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Davis, John Frederick Oliver (J F O)

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Identity
Person No.
29937
Service No.
P1/17749
Last Name
First Name
John Frederick Oliver
Initials
J F O
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
Age at Death
31
Military Service
Rank
Captain
Secondary Unit
Army
Death Record
Date of Death
Cause of Death
Killed in action, in North American F-51 Mustang #321. Four aircraft piloted by Capt J.F.O. Davis, Maj Blaauw, and Lts Cooke and McDonald were on a close support mission, their target being enemy troops in a valley near Yangdogwoni-ni, between the Han and Pukham Rivers. A mosquito control aircraft dived into the valley and fired a phosphorous rocket at the target area he wished the Mustangs to attack, his rocket striking a building and causing a number of enemy troops to run out into the open. Capt Davis and Lt McDonald then went in to the attack, while Maj Blaauw and Lt Cooke flew top cover for them. On the final turn into the attack, Capt Davis' aircraft rolled onto its back at about 1200 feet and appeared to go into a spin. Both napalm bombs then came off, but the aircraft did not recover, continuing to spin until it crashed, together with the falling napalm, into a gully on the side of a hill. Maj Blaauw took over command of the flight and completed the attack
Grave Reference
Additional Information
Notes

Son of Major J. G. Davis of Waterkloof Air Station, Pretoria. ref. 85 years of SAAF

Citation

DFC and bar earned in WW2 as Captain/Major #103138V in SAAF. LG Sup 13 July 1943 pg. 3157; Bar to DFC LG Sup 29 December 1944 pg. 5956

External Source
Unknown
South African War Graves Project

southafricawargraves.org — record #29937