World War II Honoree

Laurence E. Davies

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Madison, Wisconsin

Honored By

Bradley & Joelle Hutter

Relationship

Great Niece and Nephew

SENT BY THE ARMY TO KEESLER FIELD IN MISSISSIPPI IN AUGUST 1941 AS A STAFF SERGEANT. AS ONE OF THE FIRST SOLDIERS THERE HIS PRIMARY DUTY WAS TO CREATE THE SCHOOL SQUADRONS THAT ULTIMATELY BECAME THE MECHANICS SCHOOL. WAS INITIALLY TABBED AS FIRST SERGEANT OF ONE OF THE SCHOOL SQUADRONS, HOWEVER WHILE THERE WAS PROMOTED TO TECHNICAL SERGEANT AND AT THAT TIME OUTRANKED A FIRST SERGEANT. HE BECAME ACTING FIRST SERGEANT OF THE 416TH SCHOOL SQUADRON. IN AUGUST OF 1942 HE WAS PROMOTED TO JUNIOR GRADE WARRANT OFFICER. SOON AFTER THAT THE ARMY TRANSFERRED THE ENTIRE SQUADRON (EXCEPT LARRY) TO GULF PORT, MISSISSIPPI. HE WAS THEN ASSIGNED AS ASSISTANT CIVILIAN PERSONNEL OFFICER. HIS FIRST OFFICIAL DUTY WAS CIVILIAN WAR BONDS OFFICER. HIGHER HEADQUARTERS WANTED THE CIVILIAN PERSONNEL TO SIGN UP FOR PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS OF AT LEAST 10 PERCENT OF THE PAYROLL AND WITH AT LEAST 90 PERCENT OF ALL PERSONNEL PARTICIPATING, HE MET ALL OF THE GOALS IN THIS REGARD. HE WAS STILL UNDERSTANDING AND ALLOWED FOR CERTAIN HARDSHIP CASES AND EVEN SO HAD OVER 98 PERCENT PARTICIPATION IN THE WAR BONDS PROGRAM. EVENTUALLY HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE MILITARY PERSONNEL SECTION AND WAS THERE WHEN THE WAR ENDED. TEN DAYS AFTER THE WAR WAS OVER THE ARMY SENT HIM TO AMARILLO AIR CORPS BASE TO HELP OPEN A SEPARATION CENTER TO DISCHARGE THE MEN COMING HOME FROM THE WAR. ULTIMATELY SPENT A CAREER IN THE U.S. ARMY AND RETIRED HONORABLY WITH THE RANK OF CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER.