DAVIS Donald Arthur, Capt.
US Army-ret. passed away Sunday, June 14 1992 at his home in Oklahoma
City. He was born July 15, 1917 to Peter Harrison Davis and Hazel Lee
Kelly in Ft. Towson, OK, where he attended public schools. He
interrupted schooling at OSU to join the 45th Division in 1940, and
later commissioned in 1942, as Lt. in 508th Parachute Infantry. He was
severely injured in combat at Saint Lo, France during the Normandy
invasion.
He worked from 1946-1951
at the Veterans Dept. of Oklahoma, served as Director Oklahoma Veterans
Dept. 1951-1956; appointed Executive Secretary Governors Committee of
Employment of the Physically Handicapped (Now Persons with
Disabilities). Appointed Veterans Employment Representative for Oklahoma
in 1962, while still voluntarily acting as the Governors secretary. He
retired from the U.S. Labor Dept. in 1986, yet still remained active in
all Veterans organizations.
Don has received many
honors and awards, including the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, and the
Distinguished Service Award by the President's Committee on Employment
of the Handicapped in 1971. Survivors include his wife of 43 years
Eleanor Vittum, 2 sons John Church and Donald Milton, three
grandchildren, Jonathan, Sarah & Jeremy, all of Norman; brothers P.H.
Jr., Orlando FL, Charles B., and Sam W., both of Ft. Towson, and his
sisters, Ruth Scruggs, Ft. Towson, and Lucy Murchison, Hayward, Ca.. He
was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Kelly, Ben, and James,
and his sister Merle.
Military graveside services will be 2:00 Tuesday June 16, 1992 at the
Ft. Towson Ok Cemetery. Mr. Davis will lie in state Monday at Smith and
Kernke Chapel, and Tuesday from 11:30 to 1:30 at the 1st Methodist
Church of Ft. Towson.
[The
Daily Oklahoman.
Oklahoma City, OK, ,
Page 16]
(courtesy of Sue Calhoun Shannon)
Grave marker for Donald A. Davis in
the Fort Towson Cemetery, Ft. Towson (Choctaw county) Oklahoma.
Donald enlisted in the Army as a
Private at Camp Barkeley*, TX on 10 August 1941. He was
commissioned in 1942.
On 16 October 1943, 2nd Lt. Davis was transferred
from the 507th PIR, the Parachute School, Fort Benning, GA to Hq Hq
508th PIR as a cadre member.
In late March and early April 1943 1st Lt Davis was
sent on detached duty to the Bomb Recon School, Bristol, Eng and was listed
as a "Demo Officer"
Lt Davis was seriously wounded in action on 17 June
1944 in France and evacuated to a field hospital.
On 30 August 1944 he was transferred to the Parachute
Replacement Regiment at the Parachute School. Ft Benning, GA and
officially relieved of his principal duty as the Battalion Demolition
Officer.
His military decorations include the Bronze Star
Medal, Purple Heart and the Combat Infantryman Badge for action
during the Normandy, France Campaign, 6 June 1944 to 9 July 1944.
* Camp Barkeley was located eleven
miles (18 km) southwest of Abilene, Texas near what is now Dyess Air
Force Base.
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