Dick Davis

LxaMemphis.net


	Dickie Davis - ΖΘ278

MEMORIAL DAY - MAY 26, 2008

3 Point (David Jones, ΖΘ333),

Thank you very much for forwarding this message to me and the others. “Dickie” and I had been friends since high school as we were both involved in ROTC, he at Messick and I at East. We were both initiated into Lambda Chi Alpha and continued our friendship there. He and I played in a folk group along with the Smith Brothers (not of cough drop fame!) and spent many evenings working/playing at the Pastime coffee house on Madison Ave.

I had never heard this report of his demise before and it has made my Memorial Day a most memorable one! It is too bad about the name mistake. Dickie Davis is the only casualty of the Viet Nam war I have ever been able to locate on the Viet Nam Memorial wall in Washington, DC. I encourage anyone who knew him to go to the wall, trace his name on the strips of paper provided and leave a rose or a bunch of roses under his name.

Dickie Davis was a wonderful person and a great fraternity brother. As it turns out, he is also a true American Hero. I’m proud to have known him and considered him my friend and brother!

Joe Weller
Zeta Theta 280

And thank you Joe for passing this information along to the rest of us.

I knew “Dickie” at Messick High School, yes through ROTC. Dickie was 1- 2 years my senior and as you say, he was very active in ROTC. I was into sports and not so much a fan of ROTC, especially since I was allergic to those awful wool pants that went with the uniform we had to wear.

We practiced baseball on a field adjacent to the ROTC armory building and I was much happier sweating it out on the field than marching on the asphalt behind the armory. But he loved it and not to long ago at a Messick reunion I was looking at a picture of him in his uniform with a very pretty ROTC “sponsor” on his arm.

When I got to U of M and started coming over to the LXA house the summer of my senior year, low and behold, Dickie was a brother. I was sure he would black ball me, but as it turned out we became good friends and found we had much more in common than we ever dreamed. That was one of the things about LXA – it helped us find our common bonds. I remember him going off to the war and then I recall receiving that awful news.

It was extremely interesting and rather heart warming to learn this story and that he died as a hero. I would have expected no less from a man as dedicated as he was who didn’t think it was right to stick a “rookie” with a mission like that. Again, thanks for sharing the story and it does give a special meaning to this Memorial Day observance.

Dave McComas
Zeta Theta 305

Thanks for sending this to me. On several trips to Washington, 45 miles down I-95 from Baltimore, I have visited the Viet Nam Memorial Wall several times and know exactly where Dickie's name is listed. Every time I visit the Wall I cry and remember a good friend and a good brother who gave the last measure of true devotion. I miss all of you!

Scooter Clark
Zeta Theta 246

Thanks Joe for this email, Dickie Davis was a great brother and Lambda Chi. His mother and dad were great Lambda Chi supporters also. We all should read the book about Dickie "Once A Warrior King". Your email was so timely on this Memorial Day. May we never forget this American Hero -- our brother. Also, the many unnamed others who died for our country. God Bless America and Lambda Chi Alpha.

A. J. Walton
Zeta Theta 212

Dickie and I became friends as well as fellow pledges in 1962. I will never forget the day I saw his obituary in the Commercial Appeal. He was a wonderful person and had a sense of humor that delights me to this day. Thanks for the memories.

Garry Warren
Zeta Theta 1123

Submitted by
David Jones
Zeta Theta 333



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