World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
Emmet Elden Davis
Branch of Service
U.S. Army
Hometown
Quay, Pawnee County, Oklahoma
Honored By
Robert S. Cox
ENLISTED IN MILITARY SERVICE IN 1941. TRAINED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER AT CAMP BARKELEY AT ABILENE, TEXAS, FORT DEVENS AT AYER, MASSACHUSETTS, PINE CAMP AT WATERTOWN, NEW YORK, AND CAMP PICKETT AT BLACKSTONE, VIRGINIA. STAGED WITH HIS UNIT AT CAMP PATRICK HENRY AT ORIANA, VIRGINIA ON MAY 25, 1943, AWAITING OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENT. SAILED FROM THE HAMPTON ROADS PORT OF EMBARKATION ON JUNE 8, 1943, LANDED IN NORTH AFRICA ON JUNE 22, 1943 AND WENT INTO TRAINING AT ARZEW, ALGERIA. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER IN NORTH AFRICA AND ITALY WITH COMPANY I, 3RD BATTALION, 179TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 45TH INFANTRY 'THUNDERBIRD' DIVISION DURING THE WAR. TOOK PART IN COMBAT OPERATIONS, INCLUDING IN ITALY IN THE INVASIONS OF SICILY, SALERNO, AND ANZIO; AND FOUGHT AT CASSINO, AND ROME. HIS REGIMENT ASSAULTED SCOGLITTI, SICILY ON JULY 9, 1943 AND FOUGHT IN THE BATTLE OF MOTTA HILL; ASSAULTED SALERNO, ITALY ON SEPTEMBER 9, 1943 AND ENGAGED IN HEAVY FIGHTING AT PONTE SELE AND THE TOBACCO FACTORY; FOUGHT TO TAKE KEY MOUNTAIN HEIGHTS INCLUDING HILL 769 DURING OPERATIONS NEAR SALERNO IN DECEMBER, 1943; FOUGHT AT ANZIO, ITALY BEGINNING JANUARY 22, 1944 AND WAS ENGAGED IN DEFENDING THE BEACHHEAD FOR THE FOLLOWING 4 MONTHS, INCLUDING WITHSTANDING A MAJOR GERMAN COUNTERATTACK IN FEBRUARY, 1944. AWARDED THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, SILVER STAR FOR GALLANTRY IN BATTLE, BRONZE STAR MEDAL, PURPLE HEART WITH BRONZE OAK LEAF CLUSTER FOR WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, INCLUDING NEAR ROME, ITALY IN 1944, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH BRONZE ARROWHEAD DEVICE (AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT LANDINGS) AND 3 BRONZE SERVICE STARS (3 CAMPAIGNS), AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. ALSO AWARDED THE FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE WITH PALM FOR ACTIONS BY HIS DIVISION AT ACQUAFONDATA, IN ITALY. HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN 1945 WITH THE RANK OF STAFF SERGEANT AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.