Jesse P. Davis

Master Sergeant Jessie P. Davis was born 26 Nov 1922 to Henry and Floy Davis of Richmond Hill, Georgia. He joined the Navy on Monday, 15 December 1941, after Pearl Harbor and served in World War II in several areas (American, European-African Middle Eastern Area, and Asiatic-Pacific). He was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal for his service on 5 April 1942, while the Japanese were attacking Colombo, Ceylon. His ship was anchored in the harbor waiting to be off loaded. He manned one of the guns on the ship. He left the Navy in 1945 after WWII and joined the United States Army in 1946. He served in the 5th Regimental Combat Team in Korea, arriving in country on 31 July 1950.

In a newspaper interview as one of the first Korean War Veterans to return home under the Army’s rotation plan, M/SGT Davis stated how happy he was to be home after spending approximately 9 1/2 months of combat time in Korea. He hated to leave his old buddies who served with him in Company A, Fifth RCT of the 24 Division, but was glad to be back with his wife and four year old son. After taking a well deserved rest, M/SGT Davis said he would report as an instructor on the type of fighting that was being done in Korea.

He was assigned to Company H, 1st Student Regiment, as a member of the initial training cadre, sent to Dahlonega, GA to establish the Mountain Ranger Training Phase for the training of the newly organized Ranger Companies and Ranger School.

His awards, decorations and campaigns include:

National Defense, American Area, European-African Middle Eastern Area, Asiatic-Pacific Area, Purple Heart - Awarded two. Navy (WWII) and Army (Korea), Combat Infantryman’s Badge, United Nations Service Medal (Korea), Korean Service Medal, Korean Campaign Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Good Conduct Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, (Not sure the 5 RCT received the Korean Presidential Unit Citation), (Soviet Freedom Medal (NEW) Just authorized, not in records)

M/SGT Davis died in an automobile accident on 12 July 1952. He is survived by his wife Lillian and two children, Calvin Phillip Davis and Yvonne Davis Housewright.