US Navy Vice Admiral. A cardiologist, he is remembered for his tenure as Surgeon General of the Navy. The child of a country doctor, he was raised in eastern Oklahoma, received his M.D. from the University of Oklahoma in 1939, and joined the Navy immediately after graduation. Trained in internal medicine at Balboa Naval Hospital he spent World War II with the 4th. Marine Division in the South Pacific where he participated in the Iwo Jima and Roi Namur landings then during the Korean War served aboard the hospital ship "USS Haven" (AH-12). The doctor held a variety of assignments, commanded Naval Hospital Yokosuka, Japan, and was promoted to flag rank upon becoming Commanding Officer of the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland. Receiving his third star when he took office as the Navy's 25th. Surgeon General in 1969, he saw several accomplishments during his time at the helm including the founding of the Physician Assistant program and the securing of flag rank for nurses, though he did have to deal with the war in Viet Nam and the lingering fallout from the JFK autopsy controversy. Relocating to central Florida following his 1973 retirement, Dr. Davis spent 20 years as senior consultant to the Office of Disability Determinations, was active in his church, and died of leukemia. Of his time in uniform he said simply "I've never had a bad tour of duty".
US Navy Vice Admiral. A cardiologist, he is remembered for his tenure as Surgeon General of the Navy. The child of a country doctor, he was raised in eastern Oklahoma, received his M.D. from the University of Oklahoma in 1939, and joined the Navy immediately after graduation. Trained in internal medicine at Balboa Naval Hospital he spent World War II with the 4th. Marine Division in the South Pacific where he participated in the Iwo Jima and Roi Namur landings then during the Korean War served aboard the hospital ship "USS Haven" (AH-12). The doctor held a variety of assignments, commanded Naval Hospital Yokosuka, Japan, and was promoted to flag rank upon becoming Commanding Officer of the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland. Receiving his third star when he took office as the Navy's 25th. Surgeon General in 1969, he saw several accomplishments during his time at the helm including the founding of the Physician Assistant program and the securing of flag rank for nurses, though he did have to deal with the war in Viet Nam and the lingering fallout from the JFK autopsy controversy. Relocating to central Florida following his 1973 retirement, Dr. Davis spent 20 years as senior consultant to the Office of Disability Determinations, was active in his church, and died of leukemia. Of his time in uniform he said simply "I've never had a bad tour of duty".
Bio by: Bob Hufford
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