James Carl Davis, Major, United States Army Retired
Major James Davis, 63, died Thursday, 21 August 2008, at Baptist Medical Center in Jackson, MS. A memorial was held Sunday, 24 August 2008, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Ott & Lee Funeral Home, 1360 West Government Street, Brandon, MS, 601-824-6018.Following the memorial, his friends and loved ones met in celebration of his life at the Tex Mex Café, 5352 Lakeland Drive, Flowood, MS, 601-992-8818.
Major Davis began working in law enforcement and administration with the Rhea County, Tennessee’s Sheriff Department in the early sixties. After entering the military service as a private he served in Korea as a tank crew member, and on return to the US as a unit clerk, legal clerk, missile crew member and various other positions. Attending officer candidate schools in the late sixties, he was then commissioned as a second lieutenant and served as an armored calvary platoon leader, troop commander and the squadrons’ adjutant. Major Davis then served back to back tours in Vietnam where he was a tank platoon leader, battalion adjutant and operations officer. On return to the US he served as company commander and battalion executive officer. After the military services’ personnel draw down at the end of the Vietnam conflict and their subsequent reduction in force, Major Davis served as an acting Chief of Police for the City of Woodville and a Deputy Sheriff for Tyler County, Texas. He subsequently served as a police officer for the City of Hattiesburg, Mississippi. After being requested by DCS Personnel of US Army Forces Command to return to active service with the army as a mobilization plans officer, Major Davis subsequently became the chief of a personnel planning section for mobilization planning at a major US army headquarters. He then served as an executive officer, strength management officer and special assistant to the commanding general at USAR Command. Over his career Major Davis was the recipient of four presidential awards and numerous service medals and foreign decorations, including the US Army Bronze Star with oak leaf cluster, US Department of Defense Purple Heart Medal, US Department of Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, and US Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster. He retired in 1984.
Entering the private sector as a consultant based in Bangkok, Thailand he did extensive work for various private law firms and businesses in the US and overseas. Major Davis returned to the federal government in 1987 when he was appointed as a civilian confidential assistant to a senior member of the office of the president in the Reagan and Bush administrations. Retiring a second time in 1991, Major Davis became the professional standards officer for the Slidell, Louisiana Police Department and was the key member of the Office of the Chief of Police for policy and procedures. He subsequently served the Sheriff of Pearl River County Mississippi in a similar position.
More recently, Major Davis attended the Virginia School of Polygraph of Norfolk, Virginia, where he received extensive education and training in the methodology and application of the polygraph. He subsequently successfully completed specialized education as a Post Convicted Sexual Offender Testing Examiner at the Academy for Scientific Investigative Training in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He then served as the Polygraph Examiner for the Philadelphia Mississippi Police Department, the Winston County Sheriff’s Office, and provided private polygraphs through Jim Davis & Associates Polygraph Services.
Born in St Louis, Missouri, Major Davis spent his childhood with his grandparents in a East Tennessee farming community. Major Davis completed high school at the United States Armed Forces Institute, Tokyo, Japan; he subsequently majored in sociology and graduated from Saint Leo College, Saint Leo, Florida; and The University of the State of New York at Albany. He also attended William Carey College at Hattiesburg, Mississippi, University of Maryland and the University of Kentucky. He has also completed an extensive number of specialized United States Government and military service school courses and various other technical courses.
He is survived by his wife of over 30 years, Linda L. Coston Davis, formerly of the Stann Creek District, Belize, a lawyer and special assistant attorney general with the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office; two grown children by a previous marriage Stephanie Davis Smith and James Glenn Davis; one grandchild, Jacob C. Davis; his uncle, George R. Davis; his sister, Janey Reed James; and his brothers, Terry F. Reed and Larry W. Reed.
My husband & I met Mr. Jim during polygraph school in VA. We became real close during that time & my children just fell in love with him. We would spend hours listening about all of his adventures. He led a very interesting life. My son still remembers the stories & relates them to everyone. He had the most kind heart of anyone I've ever met. He & his wife, Linda, came to visit us in WV & we were able to visit them a few times in MS. The last time we visited them was about a week before he passed & we will always cherish that special time with him. We feel so blessed that God put them in our lives. It's truly an honor to be able to call them friends. Mr. Jim will forever be missed.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was serving as a Missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, I met Jim and Linda and came to love them. They are the nicest people and always treated us with respect. I was sad to hear about Jims passing and I know this is a few years to late. I would like to offer my condolences.
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