The Real Forrest Gump was LDS!

[Stargazer]

I was surfing around Facebook links and found one pointing to some guy who is known as the "Real Forrest Gump", in that it was his Medal of Honor ceremony with President Johnson that was used in the scene where Forrest is awarded the Medal of Honor by the president.  This was done by taking the historical footage and replacing the original's head with Tom Hanks' head.

Turns out that he even received a similar injury (to his buttocks) that the fictional Forrest Gump received!  But he did not pull his trousers down during the cemetery to show the injury to the president!  That wasn't the only injury he received.  

But no, he wasn't intellectually deficient, didn't play ping pong in China, and wasn't the owner of a successful shrimping business.

When I went to Wikipedia for more background on this guy, turns out that at the end of the biography it says that he's a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!  

Wanted to tell someone about this, and this seemed like a good place! :-)

Oh, and his name is Sammy L. Davis.  No relation to the Rat Pack member!

Just in case you don't want to run to Wikipedia for the article, here's the MoH citation:

Quote

Medal of Honor citation
Rank and organization: Sergeant (then Private First Class), U.S. Army, Battery C, 2nd Battalion, 4th Artillery, 9th Infantry 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 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 machine gun 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.
/S/ Lyndon B. Johnson

 

[Tacenda]

44 minutes ago, Stargazer said:

I was surfing around Facebook links and found one pointing to some guy who is known as the "Real Forrest Gump", in that it was his Medal of Honor ceremony with President Johnson that was used in the scene where Forrest is awarded the Medal of Honor by the president.  This was done by taking the historical footage and replacing the original's head with Tom Hanks' head.

Turns out that he even received a similar injury (to his buttocks) that the fictional Forrest Gump received!  But he did not pull his trousers down during the cemetery to show the injury to the president!  That wasn't the only injury he received.  

But no, he wasn't intellectually deficient, didn't play ping pong in China, and wasn't the owner of a successful shrimping business.

When I went to Wikipedia for more background on this guy, turns out that at the end of the biography it says that he's a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!  

Wanted to tell someone about this, and this seemed like a good place! :-)

Oh, and his name is Sammy L. Davis.  No relation to the Rat Pack member!

Just in case you don't want to run to Wikipedia for the article, here's the MoH citation:

 

This guy Sammy L. Davis is a true hero, much like the man in true story "Hacksaw Ridge" who was Seventh-day Adventist.

[Stargazer]

53 minutes ago, Tacenda said:

This guy Sammy L. Davis is a true hero, much like the man in true story "Hacksaw Ridge" who was Seventh-day Adventist.

Amen!  I have yet to see that film -- it was released in the US after I traveled to England, and released in England after I came back here!!!  Talk about timing problems.  Oh, well, I guess I can buy the video when it comes out.