WASHINGTON D.C. (KGTV) — Army veteran Butch Davis stood in front of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, and made a realization he didn't see coming.
"I got shot in 1968, and this is my anniversary. I didn't realize it until today that it was May 2nd," Davis said.
Davis said he was on patrol just outside the city of Hue, north of Da Nang, the main entry point for U.S. forces, when he was shot.
"I was on point, and the gentleman was in this hole, and he shot me, and the guy behind me killed him," Davis said.
Standing in front of the nearly 60,000 names etched into the wall, Davis realized he was there exactly 58 years to the date his life changed.
The moment felt bigger than chance, because Davis wasn't originally supposed to be on Honor Flight this month.
That spot belonged to another Vietnam War veteran: 81-year-old Ed Ashman, who regularly volunteered at the Midway Museum in San Diego.
In April, Ashman was struck by an e-bike while walking home from work in Orange County. He died two weeks later.
"The gentleman, I took his place, he got killed. He was supposed to be on this, and they called me, and I got to come, and today is my anniversary. It's really emotional," Davis said.
Overcome with emotion at the wall, Davis shared a secret he said he had kept for decades: that he was held as a prisoner of war in Laos for four days.
"They tied us with our shoelaces and walked us around from village to village, and we couldn't figure out why they were doing this," Davis said. "They were trying to sell us for money or opium."
Davis said he was rescued by a French officer who traded the POWs for opium.
Then, in tears, he shared one more confession.
"The Chinese were coming towards us, and I had to shoot, and that was the worst day of my life to kill 23 people at one time anyway," Davis said.
Painful memories, finally spoken out loud, and met with something unexpected: a moment to heal.
Davis searched the wall for his fallen friends, whom he said he lost in February 1968. That day, Butch said he lost seven friends, and 20 others were wounded. He was saved because he was wearing a bulletproof vest.
While he knew the date, he couldn't find them on the Wall because all the names were alphabetized, and he only ever knew them by their nicknames.
"I really feel that I could touch the wall, and it's very emotional for me," Davis said.
On May 2, 2026, Davis found closure.
"I've changed so much, you've got to let things go and forgive," Davis said.
He may never know why he survived the war, or why another hero's loss led him to that wall on the anniversary of the day that nearly took his life, but after decades of silence, Davis finally felt at peace.
