- Alfonza W. Davis
Infobox Military Person
name= Alfonza W. Davis
born= birth date|1919|11|23
died= death date and age|1945|7|30|1919|11|23
caption= Alfonza W. Davis
nickname=
placeofbirth=North Omaha ,Nebraska
placeofdeath=
allegiance= United States of America
branch=United States Army Air Corps
serviceyears= 1942 - 1945
rank= captain
unit=Tuskegee Airmen
commands= Squadron commander,99th Pursuit Squadron
battles=
awards=Purple Heart Distinguished Flying CrossDistinguished Unit Citation
relations=
laterwork=Alfonza W. Davis (born Birth date|1919|09|23 - death date|1945|7|30) was the first
African American aviator from North Omaha,Nebraska to be awarded his "wings." He was a member of theTuskegee Airmen , a recipient of thePurple Heart , Distinguished Flying Cross and theDistinguished Unit Citation . Davis was assumed to be dead after going missing on or aboutJuly 30 ,1945 over theAdriatic Sea .Biography
Davis graduated
valedictorian from Omaha's Technical High School in 1937 and went on to attend Omaha University. [ [http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_np=0&u_pg=57&u_sid=1002685 "29 People You Should Know: Fighter pilot took part in 'double V campaign'"] ] At Omaha University, he was a member ofKappa Alpha Psi fraternity.Davis joined the Army Air Corps in 1942 during
World War II . He received his flight training atTuskegee Airfield in Alabama, becoming the first African American from Omaha to graduate and earn his wings. Having graduated at the top of his flight class, he was chosen to be squadron leader of the302d Fighter Group based in Italy. He later became attached to the332d Fighter Group as the Assistant Group Operations Officer.http://www.orgsites.com/ne/taicentral/biographies.pdf] The 332d was an allAfrican American unit, known as the "Red Tail" group because of their special aircraft paint scheme. [http://www.aero.state.ne.us/davis.htm ] at www.aero.state.ne.us]He achieved the rank of captain, flying mostly the
P-51 Mustang escort fighter.Davis' awards and decorations included: aPurple Heart , the Distinguished Flying Cross, and aDistinguished Unit Citation . He was credited with one aerial victory in theMediterranean Theater of Operations onJuly 16 ,1944 .During his last assignment with the
99th Pursuit Squadron as Squadron Commander, one of the fighter group Davis commanded destroyed 83 German aircraft. While on areconnaissance mission toMunich, Germany , Davis was lost and declared missing in action near theGulf of Trieste in overcast weather. TheUnited States Department of War later issued a presumptive finding of death while missing in action onOctober 30 ,1945 .Legacy
The Alfonza W. Davis Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen was founded in Omaha in 1988 to conduct historical research and document the "pioneering men and women in military aviation who served our country, fighting two wars—one against enemy military forces and the other against racism at home and abroad."
Davis is memorialized on the
Tablets of the Missing at theSicily-Rome American Cemetery . [ [http://www.indianamilitary.org/92nd/Current%20Affairs/CurrentAffairs.htm "Current Affairs"] . Retrieved 12/28/07.]ee also
*
People from North Omaha, Nebraska
*History of North Omaha, Nebraska References
External links
* [http://www.omahatuskegeeairmen.org/ The Alfonza W. Davis Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen]
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