Russell Davis

Russell Davis 1914-1941

Russell Davis was the son of Jefferson & Elizabeth Walters Davis. He was born June 5, 1914 and was listed as missing in action in 1941. His last letter home was received November 24, 1941. The Ward Genealogy by Billie Edyth Ward lists his date of death as December 7, 1941. The War Department did not declare him dead until 1945. As a child I was always told he died on the Death March of Baatan. My dad's brother Johnnie claims to have talked to another soldier that said he survived the Death March and died of yellow fever. I haven’t read his military file to know what the official date was or whether he was actually on the Death March. It just all made for intrigue when I was a child.

Russell graduated from Meade Memorial High School in 1934. His graduating class had a total of 11 students and he was one of the first students to graduate from the new high school that was named after his uncle, Henry Parnell Meade. He went to the University of Kentucky beginning in the fall of 1934 where he studied animal husbandry. He graduated early in 1941.

I have the originals of approximately 70 letters Russell wrote to his parents, sister, etc. beginning in December 1934 and culminating with the last letter his family received post marked November 24, 1941. On that same day his mother, father, and nephew Homer Steven Davis all mailed Russell a Christmas Card. All were returned unopened and stamped Return to Sender, Service Suspended. The Christmas card that his mother sent and that was returned, is shown to the right.

Lexington, KY
November 9, 1940

Dear Mother:

I have been intending to write but just keep putting it off. I found out that my call number is 4911 so it will be a long time yet before I am called. …

Well Roosevelt will be with us four more years. I am glad he was reelected because it shows Hitler where the U.S.A. stands.

Love, Russell

His last final exam was January 25, 1941. Below is another excerpt:

Ft. Thomas, KY
February 19, 1941

Dear Mother:

I think this is the news you are waiting for. I am in the Army now. I don’t know what you will say but I have entered the Foreign Service and am attached to the Signal Corps. This division seems to offer the greatest opportunity for advancement. I will be located on the Philippine Islands. I will only have to serve 2 years…..

We leave for San Francisco 6:00 PM tomorrow ... our boat sails for P.I. Mar. 1^st.

Love, Russell

Ft. Monmouth, NJ
April 3, 1941

Dear Mother:

This finds me O.K. and I have gained 5 lbs since I have been here. I can’t tell you any thing about what I am learning in my instruction courses because we are sworn to secrecy and we are subject to a fine of $10,000 and 10 years in the brig if any of the information is given out. We are not allowed to discuss what we learn to other soldiers out of our own company.

Love to all, Russell

In May, 1941 Russell was transferred to the Air Corp. On July 10, 1941 he left for the Philippine Islands arriving August 20, 1941. There is a large gap in the letters. The next letter is November 1, 1941.

Ft. Wm. McKinley
Manila, P.I.

November 1, 1941

Dear Mother:

…It looks like we are going to be in a real shooting war if attacks on U.S. ships don’t stop. I am hoping for the best anyway. The powder keg over here is still smoldering but isn’t serious at the present time…….

Love to all, Russell

Russell’s last letter was actually undated. It is post marked November 24, 1941.

Ft. McKinley
Manila, P.I.

Dear Mother:

…The mosquitoes are as bad and pestercate you worse than ever. It is hot during the day but cool at night something like August & September at home. There is certain parts of our work which cannot be discussed. We are on duty a half day now and 2 hour fatigue work on Tue. & Thurs. The food is much better now…..

…..The Moro Outlaws have been attacking villages and causing trouble about 100 miles from here. They never bother us here as there is no unexplored territory near here for them to hid in

Love to all, Russell

The Moro Outlaws were a hold over of bush fighters from World War I. They were known as the Bolo men, outlaws of great physical endurance and savage fighting ability. Did they attack? I don’t know. I do know that Russell’s body was never found and that his mother (my great grandmother) never stopped believing that one day he would come home. The fact that they never knew what happened to him was, I believe, even harder on the family than if they were told he had died. It prevented them from putting a closure to his death.

This notice appeared in the Paintsville Herald Feb. 1946

DAVIS DEATH CONFIRMED

Adj. General Writes Williamsport Parents

Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Davis, Williamsport, have received the following letter from the War Department regarding their son, Private Russell Davis, who has been missing in action since May, 1942.

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Davis,

Since your son, Private Russell Davis, Signal Corps, was reported missing in action upon the fall of the Philippines May 7, 1942, the War Department has entertained hope that he survived and that information would be revealed dispelling the uncertainty surrounding his absence. However, as in may cases, the conditions of warfare deny us such information. All available records and reports concerning the absence of your son have been carefully investigated and are deemed to warrant a review of his case. Since the return of our forces to the Philippines and the occupation of Japan, the War Department and the Armed Forces in the field have been making every effort to determine the fate of our personnel who were in the islands at the time of the surrender of Corregidor, through interrogation of former prisoners of war, natives, local officials, enemy records, and other sources. The information obtained has been analyzed and evaluated by the War Department and the field forces and the status of great numbers of our personnel has been definitely established. However, no such information has been received concerning your son. Since no information has been received which would support a presumption of his continued survival, the War Department must now terminate his absence by a presumptive finding of death. Accordingly an official finding of death has been recorded. I regret the necessity for this message but trust that the ending of a long period of uncertainty may give at least some small consolation. May providence grant a measure of relief from the anguish and anxiety you have experienced during these past years.

Sincerely yours,

Edward F. Witsell,

Major General The Adjutant General of the Army