Patrick Haralson Davis was born in 1898 in Forest City, North Carolina to Ernest Spencer Davis and Mary Elizabeth Weaver. He had two siblings, Sarah Margaret Davis and Ernest Spencer Davis Jr. and a stepbrother and stepsister Tillman James and Estelle Sarratt.
Pvt Davis enlisted in Cincinnati, Ohio on 7 June 1916. He died of wounds received in action on 11 June 1918 in France.

He was initially buried at the American Cemetery in the community of Lucy-le-Bocage, Aisne, France and was returned to Marion, North Carolina in September 1921.

The Marion Progress, Marion, N.C., 31 July 1919
Patrick H. Davis, a member of the 51st Marines, who is a nephew of Mr. E.B. Baber and Mrs. H.H. Tate of this city, was instantly killed in the attack of June 11m 1918 at Belleau Wood, according to a letter just received by his mother in Seattle, Wash., from Corporal J.F. Russell, Jr., who was with Mr. Davis on the battlefield, and recent advice from the war department. Corporal Russell says he recently visited Mr. Davis grave at Belleau Wood where about 250 marines are buried. “Pat,” he says, “was a very popular boy in the company and will be greatly missed.”

The Marion Progress, Marion, N.C., 15 September 1921
The body of Patrick Harelson Davis, a marine, who was killed in France in 1918, arrived here and the funeral services were conducted from the residence fo Mr. and Mrs. H.H. Tate. Interment was made at Oak Grove Cemetery. A large delegation of soldiers in uniform attended the services. Mr. Davis was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest S. Davis, of Seattle, Wash., and was born June 2, 1898, at Forest City, N.C. He attended the public schools in Knoxville, Tenn., and later entered high school at Bristol, Tenn. On June 2, 1916, Mr. Davis enlisted with the United States Marines at Cincinnati, Ohio, and received his training at the Marion barracks, Paris Island, S.C., after which he was assigned to duty in Port au Prince, Haiti, during the insurrection. From there he was sent with the Marines to Santiago, Cuba, where they captured the city from the revolutionists and turned it over to the Cubian government. In June, 1917, he sailed with the Marines for France, being among the first contingent to arrive there. He was killed in action on June 11, 1918, at Belleau Woods, having previously participated in several minor battles, including the famous charge at Chateau-Thierry. His parents have received the Victory medal together with many documents from the government concerning his heroism and bravery.

  • Rank: Private
  • Date of birth:
  • 2 June 1898
  • Date of death: 11 June 1918
  • County: Sullivan
  • Hometown: Bristol
  • Service Branch: Marine Corps
  • Theater: Europe
  • Conflict: World War I
  • Battles: Toulon Sector, Aisne Defensive, Chateau Thierry Sector
  • Awards: Victory Medal
  • Burial/Memorial Location: Oak Grove Cemetery, Marion, McDowell County, North Carolina
  • Location In Memorial: Pillar V, Middle Panel
  • Contact us to sponsor Patrick H. Davis

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