After almost 60 years, one of the first black officers in the Special Forces of the US Army will be awarded the Medal of Honor for his service during the Vietnam War.
Col. Paris Davis, who is now retired, defied orders in 1965 to save his troops after an attack left them wounded.
The military failed to nominate him for the highest combat award at the height of the civil rights movement.
The 83-year-old was informed of the good news via phone by President Joe Biden.
"The call I received from President Biden today brought back a flood of memories of the people I served in Vietnam with, including 5th Special Forces Group members and other U. S. Col. Davis and his family issued a statement in which they thanked everyone from "military units to the doctors and nurses who cared for our wounded.".
"I am so very grateful for my family and friends in the military and elsewhere who kept the story of A-team, A-321 at Camp Bong Son alive," the statement continued.
"I frequently reflect on those crucial 19 hours on June 18, 1965, and what our team did to ensure that we left no man on the battlefield. ".
Despite later claiming he could not leave men behind, the then-Army captain disobeyed orders to leave a battle.
Col. Davis returned to a rice field in search of Billy Waugh and Robert Brown, two seriously wounded soldiers, despite being shot at and being hit by a grenade.
Col. Davis recalled telling his commanding officer, "Sir, I'm just not going to leave," according to CBS News, a US partner of the BBC. I still have a US citizen there. ".
Later, Mr. Waugh and his commander, Billy Cole, both recommended Col. Davis for the medal.
But after that, the paperwork mysteriously disappeared twice.
According to military historian Doug Sterner, it is extremely strange and unusual for nomination paperwork of this nature to be lost.
Over time, teammates and volunteers fought for Col. Davis to be given the honor.
When [the paperwork] went missing a second time, Col Davis said in an interview with CBS News, "I was convinced. I thought maybe this was just one of those racist things that shouldn't have happened, but did.".
During his 23 years in the Army, he claimed to have encountered racism.
A review of Col. Davis' case was mandated by former acting US defense secretary Christopher Miller in January 2021. .
Mr. Miller wrote in a USA Today opinion piece that "bureaucracy has a way of perpetuating injustice.".
It might not be possible to clear up much military red tape by giving Davis the Medal of Honor right away, he warned. "However, it would correct an injustice. ".
The US National Archives estimates that more than 58,000 US military personnel perished in the Vietnam War.
A time for Col. Davis' medal ceremony has not yet been confirmed by the White House.