World War II Honoree

Gene Franklin Davis

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Menard, Texas

Honored By

John C. Burkhardt, SVC MOPH, Chapter 1919, Austin, Texas

ENLISTED IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS ON JANUARY 1, 1942. AFTER COMPLETING HIS TRAINING HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE EASTERN EUROPEAN CAMPAIGN. HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE NEWLY FORMED 8TH AIR FORCE, 1ST AIR DIVISION, 1ST COMBAT BOMB WING, SQUADRON 324. HE WAS TRAINED AND ASSIGNED AS A BOMBARDIER MOS 2550 ON A BOEING B-17, HEAVY BOMBER, WITH A CREW OF TEN. THE UNIT WAS ACTIVATED ON NOVEMBER 7, 1942, STATIONED IN BASSINGBOURN, ENGLAND. THIS IS WHERE THE UNIT ACQUIRED THE NICKNAME OF 'THE RAGGED IRREGULARS OF BASSINGBOURN.' HIS B-17, NUMBER 41-24506, WAS KNOWN AS 'THE SHIFTLESS SKONK', MARKED WITH THE LETTER 'A' INSIDE A 'RED TRIANGLE' ON THE TAIL AND THE SQUADRON MARKINGS 'DF' MIDWAY ON THE SIDE. ON NOVEMBER 23, 1942, AIR CORPS MISSION NUMBER 23, THEIR ENTIRE BOMB WING MISSION WAS TO TARGET THE GERMAN SUBMARINE PORT AT ST. NAZAIRE, FRANCE. THEY WERE ATTACKED BY THE GERMAN FIGHTER SQUADRON FW190. DURING THE MISSION FIVE B-17 PLANES AND ONE B-24 PLANE WAS LOST. THE 'SHIFTLESS SKONK' RECEIVED MASSIVE DAMAGE AND LOST TWO ENGINES. THEY WERE STILL ABLE TO MAKE IT BACK TO ENGLAND. THEY WERE TRYING TO MAKE IT BACK TO BASSINGBOURN AND WERE HEARD OVERHEAD, THROUGH DENSE FOG, AT 17:10. BASED ON THE POOR VISIBILITY THEY HEADED INSTEAD FOR BOVINGTON AIR FIELD. AT 17:25 THEY ATTEMPTED A LANDING AT WATFORD AIR FIELD. UNFORTUNATELY WHEN THEY WERE ABOUT 15 FEET OFF THE GROUND THEY STRUCK A HIGH TENSION PYLON AND CRASHED, NEAR THE 'BLACK BOY' PUBLIC HOUSE AT LEAVESDEN. THREE WERE KILLED IN THE CRASH AND TWO OTHERS INCLUDING HIM LATER SUCUMED TO THEIR INJURIES. AMONG HIS AWARDS AND CITATIONS; THE PURPLE HEART MEDAL FOR WOUNDS RECEIVED IN COMBAT.