Important Figure From Macon Cemetery

                                                      Rodney Maxwell Davis

Davis was born on April 7, 1942, in Macon, Georgia to Gordon N. Davis and Ruth A. Davis. He attended elementary school and high school there and graduated from Peter G. Appling High School, May 29, 1961.Shortly after graduation, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in his hometown, August 31, 1961; then reported for recruit training with the First Recruit Training Battalion Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina. Upon completion of recruit training in December 1961, he was transferred to the Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and underwent Individual Combat Training with the Second Battalion, First Infantry Training Regiment, graduating the following February. Ordered to the Republic of Vietnam in August 1967, he was assigned duty as a Platoon Guide with Company B, First Battalion, Fifth Marines, First Marine Division. On September 6, 1967, he was operating with his unit in the Quang Nam Province on a search and clear mission during Operation Swift, when they were attacked by a large North Vietnamese force. Elements of the platoon were pinned down in a trench line by mortars, heavy automatic and small arms fire. He went from man to man encouraging them on and also returning fire at the same time. An enemy hand grenade fell in the trenches his men were fighting from and without hesitation he threw himself upon the grenade. He saved his fellow Marines in this selfless act and thus earned the nation's highest military decoration: the Medal of Honor.

Rodney Davis currently has a U.S. naval ship with his name on it. The USS Rodney M. Davis



Davis now has a monument that is Dedicated to his service and his title as only Macon born resident to be awarded the medal of honor.


Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodney_M._Davis
http://www.public.navy.mil/surfor/ffg60/Pages/default.aspx#.UMeU6YNWyuI
http://www.macon.com/2012/11/06/2239888/rodney-davis-memorial-to-be-unveiled.html
http://www.veteranstoday.com/2012/04/16/vietnam-veteran-marine-medal-of-honor-recipient-needs-your-help-and-your-support-can-you-give/davis-memorial/