Benjamin O. Davis Jr.
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Benjamin O. Davis Jr. | |
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Army Commendation Medal (3) Langley Gold Medal | |
Relations | Benjamin O. Davis Sr. (father) |
Other work | Federal Sky Marshal Program Assistant Secretary of Transportation |
Benjamin Oliver Davis Jr. (December 18, 1912 – July 4, 2002) was a United States Air Force (USAF) general and commander of the World War II Tuskegee Airmen.
He was the first African-American
Early life
On December 18, 1912, Benjamin Oliver Davis Jr. was born in Washington, D.C., the second of three children born to Benjamin O. Davis Sr. and Elnora Dickerson Davis.[1] His father was a U.S. Army officer, a lieutenant at that time, stationed in Wyoming with the 9th Cavalry, a segregated African-American regiment. Davis Sr. served 41 years before he was promoted to brigadier general in October 1940. Elnora Davis died from complications after giving birth to their third child in 1916.[citation needed]
In the summer of 1926, at age 13, Davis Jr (or Davis) flew with a
In 1929, at the beginning of the
Early military career
In July 1932, after attending the
During his four years at the academy, Davis was isolated by his white classmates on account of his race. He never had a roommate. He ate by himself. His classmates rarely spoke to him outside the line of duty, intending that their "silent treatment" would drive him from the academy. It had the opposite effect; it steeled his determination to endure the animosity and to compete and graduate. Ultimately, his perseverance earned the respect of his classmates, as evidenced by a biographical note of Davis in the 1936 yearbook, the Howitzer:
"The courage, tenacity, and intelligence with which he conquered a problem incomparably more difficult than plebe year won for him the sincere admiration of his classmates, and his single-minded determination to continue in his chosen career cannot fail to inspire respect wherever fortune may lead him."[4]
Davis graduated in June 1936, 35th in a class of 276. He was the academy's fourth black graduate after
At the start of his junior year at West Point, Davis had applied for the
In June 1937, Davis attended the
World War II
Early in 1941, the Roosevelt administration, in response to public pressure for greater black participation in the military as war approached, ordered the War Department to create a black flying unit. Captain Davis was assigned to the first training class at Tuskegee Army Air Field (hence the name Tuskegee Airmen). In July 1941, Davis entered aviation cadet training with the Tuskegee Airmen's first class of aviation cadets, Class 42-C-SE.[6] On March 6, 1942, Davis graduated from aviation cadet training with Captain George S. Roberts; 2nd Lt. Charles DeBow Jr. (Feb 13, 1918 – April 4, 1968),[7] 2nd Lt. Mac Ross (1912–1944),[8] and 2nd Lt. Lemuel R. Custis (1915–2005). Davis and his four classmates became the first African American combat fighter pilots in the U.S. military.[9][10]
Davis was the first African American officer to solo an Army Air Corps aircraft. In July that year, having been promoted to lieutenant colonel, he was named commander of the first all-black air unit, the 99th Pursuit Squadron.[citation needed]
The squadron, equipped with
In September 1943, Davis was deployed to the United States to take command of the
Marshall ordered an inquiry but allowed the 99th to continue fighting in the meantime. The inquiry eventually reported that the 99th's performance was comparable to other air units, but any questions about the squadron's fitness were answered in January 1944 when its pilots shot down 12 German planes in two days while protecting the Anzio beachhead.[citation needed]
Colonel Davis and his 332nd Fighter Group arrived in
]During the war, the airmen commanded by Davis had compiled an outstanding record in combat against the
Freeman Field Mutiny 1945
Davis was one of ten officers to preside over the Freeman Field mutiny courts-martial; appointed by General Frank O'Driscoll Hunter. They were: Colonel Benjamin O. Davis Jr., Captain George L. Knox II, Captain James T. Wiley, Captain John H. Duren, Captain Charles R. Stanton, captain William T. Yates, Captain Elmore M. Kennedy, Captain Fitzroy Newsum, 1st Lieutenant William Robert Ming Jr. and 1st Lieutenant James Y. Carter. Trial Judge Advocates were: Captain James W. Redden and 1st Lieutenant Charles B. Hall.[13]
United States Air Force
In July 1948, President
In 1949, Davis attended Air War College.
