After an exhaustive 6-month vetting process involving multiple nominations, my father was inducted into the Command & General Staff College Hall of Fame at Fort Leavenworth, KS, in May, 2010. Thus, he joins the prestigious ranks of great military leaders such as MacArthur, Eisenhower, and Bradley who were deemed exceptional contributors to the College and to the United States Army as a whole. This document is the speech that I made at the induction ceremony in honor of my father.

1. COL Charles W. Davis [Dec.] Ft. Leavenworth Hall of Fame Induction
May 11, 2010
Remarks by J. Kirk Davis, Son
General and Mrs Caslen, Honorable Boswell, distinguished guests, friends and members of the
Army family and, last but never least, students of the Command and General Staff College, along
with my sister, Carol Denier, we are distinctly honored and privileged to serve as our father’s
emissary.
On behalf of our father and members of the Charles W. Davis family gathered here as well as
those who are here only in spirit, I extend our gratitude to you, General Caslen, for hosting this
solemn occasion.
Of course, we would not be celebrating this particular induction were it not for the Hall of Fame
Board of Governors’ decision to select our father for this much-deserved tribute.
Also, I wish to acknowledge the crucial first step in the nomination process which Dr. James H.
Willbanks, Director, Department of Military History and, now, George C. Marshall Chair for
Military History, assumed unhesitatingly. Thank you, Jim.
For several years, Carol and I debated what to do with the actual Medal of Honor in our
possession. I remained reluctant to give it up to a public display... that is until a year ago when I
walked in to this Hall of Fame. Simple yet elegant... majestic yet inviting... it is a handsome
tribute to hundreds of Americans whose sacrifices, including at times life itself, helped make and
keep our great country safe.
One of the most outstanding members of this elite fraternity is COL [Ret.] Roger Hugh C.
Donlon who was the first man to receive the Medal Of Honor in Vietnam, as well as the first
member of the United States Army Special Forces so honored. COL Donlon: We salute you.
Now our father’s story can be kept alive, not by chance or by occasional publicity but rather by
its own inherent power to touch, move and inspire so many soldiers and leaders, present as well
as future, in the United States Army that he loved so much.
I also wish to express my deep gratitude to Richard B Frank, who has graced us with his
presence. Award-winning author and preeminent WWII historian, Rich has given me
encouragement to give shape to and share what he has called “the tremendous story” of my father
and mother in their finest moment. In his book, ‘Guadalcanal; The Definitive Account of the
Landmark Battle” he included a sentence that vividly brought to life my father’s heroic encounter
with the enemy: “This sequence of gestures took place in full view of the Japanese and his
battalion, for the sky perfectly silhouetted Davis on the ridge top. “

2. Hero: “A person of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble
qualities.” One of my father’s “noble qualities” that surely kept him alive that fateful morning is
reflected in the following adage:
"Wisdom is knowing what to do next: virtue is doing it."
- - David Starr Jordan
Hero: COL Charles W. Davis... aka “The Hero of Galloping Horse” His actions as a warrior have
been and continue to be the subject of many a thorough accounting; but what about Charles Davis
the man? What about his humanity? This is the side I would come to know well but I would learn
about the hero solely from books.
Humanity.
- the quality or condition of being human; human nature itself.
- the quality of being humane; kindness; benevolence.
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3. This is the father I knew... a humane, kind and benevolent man, in many ways, the personification
of human nature itself if for no other reason than his great capacity for enjoying life... A man who
wore his uniform comfortably... who left his rank at the office when he arrived home... who
rarely spoke ill of anyone... who treated the common man and the dignitary with exceptional and
equal civility... who throughout his lifetime took far less from others than he gave them.
What I cannot tell you is what he was like 67 years ago. But help is on the way.
It is the historian’s good fortune that Mother archived over ninety letters Dad sent from Hawaii
and Guadalcanal in 1942 and 1943. They reveal many of the ordinary struggles in life that most
newly married couples confronted in WWII especially those living worlds apart. They also
expose the powerful, intimate bond of love Dad recreated over and over in the written word, I
suspect, to mentally erase the vast physical distance separating them. Above all, they provide us
with a rare glimpse into one man’s heart full of virtue, honor and valor.
Then, there are the voices of men from the South Pacific who served with him in the 27 th Infantry
three of whom recently shed light on the character of the 26 year-old Charles W Davis.
Clarence Irvin – Hawaii ‘42 Dad’s Executive Officer in G Company 27th Inf
“We were going on exercises in the mountains, we had a problem one day, and General Collins
—brand new—was coming to see us operate. And so Davis had the guys put cork-things on their
faces and straw in their helmets, which nobody had done before, and we did this thing and the
General was absolutely, completely happy. .... the General liked it so much he came back and
made him the battalion executive officer. Moved the battalion executive officer out and made him
the battalion executive officer and he was the youngest [captain] in the entire regiment! “
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4. 2. Keith Hook / Dad’s Intelligence Officer on New Georgia in the 3d BN 27th Inf
“Your father was very modest despite the fact that ‘everybody knew Charlie.’... He was a [fine?]
soldier and officer—he inspired confidence and we knew what we were doing. He never put on
airs and was modest and treated his men with respect. My father lived and taught me to never ask
anyone to do anything you would not do yourself—and Charlie lived by that too.”
