Clayton Eugene Davis
Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Air Force

Clayton Eugene Davis enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force in November 1941. On 6 March 1942, he transferred to the U.S. Army Air Forces and entered the Aviation Cadet Program. After completion of flight training, on 10 November 1942 he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Corps and rated as a Pilot.

In 1943, 2LT Davis was assigned to the 487th Fighter Squadron, 352nd Fighter Group at Mitchel Field, NY. The 352nd Fighter Group deployed to RAF Bodney at Bodney, Norfolk, England, arriving in July 1943 where it was under the jurisdiction of VIII Fighter Command of Eighth Air Force. However, in the winter months of 1944/1945 detachments of the Group moved to bases in Belgium to provide extra air support to ground forces during the Battle of the Bulge.

On 8 May 1944, then-Captain Davis was serving as Pilot of a P-51 Fighter airplane in the 487th Fighter Squadron, 352nd Fighter Group, Eighth Air Force, U.S. Army Air Forces in the European Theater of Operations.

On that day, CPT Davis' unit was in aerial combat against German forces. CPT Davis led a flight of fighter airplanes in an attack against 15 German fighters and, in the ensuing engagement, destroyed one enemy airplane and assisted in the destruction of another. CPT Davis then joined 2 friendly fighters and was almost immediately attacked from above by 20 or more enemy fighters, one of which he destroyed. Alone and with only 1 gun firing, CPT Davis attacked and destroyed a German fighter over an airdrome while under intense anti-aircraft fire. CPT Davis' flying skills, courageous actions and extraordinary heroism that day earned him the U.S. Army's second highest award for valor, the Distinguished Service Cross.

During a mission on 17 August 1944, CPT Davis was flying P-51 S/N 44-13651 near Noyon, Oise, France when his plane was shot down. After successfully parachuting from the aircraft, he was able to evade enemy forces and make his way back to Allied lines. He was returned to the U.S. where he served as an instructor pilot from November 1944 until he left active duty on 4 October 1945 and was transferred to the USAAF Reserves.

During World War II, CPT Davis was credited with 5 aircraft shot down in aerial combat and 4 aircraft destroyed on the ground.

CPT Davis was recalled to active duty with the newly-established U.S. Air Force on 10 November 1947. He served in Korea with the 4th Fighter Interceptor Group, and then with Headquarters 5th Air Force, during the period March 1954 to January 1955.

As a Lieutenant Colonel, Davis served during the Vietnam War as an Operations Staff Officer with the 1131st Special Activity Squadron in Saigon, Vietnam, from August 1969 to April 1970.

LTC Davis' final assignment was as Operations Officer for the 33rd Tactical Fighter Wing at Eglin AFB, FL, from May 1970 until he retired on 30 November 1970.

Medals, Awards and Badges

Distinguished Service Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
Bronze Star Medal (Merit)
Purple Heart
Air Medal with 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
Presidential Unit Citation
American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 2 Bronze Stars
World War II Victory Medal
National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star
Korea Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal with Bronze Star
Korea Defense Service Medal
Air Force Longevity Service Medal with Silver and Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation Medal
United Nations Service Medal
Vietnam Campaign Medal
Command Pilot Badge

Distinguished Service Cross Citation

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Captain (Air Corps) Clayton Eugene Davis (ASN: 0-666887), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a P-51 Fighter Airplane in the 487th Fighter Squadron, 352d Fighter Group, EIGHTH Air Force, in aerial combat against enemy forces on 8 May 1944. On this date Captain Davis led a flight of fighter airplanes in an attack against fifteen enemy fighters and in the ensuing engagement destroyed one enemy airplane and assisted in the destruction of another. Captain Davis then joined two friendly fighters and was almost immediately attacked from above by twenty or more enemy fighters, one of which he destroyed. Alone at a very lone altitude and with only one gun firing, Captain Davis courageously attacked an destroyed an enemy fighter over an airdrome in the face of intense anti-aircraft fire. The heroic and fearless behavior of Captain Davis in the face of odds and grave danger reflect highest credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States.

General Orders: Headquarters, U.S. Strategic Forces in Europe, General Orders No. 44 (July 22, 1944)

Congressional Gold Medal

The Congressional Gold Medal, created by the U.S. Mint, is the highest civilian honor Congress can give on behalf of the American people. On 20 May 2015, leaders from the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate presented the Congressional Gold Medal to the American Fighter Aces Association at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center Emancipation Hall.

More than 60,000 American fighter pilots engaged in aerial combat during World War I, World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Of those pilots, only 1,447 earned the title of fighter “Ace” by downing at least five enemy aircraft. Lieutenant Colonel Clayton Eugene Davis was one of them, having been credited with 5 aircraft shot down in aerial combat and 4 aircraft destroyed on the ground. At the time of the presentation of the Medal, only 75 of those Aces remained alive.

Death and Burial

Lieutenant Colonel Clayton Eugene Davis died on 9 March 1991. He is buried at the Davis Barrancas National Cemetery in Pensacola, Escambia County, FL, in Plot: 36, 0, 3472.

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