Companion News

The Council continues to plan for the 2022 Veterans Day Ceremony. Speakers at the Ceremony will include ADM Aquilino, (invited) LTG Jurney, and the Governor (invited). Mr. Earl Hurrey reported that the honored branch this year is the United States Marine Corps, and announced that the Master of Ceremonies will be a Marine Sergeant Major.

Companion Peter Hirai organized a memorial service on July 20, 2022 at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP) at Puowaina for Medal of Honor winner Commander George Fleming Davis. Commander Davis was awarded the Medal for his actions as Captain of the destroyer USS Walke in 1944 in the Philippine Sea. Although his name has been on the Walls of the Missing since WWII, he recently had a Memorial Marker installed where the family can visit and place flowers or mementos.

Companion Hirai worked with the Davis Family, NMCP, the US Navy, the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, the USS Walke Association, the USS George Fleming Davis Association, and the Medal of Honor Historical Society to pull the ceremony together. The invocation was provided by the Joint Base chaplain and the Navy's Pacific Fleet provided a bulger and honor guard.

Pictured are from left to right the Davis Family and the Joint Base chaplain; in the foreground is a photo of Commander Davis. Of note, George Fleming Davis' son, George Davis (second from right) provided a lengthy eulogy in which he recognized his father as a true "local boy". As the son of a shipyard worker, Commander Davis was born in the Philippines in 1911 while his father was working at the Naval Base Cavite shipyard. Early in his childhood his father got a job at Pearl Harbor Shipyard and Commander Davis grew up in 1920's Hawaii, running around barefeet with his "Kanaka" friends. He lived in Nuuanu Valley and attended Punahou School but finished at McKinley High School. He commissioned from the Naval Academy and was stationed on various ships; he was stationed on the USS Oklahoma on December 7, 1941 but was staying with his aunty overnight, so survived the attack unscathed. He was stationed on the USS Honolulu and a few other ships be-

fore being assigned as Captain of the USS Walke in December 1944

Less than two months into his command, four Japanese Kamikaze planes attacked his ship; he was mortally injured during the battle but his ship and most of the crew survived. His Medal of Honor citation reads (in part), "For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as commanding officer of the USS Walke...Comdr. Davis by his example of valor and his unhesitating self-sacrifice, steeled the fighting spirit of his command into unyielding purpose in completing a vital mission. He gallantly gave his life in the service of his country."