Army PFC Francis "Frank" Harry Davis was born in Pensacola, Florida on November 22, 1922, the youngest of six children of Leonard Samuel Davis (1895-1965) and Amelia Bowen (1896-1928). His father supported his family mainly as a fisherman but also at times as a policeman and fireman (1916) as well. Frank would lose his mother when he was six-years old but fortunately he had older siblings to help him.
After WWII began in Europe, Frank's brother Beaury Joseph (1920-1994) enlisted in the Navy in 1941, followed by his brother Louis Emmett (1914-1964) with the Army in 1942. Frank would follow his brothers into the service when he left the family home at 806 West Main Street to enlist in the US Army in February 1943. Upon completion of his basic training, he was sent overseas in November 1943 where he was assigned to the 141st Infantry Regiment of the 36th Infantry Division. His regiment had already taken horrible casualties at "Bloody Salerno" and were now fighting on the road to Rome when Frank joined them. After the capture of San Pietro, the Germans began calling them the "wild men from Texas" since the regiment's origins were from there and their regiment crest said "Remember the Alamo!"
Next came the Rapido River in January and February 1944, where it cost the regiment dearly. It was said that platoons were reduced to squads with battalions barely two hundred men. Frank had been wounded in the fighting here but was able to return to his unit after several weeks. Afterwards the 141st hit the beach at Anzio on May 22, 1944 followed by a full-scale assault at Velletri on June 1, 1944. By midnight the town was a shambles, but was finally in American hands. German resistance crumbled then turned into a rout as the regiment marched on Rome. But left behind in Velletri was a young Pensacolian killed in action on June 1st. Francis Harry Davis had been killed in action and sent to the grave's registration unit for burial. His remains were disinterred per his family's request and brought home to Pensacola on August 20, 1948 and buried in Barrancas Cemetery.
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