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| Staff Sergeant Lawrence Davis served in the 513th Bombardment Squadron. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/89104349/lawrence-vernon-davis http://www.americanairmuseum.com/unit/1192 |
Lawrence Vernon "Shot" Davis never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
He was born on December 11, 1919 in Hornsby Bend, Texas. His parents Dock and Georgia (who lived to her hundredth year) were born in Tennessee and Georgia, respectively. His father worked as a farmer. Lawrence had four older sisters, one older brother, and two younger brothers. He married Mildred Wilson in May 1941.
He was drafted into the army in February 1943 and then volunteered for the Army Air Forces. He became a staff sergeant in the 513th Bombardment Squadron, 376th Bombardment Group, 15th Air Force, which was equipped with B-24 Liberators.
The 376th BG was originally codenamed HALPRO and assigned to bomb the Japanese from bases in China. However, on the trip there via Brazil and then Egypt, they learned that the Chinese airfields had been captured by the Japanese, so the B-24s stayed in Egypt in June 1942 to help fight Rommel and the Afrika Korps. When the Germans were defeated, the 376th BG operated out of North Africa and flew missions to Italy and the Balkans. Sgt. Davis joined the 513th BS on June 14, 1944.
The mission target for July 2, 1944 was Budapest, Hungary where it bombed the Vecses Airdrome, home to more than 50 ME-410s. Sgt. Davis was the tail gunner in A/C 43. After a successful bomb drop, his plane took a direct flak hit in in the bomb bay. A few moments later the bomber exploded. Sgt. Davis and three others were killed.
His grave is at George West Cemetery in George West, Texas. His widow remarried and died in 2010.
Last year on this date I profiled Battle of Okinawa Medal of Honor hero Seymour Terry, 96th Infantry Division. You can read about Seymour here.
On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!
I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100
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