Claude Malcolm Davis Staff Sergeant 12165967 366th Bomber Squadron, 305th Heavy Bomber Group, USAAF Air Medal, Purple Heart September 19, 1923 Brentwood, Brookfield, Colchester Co., NS September 14, 1942 Buffalo, Erie Co., NY Oakfield, Genesee Co., NY 18 5 feet, 5 ½ inches Light Brown Blue August 17, 1943 19 Ardennes American Cemetery, Belgium Plot B, Row 40, Grave 7 Claude Malcolm Davis was the son of Mr. Augustus Earle Davis (1902-1964) and Mrs. Ruby Jesse (Boomer) Davis (1903-1902) of Oakfield, NY. His father was born in Jamaica; his mother – in Nova Scotia. Claude had two brothers – Ronald Vincent (1921-1971), and Francis Widden Davis (1926-2007), and a sister Phyllis Davis. Malcolm’s brother, Corporal Ronald Davis (Service No. 32144271), enlisted in the US Army Aug 27, 1942, in WWII, as did his second brother, Private Francis Davis who enlisted Aug 22, 1944 (Service No. 42097825). Claude’s paternal grandfather, Frank Davis, was born in Gloucestershire, England. Frank enlisted in Halifax, NS with the infantry and served with the 25th Battalion, 2nd Canadian Division, Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War. Claude and his family moved to New York when he was one year old. He attended and graduated from the Oakfield High School. Claude registered for the US draft in Batavia, Genesee County, New York on June 30, 1942. He was living at 21 Farnsworth in Oakfield, NY. He listed his next of kin as Mrs. Frances Allyn (of 20 State St in Batavia, NY) on his Draft registration. He was working for the US Gypsum Company in Oakfield, New York, when he enlisted as a Private in the Air Corps. Staff Sergeant Claude Malcolm Davis was killed serving as an air gunner, the Ball Turret Gunner, on Flying Fortress B-17 #42-30159 nicknamed 'Setting Bull'. The mission flown on August 17, 1943, is probably the most written about mission of the war. This was the famous Schweinfurt/Regensburg mission on which sixty B-17 bombers were lost. It was dubbed "Black Tuesday." The mission finally brought home to the air war planners the true vulnerability of the famous B-17 "Flying Fortress" and the critical need for fighter escorts that could accompany the bomber streams to and from targets deep in Germany as their "Little Friends” engaging enemy fighters. This was one of the most complex missions attempted up to that time in the war and directed deep into Germany to bomb the Messerschmitt production factories at Regensburg and the ball bearing factories at Schweinfurt, Germany. Was assigned to the bombing of the ball bearing factories at Schweinfurt near Frankfurt. Malcolm’s aircraft’s engines were shot by enemy fighter aircraft and anti-aircraft flak fire. Their B-17 crashed near Wegnez, three miles SW of Verviers, Belgium. B17 #42-30159’s crew and their fate were as follows: Rank: Name: Status: Position: 1st Lt. Rothery McKeegan POW Pilot 2nd Lt. Frank Sulkowski POW Co-Pilot 2nd Lt. Martin J Fetherolf POW Navigator 2nd Lt. Baxter Harris POW Bombardier T/SGT Albert Peach POW Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner Sergeant James Prehart POW Radio Operator Staff Sergeant Frank Williams POW Waist Gunner Staff Sergeant Charles Murray POW Waist Gunner Staff Sergeant Robert McLain KIA Tail Gunner

Sources: American Battle Monument Commission National Archives