Navy Federal Credit Union

Awards Received

  • Distinguished Flying Cross

    Service:

    United States Army Air Forces

    Rank:

    First Lieutenant (Air Corps)

    Action Date:

    September 24, 1944

    Citation Courtesy of the Distinguished Flying Cross Society – www.dfcsociety.org

    The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to First Lieutenant (Air Corps) Marvin R. Davis, United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary achievement while serving as a B-24 pilot over enemy territory on 24 September 1944. On that date, Lieutenant Davis was on a gas hauling mission when his aircraft was fired upon and took battle damage. He was caught in low level fire and took tactic of evasive action. As soon as he saw the burst, he did an immediate 90 degree descending turns at five-second intervals. As he made his 90 degree turn at the five, one second interval, he noticed that the flak bursts were directly on his old course. Lieutenant Davis tactics, as explained in the debriefing, were perhaps the only thing that saved the entire crew and his aircraft. The outstanding heroism and selfless devotion to duty displayed by Lieutenant Davis reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Forces.