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MADISON COUNTY, Ala. – Seven war veterans who put their lives on the line protecting their country were inducted into the Madison County Military Hall of Heroes.
The seven were inducted Nov. 8 and honored during the Veterans Day parade Monday in downtown Huntsville.
Here are this year’s inductees:
Army Chief Warrant Officer Robert Davis is a Vietnam veteran who received the Distinguished Flying Cross, two Air Medals with valor and a Purple Heart.
Davis said he got his Purple Heart about a week after going to Vietnam, while he was flying a Huey.
“We were landing into a field that had high reeds in it, and unfortunately, a Vietcong guy had run into the field out of the village when he heard us coming to hide,” Davis said. “And we were almost going to land on top of him so he popped up in front of us and aimed and shot.”
Davis said he was hit in the leg, and medics bandaged it so he could get back to flying. After that, he said he convinced the Army to put him in a Cobra attack unit so “I could shoot back.”
- Col. Michael Ray Williams served during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom and received the Air Medal with valor and Purple Heart.
- Staff Sgt. Jewell Toney served in the Air Force during the Korean War and received the Distinguished Flying Cross. Toney passed away March 27, 2019.