1st Lieutenant Paul Francis Davis was killed in action.
Paul was the third child of William Harmon Davis I and Anna Theresia Strömgren. Though born in Dallas, Texas, by 1916 his family had moved to Maryville, Tennessee where his youngest brother, John was born. At some point in his early life the family lived in Harlan County, Kentucky, where his father was working as a carpenter in the coal mines. The 1920 Census shows him living in Blount County, Tennessee with his mother and siblings Ruth Katherine Davis, John Alfred Davis, and William Harmon Davis, II. In about 1934, Paul was working with his father and brothers in a furniture repair business. In 1941 he and his brother John were mobilized from the National Guard into active WWII service. They had sworn to remain together and protect each other. However they had no choice in the matter. John was sent to Puerto Rico, however Paul was sent to Normandy.
He married Billie Jo Springer in Jan 1943 in Oklahoma City, OK. He and Billie had no children.
Holdenville Daily News, 7 July 1944
Lt. Paul Francis Davis, husband of the former Miss Billie Jo Springer, member of a prominent Holdenville family, was killed in action over France on June 23rd, Mrs. Davis was informed today in a message from the War Department in Washington. The 28-year-old lieutenant was a pilot of a “grasshopper” plane used to carry infantry troops back on enemy lines. In the service four years, Lieut. Davis was stationed at Ft. Sill most of the time before going overseas in January of this year, landing in England. The last letter received from him by his wife, who new resides in Berkeley, Cal., was dated June 22nd.
The young pilot was a native of Maryville, Tenn., and was a graduate of the high school there. He also was a graduate of the University of Tennessee where he was an honor student. He and Miss Springer were married in Oklahoma City in January, 1943. In addition to his wife, Lieut. Davis is survived by his father; his twin brother, Lieut. John Davis who is en route overseas, and another brother who lives in the east. Mrs. Davis is a niece of Mrs. Gether Wolf, Miss Johnnie Waggoner, Mr. and Mrs. B. Rixleben, Mr. and Mrs. W.D. Waggoner, all of Holdenville. The daughter of the former Mrs. Selma Springer, Mrs. Davis lived here until she moved to California several months ago.
- Rank: First Lieutenant
- Date of birth: 30 May 1913
- Date of death: 23 June 1944
- County: Blount
- Hometown: Maryville
- Service Branch: Army/Army Air Forces
- Division/Assignment: 101st Airborne Division
- Theater: Europe
- Conflict: World War II
- Battles: Normandy Campaign
- Burial/Memorial Location: Pleasant Grove Cemetery, Maryville, Blount County, TN
- Location In Memorial: Pillar VI, Bottom Panel
- Contact us to sponsor Paul F. Davis
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