Shaffer
09-04-03, 07:06 AM
One of the Marine Corps' legends checked into Marines Barracks Heaven's Gate. Godspeed General Davis.
General Raymond G. Davis, Sr. was born in Fitzgerald, Georgia on January 13, 1915. After graduating with honors from Georgia Tech with a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering in 1938, he joined the Marine Corps with a commission as a second lieutenant. Among the many awards he earned during his military career are
• Medal of Honor
• Navy Cross
• Two Distinguished Service Medals
• Two Silver Stars
• Two Legion of Merits
• One Bronze Star
• One Purple Heart
He earned the Navy Cross, the Navy’s highest award for valor next to the Medal of Honor for actions at Pelelieu during World War Two. He earned the Medal of Honor during the Korean War for his extraordinary action in the 1st Marine Division’s historic breakout from an entrapment by overwhelming numbers of Chinese soldiers at the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea. His efforts there secured a mountain pass enabling the escape of two trapped Marine regiments. The regiments had been trapped in and around Yudam-ni for five days. The night before the breakout then Lieutenant Colonel Davis led his battalion across country overnight fighting all the way against vastly superior numbers in sub-zero weather and defeated the Chinese at the mountain pass the next day. The remaining epic fourteen-mile fighting march from Yudam-ni to Hagaru-ri lasted three days.
During the Vietnam War from May of 1968 to April of 1969, he was commanding general of the 3rd Marine Division. He received his fourth star in March of 1971 when he became Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corp where he served until retiring from active duty in March of 1972.
Following retirement from the Corps, General Davis directed the Georgia Chamber of Commerce for several years, and later took on the challenge of design, funding, and dedication of the National Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC. Not known for idleness, General Davis worked in support of issues concerning our national interest and just recently returned from a visit to North Korea in an effort to persuade that government to allow more travel and to become more active in identifying missing American soldiers.
General Davis married Willa Knox Heafner in 1942. He is survived by two sons, one daughter, and seven grandchildren. A granddaughter graduated from Heritage High school last spring.
General Raymond G. Davis, Sr. was born in Fitzgerald, Georgia on January 13, 1915. After graduating with honors from Georgia Tech with a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering in 1938, he joined the Marine Corps with a commission as a second lieutenant. Among the many awards he earned during his military career are
• Medal of Honor
• Navy Cross
• Two Distinguished Service Medals
• Two Silver Stars
• Two Legion of Merits
• One Bronze Star
• One Purple Heart
He earned the Navy Cross, the Navy’s highest award for valor next to the Medal of Honor for actions at Pelelieu during World War Two. He earned the Medal of Honor during the Korean War for his extraordinary action in the 1st Marine Division’s historic breakout from an entrapment by overwhelming numbers of Chinese soldiers at the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea. His efforts there secured a mountain pass enabling the escape of two trapped Marine regiments. The regiments had been trapped in and around Yudam-ni for five days. The night before the breakout then Lieutenant Colonel Davis led his battalion across country overnight fighting all the way against vastly superior numbers in sub-zero weather and defeated the Chinese at the mountain pass the next day. The remaining epic fourteen-mile fighting march from Yudam-ni to Hagaru-ri lasted three days.
During the Vietnam War from May of 1968 to April of 1969, he was commanding general of the 3rd Marine Division. He received his fourth star in March of 1971 when he became Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corp where he served until retiring from active duty in March of 1972.
Following retirement from the Corps, General Davis directed the Georgia Chamber of Commerce for several years, and later took on the challenge of design, funding, and dedication of the National Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC. Not known for idleness, General Davis worked in support of issues concerning our national interest and just recently returned from a visit to North Korea in an effort to persuade that government to allow more travel and to become more active in identifying missing American soldiers.
General Davis married Willa Knox Heafner in 1942. He is survived by two sons, one daughter, and seven grandchildren. A granddaughter graduated from Heritage High school last spring.