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Every Weapon I Had: A Vietnam Vet's Long Road to the Medal of Honor
The story of a Green Beret commander's heroism during the Vietnam War, and the long fight to recognize his bravery.
When Col. Paris Davis was selected to lead one of the secretive Green Beret A-teams organizing indigenous resistance to Communist incursions into South Vietnam, his commanding officer warned him that some of his soldiers would resent his authority. This was no surprise; there were only a handful of Black officers in the Special Forces, and the Civil Rights movement was gaining momentum back home--his detachment landed in Binh Dinh Province in April 1965, only weeks after the merciless attacks on activists marching on Selma. Davis quickly won the respect of his soldiers, and would soon fight beside him as bullets snapped past and mortars exploded overhead.
On June 18th, Davis led a group of inexperienced local villagers and Special Forces soldiers in an attack on a Viet Cong base in Bong Son. They were met by a superior enemy force, and Davis led the charge in a grueling firefight, engaging in hand-to-hand combat when his rifle jammed. He was seriously wounded, but he disobeyed a direct order to retreat until he dragged three injured Green Berets off the battlefield to safety.
Think Only This Of Me is an inspiring tale of valor and sacrifice, set against the backdrop of major escalations in both the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights movement. It is also a story of deferred honor and delayed recognition; Davis earned the Silver Star and Purple Heart for his actions, but his nomination for the Congressional Medal of Honor was repeatedly "lost." No official reason has ever been given for this oversight, but those who fought to correct it believe that it was motivated by racial prejudice. Davis was finally awarded the Medal in 2023, 58 years after the battle.
When Col. Paris Davis was selected to lead one of the secretive Green Beret A-teams organizing indigenous resistance to Communist incursions into South Vietnam, his commanding officer warned him that some of his soldiers would resent his authority. This was no surprise; there were only a handful of Black officers in the Special Forces, and the Civil Rights movement was gaining momentum back home--his detachment landed in Binh Dinh Province in April 1965, only weeks after the merciless attacks on activists marching on Selma. Davis quickly won the respect of his soldiers, and would soon fight beside him as bullets snapped past and mortars exploded overhead.
On June 18th, Davis led a group of inexperienced local villagers and Special Forces soldiers in an attack on a Viet Cong base in Bong Son. They were met by a superior enemy force, and Davis led the charge in a grueling firefight, engaging in hand-to-hand combat when his rifle jammed. He was seriously wounded, but he disobeyed a direct order to retreat until he dragged three injured Green Berets off the battlefield to safety.
Think Only This Of Me is an inspiring tale of valor and sacrifice, set against the backdrop of major escalations in both the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights movement. It is also a story of deferred honor and delayed recognition; Davis earned the Silver Star and Purple Heart for his actions, but his nomination for the Congressional Medal of Honor was repeatedly "lost." No official reason has ever been given for this oversight, but those who fought to correct it believe that it was motivated by racial prejudice. Davis was finally awarded the Medal in 2023, 58 years after the battle.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published June 17, 2025
13 people are currently reading
4555 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
April 8, 2025
I received a free copy of, Every Weapon I had, by Paris Davis, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Paris Davis fought in Vietnam, he was a black officer in the Green Berets. The Vietnam war was a horrible war, when are troops came back home they were treated horribly. This is an interesting and sad read.
February 9, 2025
I am so pleasantly surprised that there is still coming new books related to the Vietnam war. Every Weapon I Had by Paris Davis is a great add on to this type of books. It was an interesting story and was made even better since some of the persons in this book has appeared in other books so I recognized a lot. It is sad that it took such an effort to get the record straight but it's good that it did in the end. I am not very surprised by the events and actions that took place in the history of this amazing mans life. If you like me enjoy militery biographies and or like military history this is a book for you. It's well written and it was hard to put down. I must thank St. Martin's Press , Macmillan and Edelweiss for letting me read this advance copy that will hit the stores around the 60 year mark of the main events it revolves around in the middle of June 2025.
June 7, 2025
I gave Every Weapon I had four ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thank you St Martin’s Press, Paris Davis and Net Galley for the ARC. These are my honest opinions.
Paris Davis was a colonel and a Green Beret during the Vietnam War. He was also a black man and his leadership was resented and questioned. But, he proved his worth on the battlefield. He was awarded the Silver Star and the Purple Heart for his actions on the battlefield. He was also awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, but that kept getting “lost” in the system. But, 58 years later, in 2023, he finally received it and it was much deserved.
