Curtis Gerome Davis (1917 - 1994)

Born 17 Feb 1917 in Cleveland, Bolivar, Mississippi, United States

Ancestors

Died 22 May 1994 at age 77 in Augusta, Richmond, Georgia, United States

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Biography

Curtis Gerome Davis was born on January 17, 1917, in Cleveland, Mississippi.^[1] He was the youngest surviving son of William Irvin Davis and Sally Agnes Woodruff.

In the 1920 census Curtis (age 3) was the son of William I Davis in Beat 4, Bolivar, Mississippi, United States.^[2]

His father was killed by a falling tree in a logging accident in 1920. Afterwards, his mother moved the family to Tennessee for a while, but then they returned to the Mississippi Delta. In 1928, he mother married Mr. Sidney P. Johns.

On the 1930 census Curtis (age 14) was recorded as the stepson of Sidney P Johns in Beat 4, Grenada, Mississippi, United States.^[3]

Sometime after the 1930 census, Mr. Johns died and the family moved to Cleveland in Bolivar County, Mississippi. In 1938, at age 21, Curtis graduated from Cleveland High School, Cleveland, Bolivar County, Mississippi.

With the threat of war looming, on June 27, 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Civilian Pilot Training Act of 1939 into law. The U.S. Army began establishing flight training programs at colleges and universities. Ten men were required for a program to be set up but when Delta State Teachers College came up one short, Curtis became one of nine men and one young woman who became the college's First Flight Class 1939.

Although he was attending Delta State Teacher's College in Cleveland, Bolivar County, Mississippi, he was enumerated with his mother, Sallie Davis Johns, on the 1940 census in Beat 4, Grenada, Mississippi, United States.^[4]

On 7 March1941, The Greenwood Commonwealth (Greenwood, Mississippi) published the announcement that the last six Civil Aeronautics Authority (CAA) graduates had received their private pilots license, including Curtis.^[5]It was anticipated that after completing their training graduates would receive orders to report for training as flying cadets in the U.S. Army Air Corps.

He continued to attended school through 1941 but never finished his college education. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and Hitler's declaration of war on the United States in December made Curtis' entry in the military a foregone conclusion. The only question was when.

Curtis' older brother, Morris Irvin Davis, had married Velva Elizabeth "Babe" Murphy in Grenada, Mississippi in 1935. Morris and Babe started farming in Bolivar County on land that he had inherited after his father's death. Curtis was a frequent visitor and it was there that he met Babe' sister. Stella Clyde Murphy. Curtis married Stella Clyde Murphy on February 9, 1942, in Asheville, North Carolina. ^[6]

On 23 March 1942, Curtis enlisted in the Army Air Corps in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States.^[7]

Between 1942 and 1945, Curtis was assigned to various military bases. He washed out of the pilot training program but was sent instead to become a pilot training instructor, specializing in the Link Trainer. He left the service as a Sergeant on 15 November 1945.

In the 1950 census Curtis (age 33), Farmer, was the married head of household in Beat 4, Bolivar, Mississippi, United States.^[8]

Curtis died (age 77) on 22 May 1994 while residing at his daughter's home in Augusta, Richmond County, Georgia.^[9]

He was buried in the New Cleveland Cemetery in Cleveland, Bolivar County, Mississippi.^[10]

His obituary was published in the Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, Mississippi) on 24 May 1994^[11]

