tv CBS Overnight News CBS February 25, 2021 3:42am-4:00am PST
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it was that big. and he said, am i going to die? and i -- i said, not before me. >> reporter: were you ever told to leave? >> well, twice. >> reporter: as davis first revealed in 1969 to an up and coming local tv host, phil donahue. >> i told him, sir, i'm not going to leave. i still have an american out there. >> what did he say? >> he told me to -- to move out. and i just disobeyed the order. >> reporter: there by davis' side, ron dyce, the team's >> captain davis refused and said, no, i'm not leaving while -- i'm not leaving while i have men out on the field. >> reporter: general westmoreland who led u.s. forces in vietnam, visited davis' outpost. and his commander, billy cole, recommended davis for the medal of honor.
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and then somehow the paperwork vanished in vietnam. a 1969 military review did not reveal any file on davis. what makes the paris davis case stand out? >> that it was lost. everybody i've talked to that served under him says that he's the best officer they've ever served under. >> what really stands out to me -- >> reporter: neil thorn volunteers his time to recover medals for overlooked veterans. how common is it for medal of honor paperwork to be lost or destroyed? >> very uncommon. there would have been multiple copies. >> reporter: in 1969, the army was ordered to submit new paperwork for davis and for a second time, there is no evidence a medal of honor file was created. in a 1981 statement, billy waugh, whom davis carried on his shoulders to safety, wrote, "i only have to close my eyes to vividly recall the gallantry of this individual." over the years, davis' teammates me the process stalled.but each
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do you think race was a factor? >> i don't think -- i know race was a factor. >> reporter: a factor davis says he experienced during his 23 years in the army. he recalls an encounter with another pilot he rescued while on a different mission. >> i saw him at ft. bragg with his wife and his kids. they saw me. he went on the other side of the street so he wouldn't have to speak. if that had been a white guy, you know, he would have gone over and hugged him -- that's racism. >> reporter: 8% of medal of honor recipients for vietnam were black. now as he approaches his 82nd birthday, there is new momentum to recognize davis. >> we're all trying to right a wrong. >> reporter: the army isn't commenting. an expedited review of davis' lost nomination is due next week. the final call rests with the defense secretary and president biden. what would it mean to you? >> it would mean all the things
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that i haven't been able to dream about. >> colonel davis told us he's gotten a lot of calls from old army friends who know his heroism was overlooked and heroism was overlooked and anxious to (ringing) - hey kaleb, what's up? how you doing? - hey, i'm good, guess what, i just had my 13th surgery. - really? i just had my 17th surgery. - well, you beat me. - well, i am a little bit older than you. - yeah it's true. how are you doing? - i'm doing good. i'm encouraged by seeing how people are coming together to help each other during times like these. - kind of like how shriners hospitals for children is there for us. imagine if i couldn't get my surgery. who knows what would have happened. - same for me. i know my shriners hospitals family will continue to take care kids like us who need them most all because of caring people like you.
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- like me? - no, the people watching us right now at home. - oh, those people. hi people. - kaleb and i know not everyone can help right now, but for those of you who can, we hope you'll this special number on your screen right now. - you'll be making sure our amazing doctors and nurses can keep helping kids like us, who need them now and in the days to come. orlis. and nurses can keep helping kids like us, - ooh, ooh, show them them the thank you gift. - okay, okay, hold on a second. with your gift of $19 a month we'll send you this adorable, love to the rescue blanket as a thank you and a reminder of the kids you're helping with your monthly support. - so what are you waiting for? you can use your phone and call, or go to loveshriners.org to give and join with thousands of other generous people who change lives with their gifts every day.
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- i think that's about it buddy, good job. - my pleasure captain. please call now. if operators are busy with all the other caring people, please wait patiently, or you can go to loveshriners.org to give right away. - [alec] big or small, your gift helps us all. - [both] thank you. (giggling) up at 2:00am again? tonight, try pure zzzs all night. - [both] thank you. unlike other sleep aids, our extended release melatonin helps you sleep longer. and longer. zzzquil pure zzzs all night. fall asleep. stay asleep. this morning we're focusing
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on one of the world's most famous photographers, neil leifer has been taking pictures of famous events and people since the 1950s. sports photos are his specialty, especially those that came out of his relationship with muhammad ali. leifer is the only photographer inducted into the international boxing hall of fame. anthony mason spoke with his about his extraordinary career. ♪ >> neil leifer was an avid sports fan as a kid. >> it became clear to me that the best ticket in the house was where the photographer sat. >> for 60 years, leifer's had a press pass to many of sports' most iconic moments. [ bell ] >> they might be stopping it. that might be all, ladies and gentlemen! >> photographing boxing champions -- >> you couldn't miss with ali. he made a hero out of everybody. >> secretariat on the outside -- >> racing champions.
