George Andrew Davis Jr.
George Andrew Davis Jr. was a highly decorated fighter pilot and flying ace of the United States Army Air Forces in World War II, and later of the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. Davis rose to the rank of major, and was promoted posthumously to lieutenant colonel and awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in MiG Alley. Davis is the fourth-highest US scoring aces of the Korean war with a total of 21 victories.
About George Andrew Davis Jr. in brief
George Andrew Davis Jr. was a highly decorated fighter pilot and flying ace of the United States Army Air Forces in World War II, and later of the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. Davis rose to the rank of major, and was promoted posthumously to lieutenant colonel and awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in MiG Alley. Davis is the fourth-highest US scoring aces of the Korean war with a total of 21 victories. He is one of seven US military pilots to become an ace in two wars, and one of 31 US pilots to be credited with more than 20 victories. Davis was born in Dublin, Texas, on December 1, 1920. He was the seventh of nine children born to George Davis Sr. and Pearl Love Davis. Davis married Doris Lynn Forgason and had three children, Mary Margaret Davis and George Davis III. His wife was six months pregnant with their third child, Charles Lynn Davis, at the time of his death in 1952. Davis’ first assignment was the 312th Bombardment Group based at Bowman Field in Louisville, Kentucky. In December, 1943, Davis flew the P-47 Thunderbolt fighter plane over the Solomon Sea where it could operate against air forces of the Empire of Japan. He earned the nickname of ‘Curly’ because of his straight hair. Davis also served under the command of Colonel Neel E. Kearby, who himself would later receive the Medal of Honor. Davis served in the New Guinea and Philippine campaigns, scoring seven victories over Japanese aircraft.
Davis did not see action in Korea until late 1951. In spite of this, he achieved considerable success flying the F-86 Sabre fighter jet, quickly rising to become the war’s ace of aces and downing fourteen North Korean, Chinese, and Soviet aircraft before he was shot down and killed. He did not drink alcohol or smoke tobacco, unlike many other pilots, and he had a subdued personality in spite of his \”daredevil\” flying style. Davis attended Morton High School in Morton, Texas. After completing a degree, he returned to Texas. He took up farming for a time with his family before eventually deciding to join the military. In March 1942, he was appointed an aviation cadet in the Army Air Corps. In February 1943, he completed his training and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the US Army Reserve, and immediately ordered to active duty. By this time he had accrued 314 hours of flight time. He had been trained in Kelly Field in San Antonio, Texas for pre-flight training, then moved to Jones Field in Bonham,Texas for primary flight training. In August 1943, his unit was ordered to the Pacific Theater of Operations. In the Battle of Cape Gloucester, New Britain, Davis was also sent to a patrol to support Britain as a patrol leader. He would become a commander of the 348th Fighter Squadron in the Fifth United States Air Force. He died in February 1952.
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