Charles Hamilton Davis

Charles Hamilton Davis, Private, Mississippi National Guard; Pilot Officer, Royal Canadian Air Force; Major, United States Army Air Forces; and Colonel, United States Air Force, retired, crossed the bar on March 13, 2006.

Colonel Davis was born October 28, 1915, in Nashville, Tennessee, but spent his youth in Laurel, Mississippi.

At the age of 15, he became the first Eagle Scout in Jones County, Mississippi. Desirous of joining the fight against Nazism and Facism in Europe prior to the United States' entry into World War II, he journeyed to Canada to join the Royal Canadian Air Force as a pilot.

Upon U.S. entry into that war, he was transferred to the U.S. Army Air Forces. Colonel Davis flew B-17s in Europe during World War II, and also a veteran of the Korean and Vietnam conflicts, retiring in 1966.

Colonel Davis was a long-time member of Churchill Baptist Church in San Antonio.

He is survived by his wife of over 70 years, Mary Louise Collins Davis; his daughter, Deborra Backlund and husband, Michael Backlund of San Antonio; his son, Charles Hamilton Davis IV and wife, Barbara Small Davis of New Braunfels; five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be directed to World Vision, Inc., P.O. Box 70172, Tacoma, Washington 98481-0712.