In April 1957, General Davis arrived at
In July 1961, he returned to the United States and Headquarters U.S. Air Force, where he served as the director of manpower and organization, deputy chief of staff for programs and requirements. Davis's promotion to major general was made permanent early the next year, and in February 1965 he was assigned as assistant deputy chief of staff, programs and requirements.[1] He remained in that position until his assignment as chief of staff for the United Nations Command and U.S. Forces in Korea (USFK) in April 1965, at which time he was promoted to lieutenant general. He assumed command of the Thirteenth Air Force at Clark Air Base in the Republic of the Philippines in August 1967.[1]
Davis was assigned as deputy commander in chief,
On December 9, 1998, Davis Jr. was promoted to general, U.S. Air Force (retired), with President Bill Clinton pinning on his four-star insignia.[1][15] In the late 1980s he began to work on his autobiography, Benjamin O. Davis Jr.: American: An Autobiography.
Dates of rank
General Davis' effective dates of promotion are:[15]
Second Lieutenant , June 12, 1936
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First Lieutenant , June 19, 1939
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Captain , October 9, 1940 (temporary); June 12, 1946 (permanent)
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Major, May 13, 1942 (temporary); | |
Lieutenant colonel , May 29, 1942 (temporary); July 2, 1948 (permanent)
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Colonel, May 29, 1944 (temporary); July 27, 1950 (permanent) | |
Brigadier General , October 27, 1954 (temporary); May 16, 1960 (permanent)
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Major General , June 30, 1959 (temporary); January 30, 1962 (permanent)
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Lieutenant General , April 30, 1965 (retired February 1, 1970)
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General, December 9, 1998 (retired list) |
Decorations and honors
At the time of Davis's retirement, he held the rank of
Military decorations
His military decorations included:[15]
- Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
- Army Distinguished Service Medal
- Silver Star
- Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
- Distinguished Flying Cross
- Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters
- Army Commendation Medalwith two oak leaf clusters
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown of Thailand
- Philippine Legion of Honor
- 1992 Langley Gold Medal
- Congressional Gold Medal awarded to the Tuskegee Airmen in 2006[16]
Creator of the Davis Line/Median line on Taiwan Strait
Historically, both the
Honors
- In 2002, scholar Molefi Kete Asante listed Davis on his list of 100 Greatest African Americans.[20]
- Schools named in his honor include Houston, Texas.[21], and Benjamin O. Davis Middle School in Compton, California.
- The Benjamin O. Davis Jr. Award is presented to senior members of the United States Air Force Auxiliary who successfully complete the second level of professional development, complete the technical training required for the Leadership Award, and attend Squadron Leadership School, designed "to enhance a senior member's performance at the squadron level and to increase understanding of the basic function of a squadron and how to improve squadron operations."[22][23][24]
- In 2015, West Point named a newly constructed barracks after him.[25]
- In 1994, He was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in Dayton, Ohio.[26]
- He was inducted into the International Air & Space Hall of Fame at the San Diego Air & Space Museum in 1996.[27]
- On November 1, 2019, the airfield at the United States Air Force Academy, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, was renamed Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. Airfield.[28]
Death
Davis's wife Agatha died on March 10, 2002. (Aged 94)[29] Davis, who had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease, died at age 89 on July 4, 2002, at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. He was interred with Agatha on July 17, at Arlington National Cemetery.[30] A Red Tail P-51 Mustang, similar to the one he had flown in World War II, flew overhead during his funeral service. Bill Clinton said, "General Davis is here today as proof that a person can overcome adversity and discrimination, achieve great things, turn skeptics into believers; and through example and perseverance, one person can bring truly amazing change".[31]
See also
- Davis line
- Executive Order 9981
- List of Tuskegee Airmen
- List of Tuskegee Airmen Cadet Pilot Graduation Classes
- Military history of African Americans
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "GENERAL BENJAMIN OLIVER DAVIS JR". AF.mil. United States Air Force.
