I Am the Real Forrest Gump
“You don’t lose until you quit trying!”—an oft-repeated quote from Sammy Davis. You might recognize that name, but this Sammy is not an entertainer but a Vietnam War American hero.
I love to
meet inspiring people, but there is always more to the story. These two
interrelated stories involve sacrifice, service, honor and selflessness! They illustrate
how catastrophic events produce future opportunities—both inspired by and
through love. Some events in life are extraordinary; for me, they mainly
involve my interactions with genuinely amazing people. We should never take for
granted the wonderful people who cross our paths.
Brian
and Kathy Haugen asked Sammy Davis to be the keynote speaker in a fundraiser
for the Taylor Haugen Foundation. Before that event, I was blessed to attend a
private luncheon with Sammy and Dixie Davis, General (Representative) Patt
Maney, Colonel Jason Grandy and Colonel Brian Haugen. Yes, the conversation was
indescribable.
In
1965, after high school graduation, Sammy L. Davis enlisted in the Army and
volunteered to go to Vietnam. Because his father had been an artilleryman in
World War II, he volunteered for the same and was assigned to the 4th
Artillery. Davis said he did not go to war to kill people but wanted his dad to
be proud of him. He went to war because he loved his daddy, his grandpas, and
his country. Once there, they fought because they discovered they loved their
comrades in arms—they became brothers.
The
United States was directly involved in V
ietnam from 1965 to 1973, with
over two million Americans serving in uniform, including my father. I have met
several Medal of Honor recipients, including Gary Beikirch and Woody Williams.
This story is about Sergeant First Class (SFC) Sammy L. Davis, another Medal of
Honor recipient.
A handful
of those two million servicemen distinguished themselves with acts of valor.
Their actions were considered so far above and beyond the call of duty that
they received the highest military honor for valor in combat—the Congressional Medal
of Honor. Only 248 Vietnam soldiers were presented with the medal, making it a
highly exclusive award. Sergeant First Class Sammy L. Davis was one of those 248.
Over one-half of the medals were awarded posthumously.
Because
Sammy Davis shared a name with the famous entertainer, his fellow soldiers sometimes
chided him. Many years after his time in the Army, he would again be attached
to another entertainer—Tom Hanks (or Forrest Gump). Those familiar with the
story of Sammy Davis knew he was the “real” Forrest Gump Medal of Honor
recipient portrayed in the movie.
Early
on November 18, 1967, his unit was helicoptered into an area west of Cai Lay in
the Mekong Delta to set up a forward fire-support base---Firebase Cudgel—offering
support for the infantrymen operating in the area. Battery C consisted of 11
guns and 42 men.
The following
day, at precisely 2 AM, Battery C came under heavy mortar attack. Thirty
minutes later, a reinforced battalion, estimated at 1,500 Vietcong soldiers,
launched an intense ground assault. Fortunately, a river separating the two
forces helped hamper the enemy’s advance. Davis’ squad operated a 105mm Howitzer
that fired shells containing eighteen thousand metal flechettes. A “beehive”
round turns the Howitzer shells into a shotgun blast.
An
enemy rocket-propelled grenade scored a direct hit on the howitzer, knocking
the crew from the weapon, blowing Davis sideways into a foxhole, and knocking
him unconscious. He was later struck by friendly fire, which caused him to
regain consciousness, and Davis credits this hit with saving his life.
Over 30
razor-sharp one-inch beehive darts passed through his buttocks. Thus, the
Forrest Gump story had an aspect of truth but took on a life of its own. Tom
Hanks was superimposed over Davis’ head in the footage of President Johnson
presenting Davis with the Medal of Honor.
Convinced
that the heavily outnumbered Americans couldn’t survive the attack, Davis fired
off at least one round from the damaged artillery piece before being overrun.
He struggled to his feet, rammed a shell into the gun, and fired point-blank at
the Vietcong advancing five deep directly in front of the weapon; the beehive
round cut them down.
His
wounds included a perforated kidney, crushed ribs, a broken vertebra, ripped
flesh from the beehive darts and burns all over his body. He ignored his
injuries and crossed the river under heavy fire to rescue three wounded
American soldiers. He kept fighting the enemy until they retreated. Only 12 of
the 42 soldiers survived that battle. His book, “You Don’t Lose Until You Quit
Trying,” chronicles his life.
Later
in the day, Davis was shot in the thigh by an enemy AK-47, earning his second Purple Heart. As amazing as this story was to hear, the love story with his
wife chronicled in her book, “Endless Love and Second Chances,” reveals the
impact they are making in the lives of others.
The
parents of Taylor Haugen displayed the second illustration of turning
catastrophic incidents into future opportunities. After suffering a ruptured
liver, their son died in a Niceville football game in 2008, and Taylor’s
parents have used that tragedy to touch countless lives.
They
have honored their son’s memory by starting the Taylor Haugen Foundation. The
Haugens devote their lives to protecting other young athletes by outfitting
them with Evoshield rib protectors. The custom-molded compression shirts shield
the torso from impact, the same impact that took their son’s life.
The foundation also awards scholarships, enabling many graduating athletes to pursue their college ambitions. Much more could be (and should be) said about the Haugens, but that is for another day and another story. Find out much more about this story at www.TaylorHaugen.org.
1 comment:
Incredible story Doug. Glad you were able to capture that moment with the "real" Forrest Gump and his story.
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