Sources

1. ↑ Death: "United States Social Security Death Index"
   citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
   FamilySearch Record: JBQM-9JW (accessed 6 March 2023)
   Curtis G Davis death 22 May 1994 (born 17 Jan 1917) residing in Richmond, Georgia.
2. ↑ 1920 Census: "United States Census, 1920"
   citing Affiliate Publication Number: T625; Affiliate Film Number: 870; Line: 16; FHL microfilm: 1820870; Record number: 46799;
   FamilySearch Record: MNR2-JD4 (accessed 6 March 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-GRF3-2XC Image number 00963
   Curtis Davis (3), single son, in household of William I Davis (40) in Beat 4, Bolivar, Mississippi, United States. Born in Mississippi.
3. ↑ 1930 Census: "United States Census, 1930"
   citing enumeration district (ED) ED 9, sheet 9A, line 16, family 183, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1145; FHL microfilm 2,340,880.
   FamilySearch Record: XMBT-KMN (accessed 6 March 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9RHN-GFJ Image number 01141
   Curtis Davis (14), single stepson, in household of Sidney P Johns (31) in Beat 4, Grenada, Mississippi, United States. Born in Mississippi.
4. ↑ 1940 Census: "United States Census, 1940"
   citing Affiliate Publication Number: T627; Line: 29;
   FamilySearch Record: VYG6-TKN (accessed 6 March 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 3QSQ-G9MR-NZFR
   Curtis Davis (23), single son, in household of Sallie Davis Johns (50) in Beat 4, Grenada, Mississippi, United States. Born in Mississippi.
5. ↑ 1941 Newspaper: "Newspapers.com"
   The Greenwood Commonwealth (Greenwood, Mississippi) 07 Mar 1941, page
   Newspapers Clip: 27922944 (accessed 6 March 2023)
6. ↑ Marriage: "North Carolina Marriages, 1759-1979"
   citing FHL microfilm: 412577; Record number: 57;
   FamilySearch Record: F8MZ-9M2 (accessed 6 March 2023)
   Curtis C Davis (25) marriage to Stella C. Murphy (32) on 9 Feb 1942 in Asheville, Buncombe, North Carolina, United States.
7. ↑ Military: "United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946"
   citing "Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946," database, The National Archives: Access to Archival Databases (AAD) (http://aad.archives.gov : National Archives and Records Administration, 2002); NARA NAID 1263923, National Archives at College Park, Maryland.
   FamilySearch Record: KM61-NF3 (accessed 6 March 2023)
   Name: Curtis G Davis; Marital Status: Married; Race: White; Military Service Date: 23 Mar 1942; Military Service Place: Charlotte, North Carolina, United States; Birth Date: 1917; Birth Place: MISSISSIPPI; Arc Identifier: 1263923; Branch Alpha Orig: BI; Branch Code: Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA; Branch Code Orig: 00; Civil Occupation: Farm hands, general farms; Civil Occupation Orig: 316; Component Orig: 6; Education: 2 years of college; Education Orig: 6; Enlistment Day: 23; Enlistment Month: Mar; Enlistment Month Orig: 03; Enlistment Place: CHARLOTTE NORTH CAROLINA; Enlistment Place Orig: 4613; Enlistment Term: Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law; Enlistment Term Orig: 5; Enlistment Year: 1942; Enlistment Year Orig: 42; Event Type: Military Service; Grade Alpha Orig: PVT; Grade Code: Private; Grade Code Orig: 8; Major Force Of Assign: 7; Military Occupation: 6915; Reel Box Card: 01522.9; Serial Number: 14061135; Source: Enlisted Man, Regular Army, within 3 months of Discharge or former WAAC Auxiliary; Source Orig: 1.
8. ↑ 1950 Census: "United States 1950 Census"
   citing Page: 15; Line: 9;
   FamilySearch Record: 6FMH-XX42 (accessed 6 March 2023)
   FamilySearch Image: 3QHN-PQHW-J4CY
   Curtis G Davis (33), married, Farmer, head of household in Beat 4, Bolivar, Mississippi, United States. Born in Mississippi.
9. ↑ Death: "United States Social Security Death Index"
   citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
   FamilySearch Record: JBQM-9JW (accessed 6 March 2023)
   Curtis G Davis death 22 May 1994 (born 17 Jan 1917) residing in Richmond, Georgia.
10. ↑ Memorial: Find a Grave (has image)
    Find A Grave: Memorial #29125579 (accessed 6 March 2023)
    Memorial page for Curtis Gerome Davis (17 Jan 1917-22 May 1994), citing New Cleveland Cemetery, Cleveland, Bolivar County, Mississippi, USA; Maintained by ! woowoo (contributor 49949980).
11. ↑ 1994 Newspaper: "Newspapers.com"
    Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, Mississippi) 24 May 1994, page
    Newspapers Clip: 9432586 (accessed 6 March 2023)