While stationed in Pascagoula, MS on the USS Hue City, I was assigned to be Gen. Raymond Davis driver during his stay for the commissioning of our sister ship the USS Chosin. Gen. Davis was a highly decorated veteran of WWII, Korea and Vietnam. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his role in the battle of the Chosin reservoir Here is a summary of his role in Korea. In Korea, Lt. Col. Davis commanded the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, from August to December 1950. During this time one of his men described him as, ...from Georgia and soft spoken. No gruff, no bluff. Never talked down to you and made you feel comfortable in his presence.[2] During the 1st Marine Divisions fight to break out of the Chosin Reservoir area in North Korea during the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir on December 1, 1950, Lt. Col. Davis led his battalion in and through fierce firefights with the Chinese army from Yudam-ni to Hagru-ri. Lt. Col. Davis led in front of his men all the way... marching his battalion at night over mountains in a driving snowstorm, he rescued and saved Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment from annihilation at the Toktong Pass. This action also opened the blocked mountain pass to Hagaru-ri allowing two trapped Marine regiments to escape and link up with the rest of the 1st division at Hagaru-ri.[3] He was recommended for the Medal of Honor. The medal was presented to Lt. Col. Davis by President Harry S. Truman in a White House ceremony on November 24, 1952. Lt. Col. Davis was also awarded two Silver Star Medals for gallantry in action, exposing himself to heavy enemy fire while leading and encouraging his men in the face of strong enemy opposition. He received the Legion of Merit with Combat V for exceptionally meritorious conduct and professional skill in welding the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines into a highly effective combat team. Later, as Executive Officer of the 7th Marines, from December 1950 to June 1951, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat V for his part in rebuilding the 7th regiment in Korea after the Chosin Reservoir campaign. He returned to the United States in June 1951 and was assigned to Headquarters Marine Corps in Washington, D.C. I found the General to be kind and very humble. He left a lasting impression on me and Im grateful for the brief time I was around him. For some reason I was thinking of those times today so I thought I would share one of Americas great men
Posted on: Fri, 28 Mar 2014 19:02:49 +0000
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