- ^ a b c "Benjamin O. Davis Jr. Collection". Smithsonian National Space and Air Museum. Retrieved 2021-09-21.
- ISBN 978-1-59884-427-6. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
- ^ Holbert, Tim G.W. (Summer 2003). "A Tradition of Sacrifice: African-American Service in World War II". World War II Chronicles (XXI). World War II Veterans CommitteeIikiii Iiiii. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27.
- ISBN 9780160429514. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
- ^ CAF Rise Above. "George S. 'Spanky' Roberts."
- ^ CAF Rise Above. "Charles Henry DeBow Jr."
- ^ CAF Rise Above. "Mac Ross."
- ^ "Air Force Historical Support Division > Home" (PDF). Retrieved 7 February 2017
- ^ "Tuskegee Airmen Pilot Roster". CAF Rise Above. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
- ISBN 9780199741885.
- ^ a b Britannica. "Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. United States general." https://www.britannica.com/biography/Benjamin-O-Davis-Jr
- ISBN 9781455601257. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
- ^ "AIR FORCE HISTORY: Gen. Benjamin O. Davis Jr". Tinker Air Force Base.
- ^ a b c "General Benjamin Oliver Davis Jr". Biographies. United States Air Force. Archived from the original on 2004-02-10.
- ^ "Public Law 109–213—APR. 11, 2006 Congressional Gold Medal to the Tuskegee Airmen" (PDF). Congress.gov. US Library of Congress. 11 April 2006. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
- ^ 大公報文章:"海峽中線"應該廢除, chinareviewnews.com, archived from the original on 2011-10-04, retrieved 2021-08-17. (in Chinese)
- ^ Tai-ho, Lin. "Air defense must be free of political calculation". www.taipeitimes.com. Taipei Times. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
- ^ Micallef, Joseph V. (6 January 2021). "Why Taiwan Will Be at the Center of the China-US Rivalry". www.military.com. Military.com. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
- ISBN 1-57392-963-8.
- ^ "District's newest high school, ninth grade school to be named after General Benjamin Oliver Davis Jr." Archived June 16, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-11. Retrieved 2014-07-05.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "General Benjamin O. Davis Jr. Award". Capnhq.custhelp.com. Archived from the original on 2014-07-07. Retrieved 2017-10-21.
- ^ "Civil Air Patrol – Benjamin O. Davis Jr. Award Archived 2014-07-14 at the Wayback Machine: Fact Sheet".
- ^ Hill, Michael, "West Point names barracks for black graduate who was shunned Archived May 13, 2015, at the Wayback Machine, Associated Press, 10 May 2015
- ^ "Enshrinee Benjamin O Davis". nationalaviation.org. National Aviation Hall of Fame. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
- ^ "San Diego Air & Space Museum – Historical Balboa Park, San Diego". Sandiegoairandspace.org. 2017-10-01. Retrieved 2017-10-21.
- ^ "USAFA airfield gets a new name | US Air Force Academy AOG & Foundation".
- ^ "Davis, Agatha Scott". The Washington Post.
- ^ Burial Detail: Davis, Benjamin O (Section 2, Grave E-311-RH) – ANC Explorer
- ^ "President Clinton's Remarks Honoring Gen. Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. of the Tuskegee Airmen". Clinton Digital Library. Retrieved 2021-10-23.
Further reading
- Applegate, Katherine. The Story of Two American Generals Benjamin O. Davis Jr. and Colin L. Powell, Gareth Stevens Pub., 1995 [ISBN missing]
- Sandler, Stanley. Segregated Skies: All-Black Combat Squadrons of WW II, Smithsonian Institution Press, 1992. [ISBN missing]
External links
- Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. Collection Archives Division Archived 2011-06-06 at the Wayback Machine, National Air and Space Museum
- American History: Benjamin Davis
- A Tribute to Benjamin O. Davis Jr.
- African Americans in the U.S. Army – army.mil