KIA on Iwo Jima, World War II
3rd Battalion, 25th Marines, 4th Marine Division
All I've been able to learn regarding this brave Marine is that he was born June 9th, 1915 in Kansas City, Jackson Co., Missouri, the son of Granville Lacy Davidson (1876-1937) and Martha Isabella McCully (1880-1918). James' mother died Nov 24, 1918, and his father remarried within two years to Gladys L. Williamson from Pueblo, Colorado. The union lasted less than ten years. His father remarried once more before 1930 to a woman named Lydia D., (1817-1943). When the 1930 Census was taken in Kansas City, Missouri (on Apr 11, 1930) James was 14 and living with his father, a Taxi driver, and his 2nd stepmother, Lydia. There were four boarders in the home as well. An older brother, Joseph, b.1899, was no longer in the home by 1930. When the 1940 Census was taken, James was married to Helen Flora Balfanz (marriage license was taken out on March 1st, 1940 and they were wed the following day). When James completed his Selective Service Registration Card for World War II, he did so at Local Draft Board No. 13 in Kansas City, Missouri on Oct 16, 1940. He was living with his wife and working in Kansas City, Missouri for William F. Hiles who had a plating company; James worked plating silver. According to his draft registration card, James was 5'8" tall, weighed 140 lbs., had brown eyes, black hair and a dark complexion. He had a scar on his left hand and listed a contact person as "All Mavison"(?), an uncle by marriage. Of interest is that James entered the Marines from the state of Washington. He was a PFC, a member of Co.L, 25th Marines, 4th Marines Division, when he was killed on Iwo Jima, Okinawa Island, Japan on March 10, 1945. His remains were returned to the United States and he was buried at Longview Memorial Park, Longview, Cowlitz Co., Washington. Mrs. Esther Stihman ordered his bronze marker in March, 1949. His parents and older brother are buried in Kansas City, Missouri. I don't know what happened to his wife and would appreciate any information regarding the reason he was in Washington and why he was buried there, considering the history I have for him places him in Missouri thru 1940. [He has the same name as two of my Davidson relatives and at first I believed he was named after my James Orville Davidson relative who is buried in Buena Vista, Polk County, Oregon. I was very surprised to learn he was not, especially since he was living in the Pacific Northwest at the time of his enlistment.]
May he Rest in Peace in Heaven with his Loved Ones, another brave man who gave his life in the fight against hatred and tyranny during World War II.
Respectfully submitted, Kathie L. Webb Blair, 25 May 2018
3rd Battalion, 25th Marines, 4th Marine Division
All I've been able to learn regarding this brave Marine is that he was born June 9th, 1915 in Kansas City, Jackson Co., Missouri, the son of Granville Lacy Davidson (1876-1937) and Martha Isabella McCully (1880-1918). James' mother died Nov 24, 1918, and his father remarried within two years to Gladys L. Williamson from Pueblo, Colorado. The union lasted less than ten years. His father remarried once more before 1930 to a woman named Lydia D., (1817-1943). When the 1930 Census was taken in Kansas City, Missouri (on Apr 11, 1930) James was 14 and living with his father, a Taxi driver, and his 2nd stepmother, Lydia. There were four boarders in the home as well. An older brother, Joseph, b.1899, was no longer in the home by 1930. When the 1940 Census was taken, James was married to Helen Flora Balfanz (marriage license was taken out on March 1st, 1940 and they were wed the following day). When James completed his Selective Service Registration Card for World War II, he did so at Local Draft Board No. 13 in Kansas City, Missouri on Oct 16, 1940. He was living with his wife and working in Kansas City, Missouri for William F. Hiles who had a plating company; James worked plating silver. According to his draft registration card, James was 5'8" tall, weighed 140 lbs., had brown eyes, black hair and a dark complexion. He had a scar on his left hand and listed a contact person as "All Mavison"(?), an uncle by marriage. Of interest is that James entered the Marines from the state of Washington. He was a PFC, a member of Co.L, 25th Marines, 4th Marines Division, when he was killed on Iwo Jima, Okinawa Island, Japan on March 10, 1945. His remains were returned to the United States and he was buried at Longview Memorial Park, Longview, Cowlitz Co., Washington. Mrs. Esther Stihman ordered his bronze marker in March, 1949. His parents and older brother are buried in Kansas City, Missouri. I don't know what happened to his wife and would appreciate any information regarding the reason he was in Washington and why he was buried there, considering the history I have for him places him in Missouri thru 1940. [He has the same name as two of my Davidson relatives and at first I believed he was named after my James Orville Davidson relative who is buried in Buena Vista, Polk County, Oregon. I was very surprised to learn he was not, especially since he was living in the Pacific Northwest at the time of his enlistment.]
May he Rest in Peace in Heaven with his Loved Ones, another brave man who gave his life in the fight against hatred and tyranny during World War II.
