World War II Honoree

Lyle V. Davis

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Amherst, New York

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Flight Officer. Inducted into the United States Army January 12, 1943 at Buffalo, New York. Upon his graduation from recruit training, he was designated to attend the Flight Aviation Training Program. As a graduate of the Aviation Cadet program, he accepted his commission and Pilot Wings. He served as a B-17 ‘Flying-Fortress’ Bomber Co-Pilot, assigned to the 860th Bomber Squadron, 493rd Bomber Group an element of the U.S. 8th Air Force ‘Mighty Eighth’ Army Air Forces. His unit was based at the Debach Royal Air Force Station Location: Woodbridge, England. Tuesday, September 12, 1944 he was killed in action, on a bomb run to an Ordnance Depot at Magdeburg, Germany. Personnel from a Graves Registration Company buried him in the Neuville-en-Condroz Battlefield Cemetery Liege, Belgium. In the post-war era, this Airman’s family requested that he be buried with Military Honors at the Rose Hills Memorial Park Cemetery, Whittier, California. This American Patriot received the following decorations posthumously: Air Medal and the Purple Heart. The Air Medal was awarded to the Flight Officer for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight, and the Purple Heart for his Heroism and ultimate sacrifice.