Commander Wallace M. Davis, United States Naval Reserve, Retired

Wallace Martin Davis was a 1942 graduate of the University of Chicago, attended U.S. Naval Reserve Midshipmen’s School at Northwestern University, receiving a commission as an Ensign on 5 March 1943. On 6 March 1943, he married his high school sweetheart, Lucille Peppers, and five days later, shipped out to serve in the South Pacific during World War II. He fought as a gunnery officer and navigator on the USS Mackinac, USS Yakutat and the USS Fortune in major naval engagements, among them Saipan, Tinian and Okinawa. While serving on the USS Mackinac shortly after the battle of Tarawa, “Tokyo Rose” announced that the Mackinac would be sunk and all hands killed. Japanese planes did attack, but were shot down without damage to the ship. His active duty profoundly affected his commitment to national service, and after his active duty he continued to distinguish himself in the Naval Reserve, where he earned the rank of Commander and was among the first Group Commanders in the U.S. Naval Reserve. He participated in training missions on many ships during his Reserve Career, including the aircraft carrier USS Philippine Sea when it was diverted for a search and recovery mission for a Pan American airliner that crashed in the Pacific Ocean. Commander Davis retired from his distinguished naval career in July 1971, a span of 29 years of loyal and dedicated service to our nation. He passed away, surrounded by family on November 7, 2006.