More detail on this person: Al Davis, LTC, US
Army (Retired) died April 16, 2014 after a long
and valiant struggle with cancer at his home in
Gulfport, Florida.
He grew up in Springfield, Massachusetts,
graduated from Springfield Technical High School
and went on for advanced degrees from University
of Massachusetts and Rutgers University.
Upon graduation from UMass he was
commissioned as 2nd Lt, Armor and completed
flight training with class 69-32. In Vietnam he
flew O-1 Bird Dogs with the 221st RAC and
helicopters with the 611th Trans out of Vinh Long
in IV Corps.
HIs continued career in the Army had him in
various assignments with Combat Developments at
Ft Rucker, with the 3rd Armored Division's 503rd
Aviation Battalion at Fliegerhorst, Hanau, West
Germany. His talents were further utilized when
he served as professor at the Navy War College and
later as Professor of Military Science at the
University of Rhode Island.
He converted his love of flying to a second career
in sailing when he retired and left Army Aviation
in 1990. Al sailed far and wide himself and
taught sailing professionally from his home in
Florida. He ran a sailing school and established
his highly respected Davis Maritime boat survey
business with the help of his best friend/wife
Cindy.
Additionally Al spent these last 12+ years of his
life as an environmental activist in an attempt to
save Gulfport's Clam Bayou Estuary winning a
lawsuit against the EPA; an important an rare
Clean Water Act victory against the government
Goliath. He also advocated for the protection of
the Public's right to access public land and
water. His well researched papers and eloquent
public speeches influenced public policy decisions
for over a decade.
Al Davis is survived by his wife Cindy, their
daughter, Brett Walters, also his daughter
Jennifer and grandson Liam who live in Oregon as
well as legions of Army and civilian friends who
will never forget him.
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site: 04/13/2025
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