This book is written by Mr. Davis and it’s more about him as a person and what he faced in the 1960s, as a black man during the Civil Rights movement and how that carried over into the Vietnam War.
I enjoyed reading this book!
Paris Davis was a colonel and a Green Beret during the Vietnam War. He was also a black man and his leadership was resented and questioned. But, he proved his worth on the battlefield. He was awarded the Silver Star and the Purple Heart for his actions on the battlefield. He was also awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, but that kept getting “lost” in the system. But, 58 years later, in 2023, he finally received it and it was much deserved.
This book is written by Mr. Davis and it’s more about him as a person and what he faced in the 1960s, as a black man during the Civil Rights movement and how that carried over into the Vietnam War.
I enjoyed reading this book!
June 26, 2025
This is Paris Davis’ account of his life before, during, and after the Vietnam War. He was a Colonel, Green Beret, and war hero. While fighting for his country, he also fought against racism from his peers and superiors. Despite earning the respect of his men and showing immense bravery on the battlefield, it took over 50 years for him to be awarded the Medal of Honor. While this is Davis’ memoir, it is also an informative account of the Vietnam War. There is plenty to learn from his life and experience, but history buffs may find the first third of the book a little hard to get into since it’s recounting a lot of basic knowledge. Thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Paris Davis for this free ARC in exchange for my honest review.
June 27, 2025
Every Weapon I Had by Paris Davis
A Vietnam Vet's Long Road to the Medal of Honor
Narrated by Dale Hopper; Joshua Quinn
I appreciate getting to read this book about the career of Colonel Paris Davis. Born into a large black family in Cleveland, Ohio he was driven to work and succeed at a young age. Attending college on an ROTC scholarship, Davis was deployed to Vietnam in 1962 and 1965 and was one of the first African American Special Forces officers, during a time when both the Civil Rights Movement was ramping up in the US and the controversy about the US being involved in Vietnam was growing stronger by the day.
I'm not often able to follow the accountings of battles but Davis's relating of his wartime efforts came across very clearly to me. I could not imagine the physical encounters he was involved in without his very distinct step by step recounting as he led his men through the battle that started on June 18, 1965 in the Bình Định province. The title of this book is not exaggerating, Davis did use every weapon he had, including his fists, to survive the many hours of fighting that took place during this battle. Not only did he keep fighting, he kept working to save his men, refusing to leave behind men when he was already wounded and had the chance to helicopter back to base. That battle was not the only example of his bravery and refusal to quit and leave others behind.
More than once Davis was nominated for the Medal of Honor but the paperwork kept getting "lost". It is thanks to the efforts of a huge number of supporters and those who saw Davis in action first hand that he finally received his Medal of Honor 58 years after his first nomination. This book is so easy to read and it is enlightening to see the Civil Rights Movement through eyes of a man who felt the injustices inflicted on himself and others like him. Davis's sacrifices were not just physical. He had to fight for his career in many ways and had to stand up to the prejudices of those who should have known better rather than be jealous of his military accomplishments.
I'm once again struck by the awe I have for soldiers who have been to war, seen and done all that happens there, and who can come home and function in civilian life again. I know that often they really can't function very well and never are able to put behind them all that they have encountered during their military careers. Just reading Davis's account of what he and his men saw and went through will stick in my mind always and that's just a small part of all that happens somewhere in this world on a daily basis. I am so glad that Colonel Paris Davis received his awards while he is still alive and acknowledge the very long and important effort each person put into making sure that Davis was recognized for his heroic feats.
I read and listened to this book to the very end and appreciate both narrators who allowed us to hear Paris Davis words loud and clear. I'm still going through the notes at the end of the book, looking up people, places and events. Once again, I'm getting a better understanding of the Vietnam war through those who were there, on the ground, in the battles, and behind the scenes. One of my first real memories of how it affected my life personally was attending the funeral of a cousin who died as a medic in this war. I'll never forget the dignity with which his mother accepted the American flag at his funeral.
Publication June 17, 2025
Thank you to Macmillan Audio, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the audiobook, ebook, and print books of this ARC.
A Vietnam Vet's Long Road to the Medal of Honor
Narrated by Dale Hopper; Joshua Quinn
I appreciate getting to read this book about the career of Colonel Paris Davis. Born into a large black family in Cleveland, Ohio he was driven to work and succeed at a young age. Attending college on an ROTC scholarship, Davis was deployed to Vietnam in 1962 and 1965 and was one of the first African American Special Forces officers, during a time when both the Civil Rights Movement was ramping up in the US and the controversy about the US being involved in Vietnam was growing stronger by the day.
