A Soldier's Story: Brigadier General Benjamin Oliver Davis Sr.



General Benjamin Oliver Davis Sr. was born on July 1, 1877, in Washington, DC. He enlisted (against his parents' wishes) during the Spanish-American war in 1889 as a 1st Lieutenant but mustered out shortly after.

General Benjamin O Davis Sr. re-enlisted as a Private in June 1899 into the 9th Calvary (The Buffalo Soldiers) and was assigned to the western frontier. With Colonel (then Lieutenant Charles Young's tutoring, he passed the Officers Candidate test in 1901 and was commissioned as 2nd lieutenant

General Benjamin O. Davis Sr. served again with the 9th Calvary during the Philippine insurrection in 1902 when the 9th Calvary was deployed to Liberia in 1911/12 and patrolling the Mexico/US border in 1912.

He returned with the 9th Calvary to the Philippines from 1917-1920.

Between the gaps of his deployments with the 9th Calvary, he taught Military Science and Tactics at Wilberforce University and Tuskegee University.

General Benjamin O. Davis Sr. had the honor of escorting WWI Gold Star Mothers and Widows to the burial places of their soldiers during the summers of 1930-1933.

In 1938 he was assigned to the 369th infantry. He was appointed General on October 25, 1940, by President Roosevelt, becoming the first American of African descent to achieve that rank in any US Military branch.


General Benjamin Oliver Davis Sr. was assigned to the Office of the Inspector General as an advisor to African-American military policies. His inspections during the European Theater were influential in military troop integration.

On July 20, 1948, General Benjamin O. Davis Sr. retired after a 50-year military career, with President Harry S Truman presiding over his public retirement ceremony.

He received the Distinguished Service Medal and the Bronze Star during his military career.

After retirement, General Benjamin O Davis served as an American Battle Monuments Commission member from 1953 to 1961.

General Benjamin O Davis Jr., who died November 26, 1970, is buried in Arlington Cemetery.

****************************************

a.d. elliott is a wanderer, writer, and photographer currently living in Salem, Virginia. 

In addition to the travel writings at www.takethebackroads.com, you can also read her book reviews at www.riteoffancy.com and US military biographies at www.everydaypatriot.com

Her online photography gallery can be found at shop.takethebackroads.com

#TaketheBackRoads


Like my page? Please consider supporting my work by visiting my sponsors, my webshop, or by buying me a cup of coffee!




Location: Arlington, VA 22211, USA

Popular posts from this blog

A Soldier's Story: Lieutenant Sorrell Booke - Korean War

Image
Lieutenant Sorrell Booke was born on January 4, 1930, in Buffalo, New York. Always a performer, he made impressions for the local radio stations while attending Bennet High School, where he graduated class valedictorian in 1948. After high school, Lieutenant Sorrell Booke attended Columbia University, then moved to Yale University to receive his master's degree. However, his college education was briefly interrupted by his enlistment in the US Army during the Korean War, where Lieutenant Booke served as a counterintelligence officer. In 1960, after many years spent on the stage, Lieutenant Sorrell Booke made his way to Hollywood. He took on several roles in film, including one in the movie Black Like Me, before focusing on television roles. Lieutenant Sorrell Booke was nominated for an Emmy for his role in Dr. Kildare. He also appeared on M*A*S*H and All in the Family before landing his most famous role, that of Boss Hogg, in the television series Dukes of Hazzard, a part h...
Read more

An Airman's Story: Staff Sergeant Francis Pershing McNamara

Image
Staff Sergeant Francis Pershing McNamara was born on February 19, 1943, in Pollagh, Ireland. He immigrated to the U.S. at one-month-old aboard the USS Baltic and grew up in Parma, Ohio. Staff Sergeant Francis McNamara enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Services on March 19, 1942, in response to World War II and was trained as an ariel gunner. He was assigned to the 11th Bombardment Group and deployed to the Pacific theater. On May 27, 1943, during a rescue mission, the plane he was on, the Green Hornet, crashed into the Pacific. Staff Sergeant Francis McNamara, First Lieutenant Russell Allen Phillips, and First Lieutenant Louis Zamperini were the only survivors and were adrift in the ocean. After 33 days, on June 30, 1943, Staff Sergeant Francis Pershing McNamara succumbed to starvation and exposure and was buried at sea. He is memorialized in the Court of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial. * Read about a.d. elliott's Everyday Patriot Project here* ****************************...
Read more

A Soldier's Story: Sergeant James Oliver Rigney Jr - Vietnam War

Image
Sergeant James Oliver Rigney Jr was born in Charleston, South Carolina, on October 17, 1948. After his high school graduation, he attended Clemson University and played collegiate football. Sergeant Rigney left college after one year to enlist in the US Army. Training as a gunner, Sergeant James Oliver Rigney Jr. deployed twice to Vietnam with the 68th Assault Helicopter Squadron.   He returned to the US in 1970 and enrolled at The Citadel, where he studied physics. Sergeant James Oliver Rigney Jr. graduated in 1974 and began working for the US Navy at the Charleston Naval Shipyard.  In 1977, Sergeant James Oliver Rigney fell from a submarine in drydock, severely injuring his leg and requiring the reconstruction of his knee. His recovery process was long and was complicated by blood clots. Sergeant Rigney decided during his convalescence to become a writer. He began writing historical works under Reagan O'Neal before writing Western novels as Jackson O'Reilly. Sergeant Ja...
Read more