More detail on this person: Davis "Dave" Sayes The following was prepared by Dave's classmate Ed Tipshus for the Marines remembered in the Class of 1954 memorial service at the 54th class reunion. Davis Sayes Major U.S.M.C. (Ret) Biography Davis (nick-named Dave at USNA) was born on 4 November 1931 in the small bayou-farm community of Vick, Louisiana. He studied engineering at Louisiana State University for two years, and qualified under the college certificate program for entrance to the Naval Academy on 16 June 1950 with a congressional appointment. Dave was in the 12th company and lived in the 5th wing of Bancroft Hall while at the Academy. Dave graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy on 4 June 1954, and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Marine Corps. He then underwent training as an infantry platoon commander and Marine officer at The Basic School, MCS, Quantico, Virginia. After completion of training in January 1955, Dave received orders to NAS Pensacola, Florida where he successfully completed flight training and was awarded Naval Aviator Wings in July 1956. He then became a flight instructor at Pensacola. In 1958 Dave was transferred to the Marine Corps Air Facility Miami, Opa-Laca, Florida where he spent six months with VMA-324 as an AD-6 pilot. In June 1958, Opa-Laca closed, and he and his squadron moved to Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point, where its parent, the 2nd Marine Air Wing, was located. He flew AD's, and then transitioned to flying the A-4. In October of 1959 he received orders to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina where he was the Air Liaison Officer to the 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines, 2nd Marine Division, FMF. In October, 1960 he returned to Cherry Point and the 2nd MAW as an A-4 pilot in VMA-332. In September, 1961 Dave was transferred overseas to Iwakuni, Japan as a pilot in VMA-332 of the 3rd Marine Air Wing. A year later in 1962 he returned to the states and the 1st Marine Air Wing, El Toro, California as a F9F8T pilot in VMT-1. After two years, he moved to Camp H. M. Smith, Hawaii where he was a member of a joint staff and "Blue Eagle," the CINCPAC Airborne Command Post - a specially configured Air Force C-135 communications aircraft flying out of Hickham Air Base. This aircraft was to be used for command and control operations in the event of Nuclear War. Two years later, Dave went through transitional training in the CH-46 helicopter at Marine Corps Air Station, Santa Anna, California. In November 1967 he was transferred overseas to Vietnam. He was a member of HMM-165 based at Phu Bai, and flew combat missions for various units of the IIIrd Marine Amphibious Corps in the I Corps Tactical Area of South Vietnam, where he was awarded 19 Air Medals and 2 Distinguished Flying Crosses. Upon completion of his combat tour overseas in December 1968, Dave's next assignment was Executive Officer of the Marine Air Reserve Training Detachment, 4th Marine Air Wing, New Orleans, Louisiana. In May 1972 Dave was assigned overseas again to Marine Corps Air Facility, Futenma, Okinawa where he flew helicopters in MAG-36, 3rd Marine Air Wing. From October 1972 to June 1973 he flew Search and Rescue Support missions out of Nam Phong, Thailand. In June 1973 Dave returned from overseas and was assigned as Executive Officer of H&MS-26, a maintenance squadron in MAG-26, stationed at Marine Corps Air Facility (Helicopter), New River, North Carolina. He retired from the Corps and from this last duty station on 1 July 1974. Dave then had an interesting civilian life flying helicopters for a large oil company in Indonesia. Later, he joined the logistics department of the company, and after many years, returned to the U.S. in 1982. Dave has had his share of moving around since returning from overseas: Cleveland, San Diego, Sacramento, Tampa, Venice, Florida, and now back to the old familiar sights. He enjoys semi-retirement, and also keeps his hand in teaching at a nearby school. Dave is married to Pauline, and is at home in the bayou life of Vick, Louisiana, where he hailed from originally. He has one daughter Leslie from a previous marriage, and two grandchildren. The following is a copy of the obituary I have in my files - it is obviously a copy of an obit that was in a newspaper. Funeral services for Mr. Davis Sayes will be held in the chapel of Hixson Brothers Funeral Home in Marksville on Sunday, August 15, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. with Reverend Huey Tarpley officiating. Interment will be in Vick Baptist Cemetery in Vick. Arrangements are under the direction of Hixson Brothers Funeral Home in Marksville. Mr. Sayes, age 78, a native and resident of Vick, passed away at Rapides Regional Medical Center in Alexandria on Friday, August 13, 2010. He is preceded in death by his parents, Hannon and Ida Gorham Sayes, brother, Willie Sayes, sister-in-law, Nellie Sayes, brother, Winston Sayes and sister Edith Nell Sayes. Mr. Sayes began his career as a midshipman in the US Naval Academy in 1950. After graduating from the academy as a 2nd Lt., he attended flight training and served as a pilot on various bases in the US and Japan until he became a member of the joint staff and "Blue Eagles in Hawaii" and later transitioned to flying helicopters and flew combat missions in Viet Nam . He was assigned to Hawaii, Okinawa and flew search and rescue missions out of Nam Phong, Thailand. He retired from the Marine Corps in 1974 and began his civilian life flying helicopters for a large oil company in Indonesia. He received 19 air medals, 2 distinguished flying crosses, the Presidential Unit Citation, two Navy Unit Commendations and a Meritorious Commendation. He is survived by his wife, Pauline Sayes of Vick, one daughter, Leslie Balfour and husband Bruce of Novato, California, one step-daughter, Rebecca McNeal Stuart of Greer, South Carolina, two step-sons, Robert McNeal of Vick, Chris McNeal of Houston, Texas, three brothers, Byron Sayes of Lake Jackson, Texas, Malcom Sayes and wife Avie Normand Sayes of Baton Rouge, Joe Sayes and wife Bobbie Smith Sayes of Tylertown, Mississippi, two grandchildren, Heather and Hope Wilson, eight step-grandchildren, Brian, Zachary and Caleb McNeal, Garrett Stuart, Isaac and Brooke McNeal, Julia Stuart, Lauren McNeal, many special cousins and their families and many devoted friends. Visitation will be held in the chapel of Hixson Brothers Funeral Home in Marksville on Saturday from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. and will resume on Sunday from 8:00 a.m. until time of service. A Masonic service will be held in the chapel at 7:00 pm on Saturday.
Burial information: Vick Baptist Church Cemetery, Vick, LA
This information was last updated 08/04/2020
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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
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