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Contact Info
Home Town Unknown
Last Address San Antonio, Texas
Date of Passing Aug 31, 1973
Location of Interment Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery (VA) - San Antonio, Texas
Michael F. Davis was born on March 25, 1894, in New Richmond, Ohio. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., and was commissioned a second lieutenant, Infantry, on June 12, 1915.
His first assignment was to border duty where he served at El Paso and San Antonio, Texas, until September 1916 when he transferred to San Diego, Calif., for flight training. He then received additional flying training at Columbus, N.M., and Kelly Field, Texas, successively from May to December 1917, when he sailed for London, England, in command of the 50th Aero Squadron. He served with the Royal Air Force from May until July 1918 when he joined the 3rd Aviation Instruction Center, American Expeditionary Forces, at Issoudin, France. The following October he was assigned to the School of Gunnery at St. Jean de Monts, France, until the next month when he assumed command of the 4th Pursuit Group, Toul, France.
He returned to the United States, and in January 1921 proceeded to Ross Field, Calif., to attend Army Balloon School. In March 1992 he transferred to the Presidio of San Francisco of San Francisco, Calif., for duty with the organized reserves at Headquarters Ninth Corps Area. He was named Executive Officer, 312th Observation Group, at the Presidio of San Francisco in March 1924, and the following July moved to Rockwell Field, Calif., for a brief tour of duty.
His next assignment was to the Balloon and Airship School, Scott Field, Ill., where he graduated in June 1925. He then served at Maxwell Field, Ala., until September 1925 when he was assigned to the Air Service Tactical School, Langley Field, Va. He graduated in June 1926 and was assigned to Fort Leavenworth, Kan., where he graduated from the Command and General Staff School in June 1927. He then returned to Langley Field, Va., as an instructor at the Air Corps Tactical School.
In July 1929 he was placed in charge of the School Section, Training and Operations Division, Office of the Chief of the Air Corps, Washington, D.C., serving until July 1931 when he moved to Crissy Field, Calif., assuming command of the 91st Observation Squadron and also becoming Post Commander. He subsequently relinquished command of the 91st Observation Squadron and remained in command of Crissy Field until March 1933. At that time he was ordered to Fort Shafter, Hawaii, where he became Assistant to the Air Officer and Wing Operations, Training and Communications Officer, 18th Composite Wing.
In October 1935 he was named Assistant to the Executive, Office of the Chief of the Air Corps, Washington, D.C. From July 1936 to June 1937, he served as Acting Executive Officer, Office of the Chief of Air Corps, and then became the Executive. From February to September 1939, he was Executive, Training Group, in the Office of the Chief of Air Corps, and then was assigned to the Army Industrial College, Washington, D.C. He graduated in June 1940, when he proceeded to Hamilton Field, Calif., for duty as Base Executive and Commanding Officer of the 45th Air Base Group.
He assumed command of the 10th Pursuit Wing and became Base Commander, Hamilton Field, Calif., in January 1941. In July 1942 he became Commanding Officer, San Antonio Aviation Cadet Center, San Antonio, Texas. He subsequently was named to command the 509th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron, additionally. In February 1944 he was named Commanding General of the 78th Flying Training Wing, San Antonio, Texas.
He is rated a balloon pilot, combat observer, balloon observer and technical observer.
Mexican Service Campaign (1911-1919)/Pancho Villa Expedition (1916-1917)
From Month/Year
March / 1916
To Month/Year
February / 1917
Description The Pancho Villa Expedition—now known officially in the United States as the Mexican Expedition but originally referred to as the "Punitive Expedition, U.S. Army"—was a military operation conducted by the United States Army against the paramilitary forces of Mexican revolutionary Francisco "Pancho" Villa from March 14, 1916, to February 7, 1917, during the Mexican Revolution 1910–1920.
The expedition was launched in retaliation for Villa's attack on the town of Columbus, New Mexico, and was the most remembered event of the Border War. The declared objective of the expedition by the Wilson administration was the capture of Villa. Despite successfully locating and defeating the main body of Villa's command, responsible for the raid on Columbus, U.S. forces were unable to prevent Villa's escape and so the main objective of the U.S. incursion was not achieved.
The active search for Villa ended after a month in the field when troops sent by Venustiano Carranza, the head of the Constitutionalist faction of the revolution and now the head of the Mexican government, resisted the U.S. incursion. The Constitutionalist forces used arms at the town of Parral to resist passage of a U.S. Army column. The U.S. mission was changed to prevent further attacks on it by Mexican troops and to plan for war in the eventuality it broke out. When war was averted diplomatically, the expedition remained in Mexico until February 1917 to encourage Carranza's government to pursue Villa and prevent further raids across the border.
