Harold Davies

Lt. Col. Harold Hopkins Davies, USAF (Ret.), passed away on Saturday November 2, 2013 at the age of 88. Harold was born in Marshall, Indiana on February 7, 1925 to Glenn and Julia Davies. He graduated from Fostoria High School, Fostoria, Ohio, in 1943 and in 1944 joined the Army Air Corps. Harold trained in the P51 Mustang and graduated from flight school in 1944. He was in process of deployment to the Pacific Theater when the war ended. Harold was honorably discharged from the Army in 1945, at which time he became a civilian flight instructor. In 1950 Harold was commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force and he retired as a Lt. Col. In 1969. Much of his Air Force career was as a Pilot and a Flight Instructor. Harold flew 82 combat missions in the Korean Conflict, flying the P51-Mustang during his first tour and the F-86 Sabre Jet during his second tour. He supported ground troops flying the C7-Caribou in Vietnam. Between his foreign service in Korea and Vietnam, Col. Davies served as Chief, Operational Intelligence Division at Hamilton AFB and as Branch Chief, Missile Fuels Division for the Minuteman Missiles Project at Chanute AFB. His Air Force decorations were extensive and included the Distinguished Flying Cross. Col. Davies settled, along with his family, in Gulf Breeze, Florida upon his retirement from the Air Force. During his retirement, Harold returned to school and attended the University of West Florida. He graduated in 1979 with a degree in Education. He taught at Gulf Breeze High School for eight years. Harold was a faithful member of Gulf Breeze Presbyterian Church from 1969 until his death. Harold was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Betty Joann Howell Davies, and his wife Martha Lou Jones Davies. He is survived by his daughter Sandra Stanley and husband Roman, his son Robert Davies and wife Tammy; all of Gulf Breeze. He is also survived by his grandsons Colin Davies and Cameron Davies, both of whom are students at Mississippi State University. A memorial service will be held at Gulf Breeze Presbyterian Church on Tuesday, November 5 at 10:00 AM. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Gulf Breeze Presbyterian Church Building Fund, 100 Andrew Jackson Trail, Gulf Breeze, FL 32563.

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