Davis will be Grand Marshal in July 4th parade

  • Becky Long • Clay County Progress Sam Davis Jr. and his wife Helen attend this year’s Memorial Day service on the Hayesville square. Davis will be honored as Grand Marshal of the July Fourth parade sponsored by the Clay County Chamber of Commerce.
    Becky Long • Clay County Progress Sam Davis Jr. and his wife Helen attend this year’s Memorial Day service on the Hayesville square. Davis will be honored as Grand Marshal of the July Fourth parade sponsored by the Clay County Chamber of Commerce.
  • In Duc Pho, Sam Davis poses in a Shark gunship that is peppered with shrapnel from a mortar attack.
    In Duc Pho, Sam Davis poses in a Shark gunship that is peppered with shrapnel from a mortar attack.
    Sam Davis leaving Atlanta Airport 25 June 1967 for Vietnam.

    Sam Davis leaving Atlanta Airport 25 June 1967 for Vietnam.

    By Lorrie Ross

    Staff Writer

     

    One year of his young life is all Sam Davis needed to create a plethora of memories. The Clay County man called the jungles of Vietnam home from June 25, 1967 to June 25, 1968 as part of the 174th Assault Helicopter Company.

    Even now, despite three bouts of cancer and recently finishing chemotherapy for his second battle with brain cancer, the Army veteran sometimes becomes emotional sharing some of the details of his time there.

    Davis said he was drafted from Clay County. “I was working for Lockheed at the time,” he said. “I think that helped me get into aircraft maintenance.”

    As crew chief, the man known as Dolphin 016, maintained the company helicopter and kept it flying. He laughed as he talked about some of the ways he rigged the helicopter to keep it flying. The helicopter had been hit 17 times and was riddled with bullet holes. They had to land in a Special Forces camp and were told to leave because of the danger. “We were only about three miles southwest of the DMZ,” he added. “I had to duct tape the rotor blades to keep the skin from peeling off.” They were able to leave, but the same night the area was overrun by Viet Cong.

    When asked if his innovativeness came from growing up in the mountains, he laughed and described carving grooves into wooden plugs to do other pertinent repairs. While Davis was referred to as one of the Dolphins, their helicopter had teeth painted on it like a shark. “We wrote and received permission from the Flying Tigers of World War II to paint those teeth on,” he said, proudly.

    Many of the memories he recalls are not so pleasant. His crew flew many rescue missions, sometimes right through horrific battles. He described the Tet Offensive in 1968 as a “Major escalation and one of the largest.”

    He shared about another battle during the last days of April and early May 1968. “We supported Marines with ammo and got out the wounded while under fire,” he said. “It was a really bloody booger and we took unbelievable fire.” Davis said they found out later there had been more than 4,000 Viet Cong and more than 10,000 North Vietnamese involved.

    “Several years ago, there was a 2nd Battalion reunion and they made us honorary Marines. There were many handshakes and thank you’s from the Marine Corps. Two of the captains received Medals of Honor. They are a fine group of people.”

    Davis becomes very sad while talking about his crew. “My last day there was June 11, 1968,” he said softly. “On the morning of June 13, the entire crew of Dolphin No. 66-01016 were all killed.” One his closest friends, Allen Weamer died in that mid-air collision with an USAF Forward Air controller O-2 fixed wing.

    “I was sitting in between the first and second Platoon hootches at Duc Pho when I heard about the crash,” Davis shares on the website: www.174ahc.org. “At first I thought it would be engine failure and then I heard specifics. He was one I really considered a very close friend.” Davis still calls Weamer’s mother regularly.

    Some of the flights he did were to spray Agent Orange, a substance later found to cause cancer. Davis said that is what has caused his cancer and he has lost more than 70 friends to cancer from the substance. “It is just another battle,” he said. “I thank everyone for all of the prayers and support.”

    Sam and Helen Davis have been married 53 years and have two adult children and one grandchild. Andrea Kyker shared her thoughts about her dad. “My dad is a wonderful amazing man and I’m blessed to have him as my father,” she said. “He has taught me so many things about life. I love his hugs best of all. I also love and admire his generosity, resourcefulness, patience and his kindness. He is an overcomer and he has endured the storms of his life with amazing strength and steadfastness.”

    Chris Davis agrees. “My dad is a great man and dad. He taught me everything, like respect. He has a love of fishing and he taught me to fish.” Chris has attended reunions of the 174th with his father. “He’s got a great bunch of guys,” he said. “They are real heroes.”

    Sam is very humble about his time in the military. He was especially surprised to learn he has been chosen to be the Grand Marshal of the Fourth of July parade in Hayesville. “I am so honored to have been chosen to be Grand Marshal in the good old USA,” he said.