I'm not often able to follow the accountings of battles but Davis's relating of his wartime efforts came across very clearly to me. I could not imagine the physical encounters he was involved in without his very distinct step by step recounting as he led his men through the battle that started on June 18, 1965 in the Bình Định province. The title of this book is not exaggerating, Davis did use every weapon he had, including his fists, to survive the many hours of fighting that took place during this battle. Not only did he keep fighting, he kept working to save his men, refusing to leave behind men when he was already wounded and had the chance to helicopter back to base. That battle was not the only example of his bravery and refusal to quit and leave others behind.
More than once Davis was nominated for the Medal of Honor but the paperwork kept getting "lost". It is thanks to the efforts of a huge number of supporters and those who saw Davis in action first hand that he finally received his Medal of Honor 58 years after his first nomination. This book is so easy to read and it is enlightening to see the Civil Rights Movement through eyes of a man who felt the injustices inflicted on himself and others like him. Davis's sacrifices were not just physical. He had to fight for his career in many ways and had to stand up to the prejudices of those who should have known better rather than be jealous of his military accomplishments.
I'm once again struck by the awe I have for soldiers who have been to war, seen and done all that happens there, and who can come home and function in civilian life again. I know that often they really can't function very well and never are able to put behind them all that they have encountered during their military careers. Just reading Davis's account of what he and his men saw and went through will stick in my mind always and that's just a small part of all that happens somewhere in this world on a daily basis. I am so glad that Colonel Paris Davis received his awards while he is still alive and acknowledge the very long and important effort each person put into making sure that Davis was recognized for his heroic feats.
I read and listened to this book to the very end and appreciate both narrators who allowed us to hear Paris Davis words loud and clear. I'm still going through the notes at the end of the book, looking up people, places and events. Once again, I'm getting a better understanding of the Vietnam war through those who were there, on the ground, in the battles, and behind the scenes. One of my first real memories of how it affected my life personally was attending the funeral of a cousin who died as a medic in this war. I'll never forget the dignity with which his mother accepted the American flag at his funeral.
Publication June 17, 2025
Thank you to Macmillan Audio, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the audiobook, ebook, and print books of this ARC.
June 2, 2025
Colonel Paris Davis started out as a Black kid in Cleveland, Ohio who went to school and learned well despite a notorious family tragedy. He was able to go to college and ROTC even in that time of visible inequality. He earned a place in the Green Berets and fought hard in the Vietnam war, saved others, and came home alive only to face anger and disrespect. This was not just because of his color, but because of an uprising of anger against the war and those who promoted it. Despite all that he spent the remaining years as career army. He was nominated and eligible for the Medal of Honor but was delayed from receiving it until 58 years after his battle. It wasn't until 2023 that his Silver Star was upgraded and he was finally honored by President Biden.
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected digital galley from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley.
#EveryWeaponIHad by Colonel Paris Davis @stmartinspress #NamVet @mohmuseum @vietnamwarhappened @vietnamwarcommemoration @vietnam_war_archives #memoir #MedalofHonor #inequality #heroism #unpopularwar #purpleheart #militaryhistory #usspecialforces #blackofficer #civilrights #bureaucracy
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected digital galley from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley.
#EveryWeaponIHad by Colonel Paris Davis @stmartinspress #NamVet @mohmuseum @vietnamwarhappened @vietnamwarcommemoration @vietnam_war_archives #memoir #MedalofHonor #inequality #heroism #unpopularwar #purpleheart #militaryhistory #usspecialforces #blackofficer #civilrights #bureaucracy
June 16, 2025
Wow! This is certainly a detailed account of this veteran’s really horrific experiences in battle in Vietnam. The battle details are eye-opening and must have been difficult for the author to re-experience. But to add insult to injury, the racial discrimination that he had to deal with was outrageous. I think that he did a terrific job of portraying everything he went through and especially made clear how important medals and recognition are for military personnel.
I found the author’s story to be very informative and engaging although some readers may certainly be disturbed by the battle details. His story is very straightforward and he alludes to the impact of his experiences on his marriage and relationships but I really thought that the emotional impact was missing from his recounting. The anger was described and definitely justified but I was left wondering what other emotions he surely has to continue to deal with. These details would have made the story more complete and interesting to me.
I listened to the audio version of the book and really had some difficulty with the narrator’s attempts to portray well known people such as JFK, LBJ and Walter Chronkite. These accents and voices were so bad, it was distracting.
