Memorial

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F/O Thomas C. Davis graduated from Rice Lake High School in 1940.

He enlisted in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on 14 September 1940 and was sent overseas in August 1943.

He also participated in the invasion of France.

"I was one of four passengers who crossed the Rhine River near Wesel, Germany 24 March 1945. The glider was piloted by a 2nd Lt referred to as Phil. The Co-pilot was a Flight Officer who was called Tommie by the Pilot.
We landed in the designated landing zone and encountered no flak, small arms fire, enemy aircraft or anti-aircraft fire.
When we left the glider we all hit the ground. About 20 or 30 seconds later they (the Germans) started hitting our glider with 38mm shells.
The first one lit in front of the pilot and killed him immediately. The top of his head was blown off.
I was within a few feet of him and and he was unmistakably killed. After the shell hit he was beyond recognition.
The Co-pilot was then hit with small arms fire, and the hits came also through the floor of the glider. The next shell knocked the wing of the glider.
Then everything seemed to quiet down and all passengers of the glider went to the assembly area, leaving the bodies of the Pilot and the Co-pilot behind.
The next day another passenger, Pfc Karl H. Anderson, and I went back to the glider to ensure the jeep that was in it and both bodies were still in the vicinity of the glider.
We left them there and that is the last I saw of them."