Charles Henry Davis

Private First Class

D Company
2nd Battalion
27th Infantry Regiment
25th Infantry Division

Entered the Service from: New Jersey
Born: April 12, 1947
Died: January 12, 1969
Buried at: Little Ark Baptist Church
                 Dahlgren, Virginia

Awards: Purple Heart

Panel 35W, Line 79
Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Private First Class Charles Henry Davis was born on April 12, 1947 and was the oldest of four children born to Mabel (Pryor) (Davis) Kee and James H. Davis. He grew up in King George, VA with his father and younger brother William Clinton Davis. His younger siblings Cynthia and Wayne Davis grew up in Camden, New Jersey with their mother. Charles moved to Camden when he was 18. He worked briefly for the Campbell Soup company in Camden before being inducted into the United States Army.

Private First Class Davis’ tour of duty in Vietnam began on October 24, 1968. He died on January 12, 1969 as a result of wounds received from an explosive device, most likely a mine or booby trap, in Hua Nghia province, South Vietnam. His body was recovered and he was returned to the United States for burial in Virginia, near where he had grown up.

He is memorialized on Panel 35W, Line 79 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Charles was the oldest of four children born to Mabel (Pryor) (Davis) Kee and James H. Davis. He loved to play music on his bass guitar, back then it was James Brown. Charles grew up in King George, VA with our father and my second oldest brother William Clinton Davis. They grew up together and shared many memories together. Charles loved to hunt and fish. He was a fantastic dancer as well. I and my younger brother Wayne lived in New Jersey with our mother, but as I became older Charles and I became very close. We would exchange letters diligently until he joined us in New Jersey at the age of 18. I truly loved my brother and can still remember the day he left for Vietnam. We took him to the airport in Philadelphia and he was short .10 cent so I gave him that dime. I often wish I never did for that was the last time that I ever saw my brother face to face. Then came that dreaded day when I answered that door bell as I dressed for school that early morning in 1969. I will never forget the expression those military men had on their faces, nor will I forget my mother’s reaction as I awoke her to tell her that they were there, for she already knew what I did not know, that my dear brother Charles had been killed in Vietnam. I still cherish his memory and will forever love and miss him. We spent very little time together growing up because of circumstances that we could not control, but I thank God everyday for what time we did share.

Cynthia Davis-Bumbrey
(only) sister
Sunday, May 28, 2000