World War II Honoree

Ray L. Davis

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Richmond, Indiana

Honored By

Robert Medley Gatewood

ENLISTED IN THE AIR CORPS AND ENTERED ACTIVE SERVICE IN FEBRUARY, 1943. COMPLETED BASIC TRAINING AT MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA. VOLUNTEERED FOR THE ARMY AIR FORCES’ AIRCREW COLLEGE TRAINING PROGRAM TO QUALIFY FOR FOLLOW-ON PILOT TRAINING IN THE AVIATION CADET PROGRAM. ASSIGNED TO THE COLLEGE TRAINING DETACHMENT AND ATTENDED CLASSES AT WINTHROP COLLEGE, ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA. SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE COLLEGE QUALIFICATION, BUT DID NOT GRADUATE FROM THE PILOT TRAINING PROGRAM. ATTENDED AND COMPLETED AERIAL GUNNERY SCHOOLS AT BUCKLEY FIELD AND LOWRY FIELD, COLORADO; B-29 ‘FORMED CREW' TRAINING AT CLOVIS, NEW MEXICO; AND QUALIFIED IN THE MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY OF AERIAL GUNNER (611). THEREAFTER, HIS CREW PICKED UP THEIR NEW SUPERFORTRESS AT HERINGTON, KANSAS, (LATER NAMED IT THE ‘CITY OF RENO’), AND FLEW IT TO GUAM ISLAND IN THE PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS. FLEW 24 COMBAT MISSIONS AGAINST THE JAPANESE MAINLAND IN THE AIR OFFENSIVE (JAPAN) CAMPAIGN AND 1 UNARMED MISSION IN SUPPORT OF THE WWII ALLIES’ ‘DISPLAY OF POWER’ MAMMOTH FORMATION FLIGHT OVER THE OFFICIAL JAPANESE SURRENDER CEREMONY IN TOKYO BAY. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AS A TECHNICAL SERGEANT IN NOVEMBER, 1945 AT BAER FIELD, FORT WAYNE, INDIANA. EARNED THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, AIR MEDAL WITH 2 OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 1 BRONZE BATTLE STAR, AND THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL.