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October/November 2025 | maconmagazine.com 53 R odney Maxwell Davis did not live a long life, but his time on Earth is still proving itself to be impactful almost a half century after his heroic death. While growing up in Macon's Pleasant Hill neighborhood as the second of five children to Ruth and Gordon Davis, Rodney often looked out for and protected his younger siblings. Jim Crow laws, which segregated the races, were in full force back then and made times hard for Black people in the South during the '40s and '50s, as Rodney was being raised. His younger brothers Howard and Robert had a paper route, and one day, they were harassed by a group of other boys. According to Robert, Rodney grabbed a shovel to chase the boys away. His sister Debra recently recalled a time they were headed to get some ice cream. She remembers the shop, called Sunshine Ice Cream, around Monroe and Forsyth Streets. "They would make Black kids stand on the corner to be served," she said. Instead of making them walk past the store, Rodney went inside and purchased the ice cream for them, so that his younger siblings did not have to suffer the racist indignity. While attending the all Black Appling High School, Rodney and several schoolmates got on a bus and sat in unoccupied seats. The driver stopped the bus at the corner of Riverside Drive and Spring Street, and used a racial slur while ordering the Black teens to the back of the bus. To avoid possible confrontations with the authorities, Rodney and his classmates, which included two of his cousins, exited the bus. After being joined by some adult passengers, the group walked all the way back to Pleasant Hill. Soon after graduating in 1961, Davis enlisted in the Marine Corps. After completing a grueling basic training at Parris Island, S.C., he was sent to Camp Lejeune. Eventually, he was stationed overseas as a military security guard at the United States Embassy in London. While in London, he met a woman named Judy, who was working at different embassy nearby. He and Judy got married and were blessed with two daughters, Nicky and Samantha. Davis, who had enlisted for six years, decided to re-enlist in 1967. The Vietnam War did not exist as a threat to U.S. troops when Davis enlisted in 1961, but when Rodney re-enlisted, Americans were increasing their presence in the conflict. The Marines have a motto of "First to Fight," and Rodney felt he needed to get involved in the battle. After some additional training at Camp Pendelton, Davis was shipped to Vietnam. He arrived in the country in August of 1967 and was assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st The Marines have a motto of 'First to Fight,' and Rodney felt he needed to get involved in the battle. ABOVE Receiving Medal of Honor from Vice President Spiro Agnew. Photo courtesy of the Davis family. LEFT The official military portrait of Rodney M. Davis. Marine Corps photo.