposition, Davis manned a machine gun to give his comrades covering fire so theycould fire artillery in response. Davis was wounded, but ignored warnings totake cover, taking over the unit\'s burninghowitzerandfiring several shells himself. He also disregarded his inability to swim due toa broken back, and crossed a river there on an air mattress to help rescuethree wounded American soldiers. He ultimately found his way to anotherhowitzer site to continue fighting the NVA attack until they fled. The battlelasted two hours.Davis was subsequently promoted tosergeantand received theMedal of Honorthe following year from PresidentLyndon B. Johnson.After he was presented the medal at theWhite houseceremony, Davis played \"Oh Shenandoah\" on his harmonica in memory of the men heserved with in Vietnam.Davis retired in 1984 due to his war-time injuries.

Medal of Honor citation[

Rank and organization: Sergeant (thenPrivate First Class), U.S. Army, Battery C, 2nd Battalion, 4th Artillery, 9thInfantry Division
Place and date: West of Cai Lay, Republic of Vietnam, 18 November 1967
Entered service at: Indianapolis, Indiana
Born: 1 November 1946, Dayton, Ohio

For conspicuousgallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life and beyond the callof duty. Sgt. Davis (then Pfc.) distinguished himself during the early morninghours while serving as a cannoneer with Battery C, at a remote fire supportbase. At approximately 0200 hours, the fire support base was under heavy enemymortar attack. Simultaneously, an estimated reinforced Viet Cong battalionlaunched a fierce ground assault upon the fire support base. The attackingenemy drove to within 25 meters of the friendly positions. Only a riverseparated the Viet Cong from the fire support base. Detecting a nearby enemyposition, Sgt. Davis seized a machine gun and provided covering fire for hisguncrew, as they attempted to bring direct artillery fire on the enemy. Despitehis efforts, an enemy recoilless rifle round scored a direct hit upon theartillery piece. The resultant blast hurled the guncrew from their weapon andblew Sgt. Davis into a foxhole. He struggled to his feet and returned to thehowitzer, which was burning furiously. Ignoring repeated warnings to seekcover, Sgt. Davis rammed a shell into the gun. Disregarding a withering hail ofenemy fire directed against his position, he aimed and fired the howitzer whichrolled backward, knocking Sgt. Davis violently to the ground. Undaunted, hereturned to the weapon to fire again when an enemy mortar round exploded within20 meters of his position, injuring him painfully. Nevertheless, Sgt. Davisloaded the artillery piece, aimed and fired. Again he was knocked down by therecoil. In complete disregard for his safety, Sgt. Davis loaded and fired 3more shells into the enemy. Disregarding his extensive injuries and hisinability to swim, Sgt. Davis picked up an air mattress and struck out acrossthe deep river to rescue 3 wounded comrades on the far side. Upon reaching the3 wounded men, he stood upright and fired into the dense vegetation to preventthe Viet Cong from advancing. While the most seriously wounded soldier washelped across the river, Sgt. Davis protected the 2 remaining casualties until hecould pull them across the river to the fire support base. Though sufferingfrom painful wounds, he refused medical attention, joining another howitzercrew 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 withthe highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit uponhimself and the U.S. Army.

/S/ Lyndon B. Johnson