Respectfully submitted, Kathie L. Webb Blair, 25 May 2018
KIA on Iwo Jima, World War II
3rd Battalion, 25th Marines, 4th Marine Division
All I've been able to learn regarding this brave Marine is that he was born June 9th, 1915 in Kansas City, Jackson Co., Missouri, the son of Granville Lacy Davidson (1876-1937) and Martha Isabella McCully (1880-1918). James' mother died Nov 24, 1918, and his father remarried within two years to Gladys L. Williamson from Pueblo, Colorado. The union lasted less than ten years. His father remarried once more before 1930 to a woman named Lydia D., (1817-1943). When the 1930 Census was taken in Kansas City, Missouri (on Apr 11, 1930) James was 14 and living with his father, a Taxi driver, and his 2nd stepmother, Lydia. There were four boarders in the home as well. An older brother, Joseph, b.1899, was no longer in the home by 1930. When the 1940 Census was taken, James was married to Helen Flora Balfanz (marriage license was taken out on March 1st, 1940 and they were wed the following day). When James completed his Selective Service Registration Card for World War II, he did so at Local Draft Board No. 13 in Kansas City, Missouri on Oct 16, 1940. He was living with his wife and working in Kansas City, Missouri for William F. Hiles who had a plating company; James worked plating silver. According to his draft registration card, James was 5'8" tall, weighed 140 lbs., had brown eyes, black hair and a dark complexion. He had a scar on his left hand and listed a contact person as "All Mavison"(?), an uncle by marriage. Of interest is that James entered the Marines from the state of Washington. He was a PFC, a member of Co.L, 25th Marines, 4th Marines Division, when he was killed on Iwo Jima, Okinawa Island, Japan on March 10, 1945. His remains were returned to the United States and he was buried at Longview Memorial Park, Longview, Cowlitz Co., Washington. Mrs. Esther Stihman ordered his bronze marker in March, 1949. His parents and older brother are buried in Kansas City, Missouri. I don't know what happened to his wife and would appreciate any information regarding the reason he was in Washington and why he was buried there, considering the history I have for him places him in Missouri thru 1940. [He has the same name as two of my Davidson relatives and at first I believed he was named after my James Orville Davidson relative who is buried in Buena Vista, Polk County, Oregon. I was very surprised to learn he was not, especially since he was living in the Pacific Northwest at the time of his enlistment.]
May he Rest in Peace in Heaven with his Loved Ones, another brave man who gave his life in the fight against hatred and tyranny during World War II.
Respectfully submitted, Kathie L. Webb Blair, 25 May 2018
3rd Battalion, 25th Marines, 4th Marine Division
All I've been able to learn regarding this brave Marine is that he was born June 9th, 1915 in Kansas City, Jackson Co., Missouri, the son of Granville Lacy Davidson (1876-1937) and Martha Isabella McCully (1880-1918). James' mother died Nov 24, 1918, and his father remarried within two years to Gladys L. Williamson from Pueblo, Colorado. The union lasted less than ten years. His father remarried once more before 1930 to a woman named Lydia D., (1817-1943). When the 1930 Census was taken in Kansas City, Missouri (on Apr 11, 1930) James was 14 and living with his father, a Taxi driver, and his 2nd stepmother, Lydia. There were four boarders in the home as well. An older brother, Joseph, b.1899, was no longer in the home by 1930. When the 1940 Census was taken, James was married to Helen Flora Balfanz (marriage license was taken out on March 1st, 1940 and they were wed the following day). When James completed his Selective Service Registration Card for World War II, he did so at Local Draft Board No. 13 in Kansas City, Missouri on Oct 16, 1940. He was living with his wife and working in Kansas City, Missouri for William F. Hiles who had a plating company; James worked plating silver. According to his draft registration card, James was 5'8" tall, weighed 140 lbs., had brown eyes, black hair and a dark complexion. He had a scar on his left hand and listed a contact person as "All Mavison"(?), an uncle by marriage. Of interest is that James entered the Marines from the state of Washington. He was a PFC, a member of Co.L, 25th Marines, 4th Marines Division, when he was killed on Iwo Jima, Okinawa Island, Japan on March 10, 1945. His remains were returned to the United States and he was buried at Longview Memorial Park, Longview, Cowlitz Co., Washington. Mrs. Esther Stihman ordered his bronze marker in March, 1949. His parents and older brother are buried in Kansas City, Missouri. I don't know what happened to his wife and would appreciate any information regarding the reason he was in Washington and why he was buried there, considering the history I have for him places him in Missouri thru 1940. [He has the same name as two of my Davidson relatives and at first I believed he was named after my James Orville Davidson relative who is buried in Buena Vista, Polk County, Oregon. I was very surprised to learn he was not, especially since he was living in the Pacific Northwest at the time of his enlistment.]
May he Rest in Peace in Heaven with his Loved Ones, another brave man who gave his life in the fight against hatred and tyranny during World War II.
Respectfully submitted, Kathie L. Webb Blair, 25 May 2018
