Davis, Lt. Col. George A., Jr.

By the Handbook's account, Davis flew his sixtieth and last Korean combat mission on February 10, 1952, scoring his thirteenth and fourteenth victories and becoming the nation's leading jet ace at that time. In the Pacific he had already made ace, with seven victories, flying some of the first P-47s there. The Medal of Honor went to his widow, Doris, at Reese Air Force Base, with Senator Lyndon Johnson present. His body was never recovered. Lubbock dedicated a memorial to him in its city cemetery in 1990.

What the plaque says

Davis, Lt. Col. George A., Jr. One of six sons who served in the military, George A. Davis, Jr. was born in Dublin in 1920 to Pearl (Love) and George Davis. He enlisted as an aviation cadet at Lubbock in Mar. 1942. Davis was among the first P-47 Thunderbolt pilots, flying hundreds of missions during World War II. In the Korean War, he was a leading Ace in the 334th Fighter Interceptor Squadron. On Feb. 10, 1952, Davis led an F-86 SabreJet Combat Aerial Patrol near the Manchurian border. He shot down two attacking MIG-15s before his plane took a direct hit and crashed south of the Yalu River. Already highly decorated, Davis posthumously received the Congressional Medal of Honor and promotion to Lt. Colonel for his final heroic actions. (2008)

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Dublin Bottling Works — steps away
  The Erath County plant that bottled Dr Pepper with cane sugar from 1891 until a 2012 settlement ended its Dr Pepper license, and that still makes its own sodas the same way.

More markers nearby

• Dublin National Bank — steps away
• Dublin Rodeo — steps away
• Dublin Dr Pepper Bottling Company — steps away
• Early Commercial Building — steps away