Rank: Chief Warrant Officer W-2
Unit: Air Cavalry Troop, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 100B – Utility/Observation Helicopter Pilot
Awards: Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, Air Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Badges: Army Aviator Badge
Unit awards: Valorous Unit Award, Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device
Note: AH-1G, Tail # 68-15121, Pilot
Flight class: 69-9, Fort Wolters, Texas
Enlisted by: Reserve
Date of birth: 3-Mar-1949
Hometown: Brookings, Oregon
Marital status: Never Married
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Entered service: 5-Apr-1968
Start of tour: 14-Jul-1969
Incident date: 2-May-1970
Date of casualty: 2-May-1970
Age at death: 21
Cause of death: Hostile, Died. Helicopter Crash — Crew (MC). Aircraft loss, crash not at sea.
William Wesley Davis was killed while pilot of a military aircraft on a combat operation when the aircraft was fired upon by a hostile ground force, crashed and burned. / Pilot of AH-1G on support mission. Crashed into USAF OV-10 due to hostile fire and burned.
Two Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
CWO William Wesley Davis
WO Steven Joseph Greenlee
Location of fatality: Cambodia, XT 473 972
Place of interment: Ward Memorial Cemetery, Brookings, Oregon, USA
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DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS
POSTHUMOUS
WARRANT OFFICER WO1 WILLIAM WESLEY DAVIS
2 MAY 1970
AIR CAVALRY TROOP
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Warrant Officer Davis distinguished himself for heroism while participating in aerial flight evidenced by voluntary action above and beyond the call of duty on 2 May 1970, while serving as an Aircraft Commander with the Air Cavalry Troop, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date, while flying on a visual reconnaissance mission near the Cambodian border his craft began to receive intense anti-aircraft fire. Warrant Officer Davis immediately maneuvered his helicopter and commenced fire with rockets upon the enemy position. Warrant Officer Davis valiantly attempted to destroy the enemy and save the lives of his fellow crew members but was mortally wounded in the attempt. Warrant Officer Davis’ actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.
Headquarters, II Field Force Vietnam, General Orders No. 2365 (June 1, 1970)
DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS
POSTHUMOUS
WARRENT OFFICER WO1 WILLIAM WESLEY DAVIS
2 MAY 1970
AIR CAVALRY TROOP
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Warrant Officer Davis distinguished himself for heroism while participating in aerial flight evidenced by voluntary action above and beyond the call of duty on 12 April 1970, while serving as a pilot with Air Cavalry Troop, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date, Warrant Officer Davis was flying cover for a sniffer mission when it began to receive enemy anti-aircraft fire and soon crashed. Warrant Officer Davis immediately rolled in to provide suppressive fire for the crew members. Even though he had expended all of his ordnance he continued making passes upon the insurgents in order to control their fire. As the Aero Rifle Platoon was inserted to rescue the crew members of the downed craft, Warrant Officer Davis drew the enemy’s fire by using his helicopter as a decoy. Warrant Officer Davis’ actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.
Headquarters, II Field Force Vietnam, General Orders No. 2652 (June 20, 1970)