William Sheldon Davis III

CAPTAIN WILLIAM SHELDON DAVIS III
U.S. Air Force Academy, Class of 1959

William Sheldon Davis III, affectionately known as "Witt" or "Sonny" to his classmates, was a member of the historic first graduating class of the United States Air Force Academy. A native of Demarest, New Jersey, Bill brought a unique blend of artistic talent and a thirst for high-performance adventure to the fledgling Academy in 1955.

THE ACADEMY YEARS
During his time at USAFA, Bill was a member of Cadet Squadron 2. He was widely recognized for his creative contributions, serving as the Art Editor for TALON magazine for two and a half years. His classmates remembered him for his "three R's" fixed on his cartoons, and his dedication helped transition the publication into a professional-quality magazine.

Outside of the editorial room, Bill was known for his love of speed. His 1959 Polaris entry cheekily noted that he spent his time preparing for pilot training by racing Corvettes in his "overpowered MGA." Upon graduation on June 3, 1959, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, eager to join the Tactical Air Command and fly fighters.

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MILITARY SERVICE AND VIETNAM
Following graduation, Bill completed pilot training and transitioned into the B-57 Canberra, a tactical jet bomber. Between 1964 and 1966, he pursued post-graduate studies at the University of Colorado before deploying to Southeast Asia.

By 1966, Captain Davis was serving with the 13th Bombardment Squadron (Light), known as the "Grim Reapers," based out of Da Nang Airbase, South Vietnam. On September 19, 1966, Bill was flying as the navigator/co-pilot in a flight of two B-57Bs. While returning from a strike mission against Viet Cong targets approximately 10 miles southwest of Gun Lai, his aircraft (number two in the formation) sustained ground fire. The lead aircraft, after losing voice contact, observed a column of smoke and the wreckage of Bill's aircraft near Tra Bang. Both Bill and his pilot, Major Warren L. Gould, were killed in the crash.

FAMILY AND REMEMBRANCE
Bill was a devoted family man, survived by his wife, Linda, and their 15-month-old daughter. Before his tour in Vietnam, he had made a poignant request to his mother, Mrs. Eugene Smith: if anything were to happen to him, he wished to be buried at the Academy he helped pioneer.

True to his wishes, Captain Davis was laid to rest at the United States Air Force Academy Cemetery. His name is also permanently etched on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., at Panel 10E, Line 117.

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SERVICE ASSIGNMENTS

Years Unit / Assignment Location
1955–1959 Cadet, United States Air Force Academy Lowry AFB / Colorado Springs, CO
1959–1963 HQ (Staff) US Air Force Academy Colorado Springs, CO
1964–1966 Post-Graduate Student, University of Colorado Boulder, CO
1966 1115S, 405th Fighter Wing Da Nang Airbase, South Vietnam
1966 13th Bombardment Squadron (Light) Da Nang Airbase, South Vietnam
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Medals and Commendations
• Distinguished Flying Cross
• Bronze Star Medal
• Purple Heart
• Air Medal (with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster)
• National Defense Service Medal
• Vietnam Service Medal
• Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
• Air Force Presidential Unit Citation

"Lord, guard and guide the men who fly, Through the great spaces of the sky... Oh hear me when I lift my prayer, For those in peril in the air." — Excerpt from the 1959 Polaris entry for William S. Davis III.