Roger Davignon
Roger Girard Davignon
Born/raised in New Bedford, MA, Roger, youngest of 11 of Silva and Angelina (Valley) Davignon, graduated New Bedford Vocational High as a CNC machinist.
Drafted into the army, he became a turret artillery repairman, educated in Kansas, Missouri, and Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland.
Roger, who loved scattering candy to Vietnamese children, spent 1967 there, as an NCO SPEC5 Sergeant, machine-gunner, medic's assistant, and mine-detonation specialist, which caused TBI and CTE injuries. These, PTSD, and Agent Orange caused severe brain bleeds and multiple strokes (4yrs). Roger sometimes became mean, apologized, stating "Something is wrong with my head".
A proud member of A Company, 3/5 Cavalry, 9thlnfa try, and The Black Knights (awarded Presidential Citation for "extraordinary heroism" by Johnson), Roger fought in the huge 3/19-20,1967 battle of ApBauBang Ii, where he and his unit victoriously saved many Americans. Medals earned include the NDSM, VCM, VSN, CIB and O/SBARS. In 2021, President Biden, posthumously, awarded him a commendation "in recognition of devoted and selfless consecration to US service."
In 1970, Roger married his lifelong love, moved to Acushnet, raised 4 beloved, orphaned nephews, (two dogs and a cat), revived the local VFW, and brought Vietnam Wall to Fairhaven. Remembered as soft-spoken, fun-loving, hard-working, GENTLEmanly, devoted, golden-hearted, --a dedicated hero with twinkling eyes and infectious smile, he loved family/friend time, and traveling (especially to Cape Cod.)
Roger insisted that Bryan Adams' song "Everything I Do, I Do It for You" was his song for me. The words include "I would die for you." That is what this "BEST husband EVER" did, ---so that I could live.
"GREATER LOVE HAS NO MAN THAN THIS, THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS"
John 15:13