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>> two and a quarter lengths -- >> secretariat, this is the muhammad ali of racing for sure. >> baseball season opens with a new president, john fitzgerald kennedy -- >> and presidents -- >> this is wheme in my life i've windows on the fourth floor. york's lower east side. new >> there is the vladeck homes that were built during world war ii, and it was a low-income housing project. >> from here it was a short walk to henry street settlement which offered free classes to poor kids in the neighborhood. >> and the camera club was right there. >> the club allowed him to borrow a camera. >> i became the picture editor of the school newspaper and photographer, as well. i started enjoying seeing my name under the photograph, photographed by neil leifer. that was cool. to be honest, it's 60-plus years later, i still get excited when i see my name under the picture. >> the new york giants --
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>> at the nfl title game at yankee stadium in 1958, leifer caught the climactic moments -- >> dives through a huge hole, and the game is over! >> when the colts beat the giants in sudden death. >> it's called the greatest game ever played. december 28th, 1958, my 16th birthday. here's the goal line, i was exactly ten yards in front of them. >> leifer had perfect position because he'd volunteered to take veterans in wheelchairs to their area just behind the end zone. you took that picture to "sports illustrated"? >> i thought now i have a picture they might publish. >> was that what essentially got you in the door? >> no. what got me in the door was i delivered sandwiches to the stage delicatessen. the stage catered their closings. i knew the door. >> less than three years later, at age 18, leifer reached an early landmark. >> this is your first cover. >> well, you never forget your first cover. this was november 21st, 1961.
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i was just thrilled. if you're a photographer, the cover is the gold medal. >> he would shoot over 200 covers for "sports illustrated" and "time." >> the best cover i ever shot was a cover i did for "time" magazine on bear bryant. i wanted to photograph him as though he were looking through a chalkboard and i double exposed the plays. plates. my favorite come from here, not accidents. and that was -- it's certainly the best one i've done. >> on the 10 -- right hand -- >> my most famous picture of muhammad ali standing over sonny liston didn't even make the cover of "sports illustrated." didn't get a single award. >> how do you account for that? >> that picture has everything people want to remember on that young ali. >> i knew he would fall early, but i wanted it to be three or four minutes later -- >> as his reputation grew, the picture grew along with him. >> a once in a lifetime. >> many now consider it the greatest sports photograph ever taken. so you're by ringside here.
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>> i'm on the apron. >> all these guys wish they were where you were. >> this was being in the right seat and a good photographer doesn't miss when he's in the right seat. >> why do you think you were successful? >> in my case, it was pretty simple. i worked harder than anyone else. i was the first person in the stadium. i knew what time the shadow went across the field because it might determine which sideline i wanted to shoot on. i'm not naturally gifted. and there are a number of very good photographers. >> like says leifer his fellow photographer walter iooss jr. >> he seemed to take pictures with his eyes closed, great, consistently. >> that's really annoying. >> it's not fair. >> but you obviously must have trusted your own instincts. >> i knew that i was a good photographer, but i wanted to be eaphogph. this is my newest book. >> with an aluminum print as its cover -- >> a heavy weight on itself -- >> i am thrilled -- >> boxing weighs nearly 20 pounds. a dream book because it's all boxing. >> it's my best pictures, i hate to say.