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own.
I found the author’s story to be very informative and engaging although some readers may certainly be disturbed by the battle details. His story is very straightforward and he alludes to the impact of his experiences on his marriage and relationships but I really thought that the emotional impact was missing from his recounting. The anger was described and definitely justified but I was left wondering what other emotions he surely has to continue to deal with. These details would have made the story more complete and interesting to me.
I listened to the audio version of the book and really had some difficulty with the narrator’s attempts to portray well known people such as JFK, LBJ and Walter Chronkite. These accents and voices were so bad, it was distracting.
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own.
June 16, 2025
Wow. This book was a true behind the scenes look at what Paris Davis went through in the Vietnam war, and how he was kept from being honored the way he should have been for so, so long. The Women by Kristin Hannah was the catalyst to my interest in learning more about the Vietnam War, so I knew I needed to request this book on NetGalley as soon as I saw it. Davis is a legitimate hero. He saved so many men on the battlefield while he himself was riddled with bullets and injuries. How in the world this man survived these incidents is beyond rational thought- he was clearly meant to serve a purpose; to show how racism in the military kept him from receiving the recognition he deserved as he made his way up through the ranks. It is unacceptable that individuals who put their lives on the line for a war they didn't start are not valued and honored by our country, let alone what specifically happened to Paris Davis and the nominations that continued to disappear.
This book provides valuable insight into intense topics. Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read this book.
This book provides valuable insight into intense topics. Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read this book.
June 20, 2025
This book gave me an inside look into the life of a man in the military during the Vietnam War. This man gave everything he has to support and protect the men he serves with. He expects only the high quality of attention from them and gives them same back. He does not ask of them anything he would not do himself. Add to all of the above that he is a black man mostly serving with white men during a time of discrimination.
A book of non-fiction, especially written about war, is not always easy to read. A lot of times it reads as a bunch of facts put together to share a life story. Every Weapon I Had is non-fiction but it read as a story full of hands-on accounts of life events. I could not put down Paris Davis’s story. He gave so much detail in his story that I could easily picture what he was describing, many times feeling as if I was right beside him.
I finished this book with more knowledge of the Vietnam War but also so much more respect for those who put their lives on the line to fight.
A book of non-fiction, especially written about war, is not always easy to read. A lot of times it reads as a bunch of facts put together to share a life story. Every Weapon I Had is non-fiction but it read as a story full of hands-on accounts of life events. I could not put down Paris Davis’s story. He gave so much detail in his story that I could easily picture what he was describing, many times feeling as if I was right beside him.
I finished this book with more knowledge of the Vietnam War but also so much more respect for those who put their lives on the line to fight.
May 14, 2025
Thank You to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This the story of Paris Davis who was a black officer during the period of civil rights.
About his life growing up and his career in the Special Forces as a Green Beret, his time in Vietnam and his family life.
His bravery didn't go unnoticed by the men that fought by his side but a nomination for the Congressional Medal of Honor was continually misplaced. Those that fought with him and worked with him during his career stood up alongside him until finally, 58 years after his battle in Vietnam, he finally had that most deserving medal pinned to his chest.
I went into this book thinking that it would mostly be about the Vietnam War, but it was so much more. This is about a man that was fighting on two fronts, as a soldier during a war and as a black man fighting for his right of recognition of bravery in a world of unequal civil rights.
This the story of Paris Davis who was a black officer during the period of civil rights.
About his life growing up and his career in the Special Forces as a Green Beret, his time in Vietnam and his family life.
His bravery didn't go unnoticed by the men that fought by his side but a nomination for the Congressional Medal of Honor was continually misplaced. Those that fought with him and worked with him during his career stood up alongside him until finally, 58 years after his battle in Vietnam, he finally had that most deserving medal pinned to his chest.
I went into this book thinking that it would mostly be about the Vietnam War, but it was so much more. This is about a man that was fighting on two fronts, as a soldier during a war and as a black man fighting for his right of recognition of bravery in a world of unequal civil rights.
June 3, 2025
If you are a fan of military battles or memoirs, this book is for you. Army Colonel (ret.) Paris Davis, Green Beret, describes his path in the Army Special Forces both before and after the battle in Bong Son. His book focuses on the battle and the prolonged campaign that resulted in him rightfully being awarded the Medal of Honor fifty-odd years later.
