Local News - September 2003

Honored veteran dies

Published September 5, 2003

Gen. Raymond G. Davis
 

By ALICE SMITH, Staff Writer

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Retired Marine Gen. Raymond G. Davis, one of the nation’s most decorated officers and an honorary Lincoln County resident, died Wednesday of a heart attack. He was 88.

Davis holds the military’s highest distinction, the Congressional Medal of Honor, for his efforts in 1950 during the Korean War. He also received two Silver Star Medals, a Legion of Merit with Combat V and the Bronze Star Medal that same year.

Earlier this year, Davis received the Korea Society Van Fleet Award in recognition of the work he had done on behalf of the Korean people.

And just four months ago, he was nominated by a group of Georgia legislators for the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest honor for a civilian recognizing exceptional meritorious service.

“It’s a sad day for our nation and Marine Corp,” said Dale Punch, commander of the American Legion Post 30 in Lincolnton. “He was a Marine Corp legend, period.”

Punch served under Davis in Vietnam.

A Georgia native, Davis was living in the Atlanta suburb of Conyers at the time of his death.

His wife, Willa Knox Heafner, grew up in the Howards Creek community of Lincoln County. They were married 60 years.

They met during World War II when he was stationed in eastern North Carolina and she was a teacher in that part of the state.

The Davises visited Lincoln two or three times a year. The house her grandfather built after the Civil War still stands, and the Heafner family holds family reunions and other functions there.

Davis served as the grand marshal of Lincolnton’s Fourth of July parade in 1995, and then-Mayor Jerry Campbell made him an honorary resident.

He was scheduled to come to Lincolnton in December for an event honoring Jerry Crump and Rufus Johnston.

To Punch, Davis was more than a general.

“I considered him a friend, because he always sent Christmas cards and called me,” Punch said. “He always was for the cause — veterans rights and strong national security with the military. I never heard a bad comment about General Davis.”

His list of accomplishments and awards is lengthy.

In 1987, Davis became vice chairman of the Korean War Veterans Association Memorial Advisory Board. When the chairman died, Davis took over and saw the project through to its completion in July 1995.

“There would be no war memorial if it weren’t for General Davis,” Punch said.

In 1944, he was awarded the Navy Cross and the Purple Heart. He was awarded a second Legion of Merit 15 years later, and in 1968, the Republic of Vietnam awarded him the Distinguished Service Medal and three personal decorations from the Vietnamese government.

Davis was given the rank of general in 1971 and retired the next year after more than 33  years of active service. He was then awarded a Gold Star in lieu of a second Distinguished Service Medal.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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