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it wbelegacy book. >> it includes leifer's favorite picture. where are you? >> that's me right there. ringside. >> will defend the title once again -- >> hanging a camera from the rafters of the houston astrodome, leifer perfectly captured ali's knockout of cleveland williams in 1966. >> this is the only picture i ever took in my life where i'm look at it 55 years after it was taken, there is nothing i would change. it's my favorite picture. and always will be. >> anthony mason reporting. the coronavirus pandemic has millions of americans working from home, many for nearly a year now, got some workers longing for the daily commute, nichelle medina has their story. >> reporter: danielle's morning commute starts like many. she leaves her house and stops for coffee or tea. >> woohoo. >> reporter: the educator and
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tutor then heads to her job, but not at a school. she actually goes right back home for another day of working remotely. >> i'm doing it on line at home using zoom. so still doing a lot of the things i was doing before but now through a computer screen. i feel like being in the house all the time, there were days that would go by that i was like, wow, i haven't left the house in five days. >> reporter: once a week she does what is known as a fake commute. >> it separates my home and work. >> reporter: and she's not alone. >> research shows that the idea of segmentation, so keeping work and home life separate tends to have beneficial effects for work/life balance. >> reporter: she's an associate professor of psychology says the fake commute can help people clear their head, and it doesn't have to be a drive. it sounds like fake commuting can really help your mental health, but your physical health, as well. >> yeah. that's one really nice thing. if you're able to do something like walking around the block, you're going to get the benefits that come from both being outside and getting that activity in. >> reporter: perrotta will often include a walk in her fake commute.
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>> it makes me feel like i'm going somewhere even though i'm coming back home. >> reporter: that makes it a >> reporter: that makes it a little easier to get through the (drumsticks rattle, feedback hums) (door closes in distance) ♪ ♪ (overlapping voices): we are producers, engineers, singers, songwriters, musicians, tour and live production crews, and thousands more of us. (male voice): without us, the music stops. (overlapping voices): we need your help (female voice): to keep the music playing. (male voice): support those impacted today at: musicares.org. [female narrator] whether school buildings are open or closed, we're always there for our students. because kids who already struggle with poverty, emotional trauma and other learning barriers need our support more than ever. at communities in schools we do whatever it takes. providing resources for at-home learning and just checking in. in schools ... and in communities.
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making sure all kids can learn and succeed. for more information, visit communities-in-schools-dot-org. freedom. it's at the core of who we are. the freedom to live without fear. to jog where we please. to wear a hoodie. the freedom to breathe. before we celebrate the freedom most americans have, we must fight for the freedom all americans deserve. because all lives can't matter, until black lives matter.
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when longtime "jeopardy!" host alex trebek passed away last year, left behind a legacy of philanthropy, also his suits, and family is putting them to good news. adriana diaz reports. >> the host of "jeopardy!" alex trebek! >> reporter: in a final episode, alex trebek spoke of a personal passion. >> trying to build a gentler society, if we all pitch in, we'll get there. >> reporter: known for keeping a straight face while guarding questions to the world's answers in signature sharp suits.
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>> what is destiny? >> reporter: off camera, his son matt said he was always helping others. >> he and my mom were working to put together homeless shelters. >> reporter: and his family. >> always working around the house, most of the time his clothes would have holes and tears in them. >> reporter: after his father's death, matt, a new york restaurant owner found way for his dad to still give back, giving away "jeopardy!" wardrobe. nonprofit that helps men who struggled with homelessness, incarceration, with work, training and dress clothes for interviews. are you going to wear this suit on job interview? >> sure i am. >> reporter: a perfect fit, turning life around after ten years in prison. >> i feel good, proud i got a celebrity suit, will make me
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step up, keep on giving. that's what he did, i'm going to do the same thing. >> reporter: harriet mcdonald is president. >> people lose a of dignity meless or incarcerated, then all of a sudden in work environment. if you wear a good suit and of course whose suits could be better, you fit in. >> reporter: what would your dad think? >> i think would be happy, falls in line with everything he believes and i think would mean a lot to him. >> adriana diaz, cbs news. >> and that's the "overnight news" for this thursday, for some of you news continues, others check back for "cbs this morning" and follow us online all the time at cbsnews.com, reporting from the nation's capital, i'm catherine herridge.
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it's thursday, february 25th, 2021. ths ouubout "cbs morning news."n cuomo controversy. a former aide details sexual harassment allegations against new york's governor. near fatal crash. tiger woods continues to recover from a car wreck in california. the two pieces of information that could determine what that could determine what exactly happened. captioning funded by cbs good morning. good to be with you. i'm anne-marie green. the race to vaccinate america
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