Captain, 363rd Fighter Squadron, 357th Fighter Group, Santa Rosa Army Airfield.
Killed in a mid-air crash of Bell P-39Q Airacobra 42-19573, with another P-39, piloted by
2LT Lyle James Maher into the Pacific Ocean, 10 miles W of Point Jenner, California.
Captain Davis was leading three other P-39s in gunnery strafing exercises on a towed target off the Sonoma coast. While concentrating and firing on the target at a 30 degree angle, he was collided with by Lt. Maher's airplane, which was coming in at an 80 degree angle. Both aircraft broke up after the collision. The pilot of the tow target told investigators that one of the airmen parachuted and was observed descending into the water with his parachute fully deployed, but sank below the surface. Investigators believed that neither pilot could see each other prior to impact.
~
Service ID: O-395122.
Killed in a mid-air crash of Bell P-39Q Airacobra 42-19573, with another P-39, piloted by
2LT Lyle James Maher into the Pacific Ocean, 10 miles W of Point Jenner, California.
Captain Davis was leading three other P-39s in gunnery strafing exercises on a towed target off the Sonoma coast. While concentrating and firing on the target at a 30 degree angle, he was collided with by Lt. Maher's airplane, which was coming in at an 80 degree angle. Both aircraft broke up after the collision. The pilot of the tow target told investigators that one of the airmen parachuted and was observed descending into the water with his parachute fully deployed, but sank below the surface. Investigators believed that neither pilot could see each other prior to impact.
~
Service ID: O-395122.
Captain, 363rd Fighter Squadron, 357th Fighter Group, Santa Rosa Army Airfield.
Killed in a mid-air crash of Bell P-39Q Airacobra 42-19573, with another P-39, piloted by
2LT Lyle James Maher into the Pacific Ocean, 10 miles W of Point Jenner, California.
Captain Davis was leading three other P-39s in gunnery strafing exercises on a towed target off the Sonoma coast. While concentrating and firing on the target at a 30 degree angle, he was collided with by Lt. Maher's airplane, which was coming in at an 80 degree angle. Both aircraft broke up after the collision. The pilot of the tow target told investigators that one of the airmen parachuted and was observed descending into the water with his parachute fully deployed, but sank below the surface. Investigators believed that neither pilot could see each other prior to impact.
~
Service ID: O-395122.
Killed in a mid-air crash of Bell P-39Q Airacobra 42-19573, with another P-39, piloted by
2LT Lyle James Maher into the Pacific Ocean, 10 miles W of Point Jenner, California.
Captain Davis was leading three other P-39s in gunnery strafing exercises on a towed target off the Sonoma coast. While concentrating and firing on the target at a 30 degree angle, he was collided with by Lt. Maher's airplane, which was coming in at an 80 degree angle. Both aircraft broke up after the collision. The pilot of the tow target told investigators that one of the airmen parachuted and was observed descending into the water with his parachute fully deployed, but sank below the surface. Investigators believed that neither pilot could see each other prior to impact.
~
Service ID: O-395122.
Inscription
CAPT, US ARMY AIR FORCES WORLD WAR II
Gravesite Details
His body was never recovered. Name on monument next to his parents.
Family Members
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