Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1963 Lucky Bag:

JOHN SMITHERS DAVIS

Born and raised in the Washington, D. C. area, Johnny found his way to the Naval Academy after serving aboard the USS Redfish in our Submarine Force, followed by one year at the Naval Academy Preparatory School. Most of his attention at USNA has been focused on academics where he has overloaded in engineering, participated in the Advanced Science and Math Seminar, and still managed to maintain his fine class standing. At the same time Johnny was still finding plenty of time for his favorite hobby, dragging, and keeping a steady flow of mail between USNA and Chevy Chase. Away football games and leaves were the highlights of life for Johnny, a firm believer in “Wine, women, and song.” As for the future, Navy Line should find him a welcome addition and an excellent career officer.

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He was also a member of the 5th Battalion staff (fall).

Loss

John was lost in a midair collision over the North Sea on August 21, 1972. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Shipmate

From the December 1972 issue of Shipmate:

Capt. John S. Davis, USAF, was killed in a mid-air collision of two F-4 Phantom jets over the North Sea near Lowestoft, England on 21 August. Funeral services were held at the AH Saints Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C. on 1 September. Interment was in Arlington National Cemetery.

Born in Washington, DC, he was a 1963 graduate of the Naval Academy. He entered the Air Force upon graduation and was assigned to the Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, and then Stanford U. for graduate work. He received his MS degree in 1964.

Capt. Davis flew 100 combat missions over North Vietnam during 1967 and 1968 in an RF- 4C Phantom. He flew over heavily defended sections in order to photograph the bombing results of the tactical strike forces and to obtain pre-strike photos of proposed targets. Approximately one-third of his missions were flown unescorted at night.

In 1969 he attended the Air University’s Squadron Officer School at Maxwell AFB, Ala. At the time of his death he was stationed with the Royal Air Force at Bentwaters, England.

He was a Life Member of the Alumni Association.

Surviving are his widow, Ann Louise, 4023 Oliver St., Chevy Chase, MD 20015; and two sons, John and William. The family has requested that expressions of sympathy be made in the form of contributions to the Naval Academy Alumni Association.

Family

John was married June 7, 1963 to Anne Humphrey at Chevy Chase, Maryland.