5 bright stars for this memoir. Col. Davis is obviously a man of integrity, the kind I would like to know. He would made the kind of General this country needs. His descriptions bring you right into the action, making you feel as the men must have at the time.
My thanks to St. Martins Press and Col. (ret.) Paris Davis.
#memoir #netgalley #colparisdavis #stmartinspress #vietnamwar #medalofhonor #kindlesallthewaydown
5 bright stars for this memoir. Col. Davis is obviously a man of integrity, the kind I would like to know. He would made the kind of General this country needs. His descriptions bring you right into the action, making you feel as the men must have at the time.
My thanks to St. Martins Press and Col. (ret.) Paris Davis.
#memoir #netgalley #colparisdavis #stmartinspress #vietnamwar #medalofhonor #kindlesallthewaydown
June 18, 2025
A well written memoir of an American hero!
The book follows Col. (ret) Paris Davis’ military career from ROTC in college through his retirement and to his being awarded with the Medal of Honor. It’s an honest story that details his career as well as his home life. Despite injuries and racism, Davis never wavered in his service.
Finding a new memoir about the Vietnam war is rare. I am so glad he told his story and more people can hear about his great achievements!! I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys military and/or war memoirs!
The narrator of this book was an excellent choice. He infused the story with perfect inflections.
*Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ALC in exchange for an honest review!*
The book follows Col. (ret) Paris Davis’ military career from ROTC in college through his retirement and to his being awarded with the Medal of Honor. It’s an honest story that details his career as well as his home life. Despite injuries and racism, Davis never wavered in his service.
Finding a new memoir about the Vietnam war is rare. I am so glad he told his story and more people can hear about his great achievements!! I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys military and/or war memoirs!
The narrator of this book was an excellent choice. He infused the story with perfect inflections.
*Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ALC in exchange for an honest review!*
June 10, 2025
I love biographies and I really enjoyed the biography of this great man! I'm so glad he was finally recognized with the Medal of Honor. I wonder how many more weren't because they didn't have a team of people fighting to right this wrong? This story is told in first person, but done well. When he could he used the voices of those there, and read from letters and historical accounts as well. As with all true stories, there were injustices that were never resolved and brokeness that never healed. In this case, the story of one injustice being brought to justice left the audience hanging until the final chapter, but it was well worth the wait.
June 19, 2025
The majority of today's under-30 population has no concept of the Vietnam War and no connection to its consequences. Paris Davis fought in an unpopular "police action," facing conflict from every front. As one of the few black officers in this era, he had to prove himself over and over to the men who fought alongside him. To lead, he first had to work through a long history of racism. This he did, with honor and dignity. Davis would earn medals and recognition, but more importantly, the respect of the men he led in battle. This book tells a compelling story of patriotism and loyalty in the face of challenges no man should have to face.
June 12, 2025
A well-told biography of a true American hero and Medal of Honor awardee. His heroic efforts to his men in Vietnam truly shine as an example of the spirit and perseverance of the soldier. The fight and struggles he faced to be awarded the medal he deserved was horrible. Was it bias against his race or incompetence? One would hope that our leaders would not have knowingly perpetrated this miscarriage of justice and recognition. The book is inspirational and one that should be read by all.
Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion
Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion
April 2, 2025
I am glad to see that there are still veterans writing about Vietnam. This was a well written read regarding Col. Davis's experiences before, during and after the Vietnam War. It was inciteful and like others, I am saddened that Col. Davis had to wait so long for his deserved recognition for his actions but thrilled that it has been rectified even if it was so much later than called for.
Overall, this was a good read that I would recommend to others.
Overall, this was a good read that I would recommend to others.
March 22, 2025
I won an advanced copy on 카지노싸이트. Colonel Paris Davis’ story is amazing. He is an amazing man. It infuriates me that it took so long for him to be recognized with the Medal of Honor. I am so glad that so many people banned together to make sure he got the recognition he so greatly deserved.
June 9, 2025
Loved this story of Paris Davis’ contributions to the war effort in Vietnam. Beyond that it is the story of his remarkable life and the 50+ years needed to finally approve him for the Medal of Honor. Beautiful read in so many ways. Thankful to NetGalley for the read!
May 25, 2025
Fascinating account of the life of a Black man fighting for his country in the Vietnam War. A Green Beret, Ranger, recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor and all-around good guy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2025
*well-written, easy to read
*powerful and inspirational, full of emotion
*will keep reader engaged from cover to cover
*highly recommend
*powerful and inspirational, full of emotion
*will keep reader engaged from cover to cover
*highly recommend
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