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5. In his memoirs, Keith writes: “We established our Battalion Headquarters so we could face and look out
through the brush to Vila, on the other side of Brackett Straits. ... there were only three of us in it at the
time: the Battalion Commander, the Chaplain and myself. That was the Headquarters. The Japanese got to
the top of the ridge, placed their machine guns and were firing at us. There was a huge tree trunk lying on
its side, which was about 3 feet off the ground. We were behind that. And the machine gun bullets were
hitting the topside of the trunk. I was shaking and trying to stay calm I would say to myself ‘Goddammit,
Hook, get hold of yourself.’ Then I figured I’d look to Chaplain Mackerel [Nickname: Holy Mackerel],
he’ll give me inspiration. So I looked over to the Chaplain, and he didn’t give me inspiration because he
was shaking like that too. His position fascinated me, because he had his head down and his butt up in the
air. And I thought that was kind of dumb. So I figured, well, Colonel Charles Davis, the battalion
commander, he’ll give me inspiration. He received the Congressional Medal of Honor for leading an
attack on the Japanese on Guadalcanal. And so I looked over at him, and he was shaking like that too. And
I said to myself, Oh well, hell, forget it and just shake away. Fortunately, the attack was broken off, so we
never got hit.”
Willard Dominick, Sergeant HQ company 2nd Battalion
“Your father was the most congenial, down-to-earth individual with a very solid personality. He
had a remarkable calmness, self-assurance and friendliness. I knew no one that did not like him.
He was strong, handsome, and a perfect physical specimen in every way. He was a beautiful man
and had a beautiful personality and a beautiful soul.
He treated the lowest private as an equal; he was gracious, an inspiration to everyone; he was
like a buddy who conveyed an intimate feeling of camaraderie.”
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6. Revis Burkhalter, L Company 3 Bn 27th Infantry
“All us soldiers hugging the ground would look up at your glorious father and see his gold oak
leaves shining on his collar, walking up and down as the Jap grenades landed all around us
showering rocks and dirt, yelling "bad names" at us asking "are you gonna just lie there and die
or are you gonna get up and fight???!!!"
Your father was a soldier. He lived [for] the war. He was not a timid man. He was a Rambo with
a gun in his hand.”
Rest assured, there is undoubtedly another much softer side to this “Rambo”... as revealed in over
ninety emotion-charged letters that Dad sent from the South Pacific to my mother, his “darling
Joan”.
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7. First, here are a few excerpts concerning his pride in the Army, its fighting soldier, and his own
devotion to duty:
January 28, 1943: I am now a Major in the Army of the United States and a grand army
it is too- Yes, darling, I am so proud and happy... January 30, 1943:
I am perfectly contented in my work and missing you is the only drawback to the whole
thing... February 5, 1943: My darling—I would give any material thing I possess to be
with you ...but then again I think of the duty and trust that has been placed in these fine
boys overseas... and then I know it is my place here and that’s all there is to it... Feb 18,
1943: I have everything I need- a fine, beautiful wife- a lovely daughter ... and a clear
conscience that I am serving my country when it counts. April 4th, 1943: I must write you
again my darling to give you some wonderful news.. your husband has been made
commander of the 3d Battallion of the 27th Infantry and will mean that I will soon be
made a Lt. Colonel.... the promotion isn’t the big thing, although it is nice, it is the fact
that I am in a position to shoulder a larger responsibility and probably do more for my
country, which I feel I am indebted to. July 28, 1943: ... I can hardly realize I am to
receive the country’s highest award and sometimes wonder as to my deserving it... I will
probably be wearing the “un slickest” uniform of any man ever to receive this award but
that doesn’t matter as long as it is the uniform of my country—that’s all that matters...”
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8. Two additional remaining elements will complete my human portrait of Charles W
Davis. First, his towering love and devotion for his “darling Joan” expressed so
passionately in each and every one of his letters.
March 13, 1943
He has sent Mother “the greatest news that any soldier has ever written home to a
beautiful girl that is waiting for him...” his recommendation for the Congressional Medal
of Honor. The letter closes: “ My sweet, look at me as you closely hold our most dear
possession and tell me that you love me and that you are always pulling for me which I
know you are. I am yours forever and set my goal to act, be, and do as you and Carol
would want me to. To me, you are my complete life and without you there is a very large
vacant spot that cannot be filled until I am with you again. All my love to you, Joan, my
first and only love, forever and ever... Charles.”
And second, the love of a mother for a son serving in the war:
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9. In February, 1943 my grandmother, “Mama Davis,” wrote the following poem:
Thanks, Dad... For everything.
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