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The Reaper
01-24-2004, 18:26
December 7, 2001


Donnie Davis made the ultimate sacrifice

The war on terrorism hit home Wednesday with the death of Master Sergeant Jefferson "Donnie" Davis in Afghanistan. Davis and two other American soldiers were killed Wednesday when a U.S. bomb missed its Taliban target north of Kandahar.
The three Green Berets were members of the Army's 3rd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group, stationed at Fort Campbell, Ky.
The 39-year-old Davis was a 1981 graduate of Elizabethton High School, where he played both football and basketball. He attended Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, N.C., and East Tennessee State University before entering the U.S. Army in 1983.
Davis had made a career in the military and had served in Korea, in the Middle East during Desert Storm, Somalia, and had gone to Afghanistan in October.
Donnie, as he was known to his friends, was a serious soldier. He knew the risks involved in being a Green Beret, but he gladly accepted his responsibilities. It was not an easy task to leave his wife and two children and go to war. He had been in the military for 17 years, and had met his wife while serving in Korea.
His friends called him "kind" and "devoted." His coaches remember him as "respectful," an "achiever," "hard worker," and someone who had a great work ethic. His former teammates knew him as "hustler" and a "competitor."
Former Elizabethton High School Coach Dave Rider said, "He was the kind of boy every parent wants his son to be like."
He went from college to becoming a soldier, and he volunteered for the toughest of jobs -- that of a Green Beret. He was on the front lines, never backing down, and truly believed in what he did.
In wars, people die. But, we never think of it being someone in our community, someone who grew up here, someone you played ball with or coached.
Donnie Davis died a hero. He gave the ultimate sacrifice for the freedom we enjoy. He was one of those who not only guarded our freedom day and night, but fought for it.
We knew when terrorists struck New York City and Washington, D.C., on September 11 that there would be retaliation, and it would involve our military. We also knew that eventually it would hit home, and that it did Wednesday.
Carter County has always been at the forefront of most conflicts involving our nation, sending our sons and daughters to fight. In all instances, there have been some who paid the supreme sacrifice. Donnie Davis' name will be added to that long list of people. He will be someone we will always remember and be grateful to for the price he paid for freedom, for giving his life that we may remain free.
To his family and many friends, we share your sympathy. Master Sergeant Jefferson "Donnie" Davis has made us all proud Americans. At the same time, it puts a lot of things in perspective. It reminds us of how much freedom costs. Never let us take it for granted.

JGC2
06-06-2015, 23:14
For those who knew MSG Davis but have been off the net for a while, his family still has the same house, his daughter is married and thriving in a new career in education, his son is in college and working locally, and all of them are just downright stand-up people. He'd be proud to see what they've become.

PRB
06-07-2015, 10:29
For those who knew MSG Davis but have been off the net for a while, his family still has the same house, his daughter is married and thriving in a new career in education, his son is in college and working locally, and all of them are just downright stand-up people. He'd be proud to see what they've become.

Thanks, that is good to know....He was placed in a crappy position in the SWTG, but as a professional, did a great job.
RIP.

miclo18d
06-08-2015, 05:21
Thanks, that is good to know....He was placed in a crappy position in the SWTG, but as a professional, did a great job.
RIP.
He was the Senior Instructor at SFMS when I went through. Was he in another position? Or was that job crap? Obviously, there are much cooler jobs. Just curious as I was lucky to never have served a day in SWTG.

I remember that just prior to finishing that job and heading to 5th, he had an operation on the tendons in his ankle and was healing from that. I had asked him about the operation because I have bad ankles and was considering it myself. He told me that his "bad" ankle was now better that his "good" ankle.

He always was such a helpful person. I never saw him angry or with a bad attitude (as I saw with a few of my instructors). Always mentoring. He was my patient at "Med Board"! I will never forget RMSF!!!!! I still see his face roaming those halls. My memories of him are distinct. I had a lot of respect for him, without really knowing him.

My first TS was MSG Jeff Davis, not him but another. We were at Camp Lejune at the chow hall when we saw the news of his death and we were all in shock! My TS told us that they had been to service schools together and were often confused with each other, by others.

Just wanted to jot down some of my memories of him.

PRB
06-08-2015, 09:21
He was the Senior Instructor at SFMS when I went through. Was he in another position? Or was that job crap? Obviously, there are much cooler jobs. Just curious as I was lucky to never have served a day in SWTG.

I remember that just prior to finishing that job and heading to 5th, he had an operation on the tendons in his ankle and was healing from that. I had asked him about the operation because I have bad ankles and was considering it myself. He told me that his "bad" ankle was now better that his "good" ankle.

He always was such a helpful person. I never saw him angry or with a bad attitude (as I saw with a few of my instructors). Always mentoring. He was my patient at "Med Board"! I will never forget RMSF!!!!! I still see his face roaming those halls. My memories of him are distinct. I had a lot of respect for him, without really knowing him.

My first TS was MSG Jeff Davis, not him but another. We were at Camp Lejune at the chow hall when we saw the news of his death and we were all in shock! My TS told us that they had been to service schools together and were often confused with each other, by others.

Just wanted to jot down some of my memories of him.

Normally you ask the question first, get the answer, then go on a rant....Later he got stuck with the EO job......

miclo18d
06-08-2015, 21:04
Normally you ask the question first, get the answer, then go on a rant....Later he got stuck with the EO job......

Not a rant SGM. Just my memories of Jeff. Just wondering. I thought he went straight to 5th around the time I graduated SFMS.