Frank Graves Davis Jr. was born in Woburn, Mass. in 1923 to father Frank Sr. and mother Flossie M. (Gott). He had five brothers and sisters as listed on the 1940 census.
Davis enlisted in the Navy on August 6, 1942 in Boston. He trained in Newport, RI, and reported aboard the DeHaven the day after commissioning on September 22, 1942 as Able Seaman.
On 1 February 1943, De Haven screened six LCT's and a seaplane tender establishing a beachhead at Marovo on Guadalcanal. While escorting two of the landing craft back to their base in the afternoon, De Haven was warned of an impending air attack by Japanese aircraft supporting Operation Ke. She sighted nine unidentified planes and opened fire as six swung sharply toward her. She shot down three of these planes, but not before all six had dropped their bombs. De Haven was hit by three bombs and further damaged by a near miss. One bomb hit the superstructure squarely, killing the commanding officer instantly. All way was lost after the first hit and the ship began to settle rapidly, sinking about 2 miles east of Savo Island. One of the LCT's she had escorted rescued the survivors. De Haven lost 167 killed and 38 wounded, out of over 300 crew.
S2C Davis' group includes his split broach Type 1 US Mint issue officially engraved posthumous Purple Heart plus copies of internet research.
Spring 2022 sold to a collector.
