Davis (DD 937) - Naval Cruise Book

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- CDR. GEORGE F. DAVIS George Fleming Davis was born in Manila, Philippine Islands, on March 23, 1911. He attended school in Honolulu and entered the Naval Academy in 1930. Graduated and commissioned Ensign in 1934, he was assigned to the fitting-out of the USS TUSCALOOSA, a cruiser, and served aboard after commissioning as a junior officer. After serving aboard the USS BROOME and the USS HOPKINS from June 1939 until September 1941 he went to the battleship USS OKLAHOMA of the Pacific Fleet. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, OKLAHOMA was hit by four torpedoes from the first wave of attacking planes and capsized at her berth. In January 1942 he reported to the USS HONOLULU. He served in HONOLULU while she participated in the Aleutians Campaign in August, 1942, and later in actions in the South Pacific. Commander Davis was personally awarded THE MEDAL OF HONOR WINNER FOR WHOM THE DAVIS IS NAMED the Legion of Merit with Combat V and was entitled to the ribbon the Navy Unit Commenda- tion awarded to the HONOLULU . . . for outstanding heroism in action against enemy Japanese forces during the Battle of Tassafar- onga, November 30, 1942, the Battles of Kula July 5 and 13, 1943, and Leyte, September Gulf and Kolombangara, the operations at Palau 12 to October 20, 1944 On November 26, 1944, he assumed command of the destroyer USS WALKE. In command when she was attacked on January 6, 1945, by four Japanese Kamikaze planes prior to the invasion of the Lingayen Gulf, Commander Davis was seriously wounded. Not until he saw that the fires on his ship had been brought under control and the safety of his destroyer assured did he consent to be carried below where he died several hours later. Commander Davis was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as Commanding Officer of the USS WALKE, engaged in a detached mission in support of minesweeping forces preparatory to the invasion of Lingayen Gulf, Luzon, Philippine Islands, January 6, 1945.

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THE MEDITERRANEAN-MIDEAST CRUISE 1981 12 August .......................... Depart Charleston 22-24 August ..... .... R ota, Spain 26-31 August ..... .... C artagena, Spain 2-5 September ...... .... N aples, Italy 8-11 September .... .... A lexandria, Egypt 12-23 September ..... .... A shdod, Israel 27 September ........... .... S uez Canal 28 September .............. .... D jibouti 29 Sept.-20 Cctober .......... Battle Group Operations, Arabian Sea 21 Oct.-8 November .......... Persian Gulf Operations 9-15 November ........... .... B ahrain 27 November ...... .... S uez Canal 2-5 December ..... .... M arseille, France 8-11 December ...... .... R ota, Spain 21 December ...... .... I nport Charleston