Russell C. Davis
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant General
Russell C. Davis (born November 22, 1938) was Chief, National Guard Bureau in Arlington, Virginia.
Davis began his military career in the U.S. Air Force in 1958 as an aviation cadet. Following pilot training, he was assigned at Lincoln Air Force Base
, Nebraska
. He was released from active duty in April 1965, when he joined the Iowa
Air National Guard
in Des Moines. He has served in numerous command and staff positions, from squadron pilot to director of operations. Davis commanded the 113th Tactical Fighter Wing prior to being appointed the Commanding General of the District of Columbia National Guard
. He was appointed Vice Chief of the NGB in December 1995. He retired November 1, 2002, the last aviation cadet to do so. He was also on the board of directors of the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America.
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Russell C. Davis (born November 22, 1938) was Chief, National Guard Bureau in Arlington, Virginia.
Davis began his military career in the U.S. Air Force in 1958 as an aviation cadet. Following pilot training, he was assigned at Lincoln Air Force Base
Lincoln Air Force Base
Lincoln Air National Guard Base, previously Lincoln Air Force Base, is a Nebraska Air National Guard installation located approximately northwest of Lincoln, Nebraska. The facility is a joint use civil airport/military base with the Lincoln Airport which provides airline, charter and general...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
. He was released from active duty in April 1965, when he joined the Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
in Des Moines. He has served in numerous command and staff positions, from squadron pilot to director of operations. Davis commanded the 113th Tactical Fighter Wing prior to being appointed the Commanding General of the District of Columbia National Guard
District of Columbia National Guard
The District of Columbia National Guard is the branch of the United States National Guard based in Washington, D.C.. It comprises both Army National Guard and Air National Guard components....
. He was appointed Vice Chief of the NGB in December 1995. He retired November 1, 2002, the last aviation cadet to do so. He was also on the board of directors of the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America.
Education
- 1963 Bachelor of arts degree in general education, University of Nebraska, Omaha
- 1969 Juris doctor degree in law, Drake UniversityDrake UniversityDrake University is a private, co-educational university located in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. The institution offers a number of undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional programs in law and pharmacy. Today, Drake is one of the twenty-five oldest law schools in the country....
, Des Moines, Iowa - 1973 Air Command and Staff CollegeAir Command and Staff CollegeThe Air Command and Staff College is located at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama and is the United States Air Force's intermediate professional military education school. It prepares field grade and equivalent officers of all U.S...
, by correspondence - 1979 Industrial College of the Armed ForcesIndustrial College of the Armed ForcesThe Industrial College of the Armed Forces is a U.S. military educational institution tasked with preparing military officers and civilian government officials for leadership and executive positions in the field of national security...
, Fort Lesley J. McNairFort Lesley J. McNairFort Lesley J. McNair is a United States Army post located on the tip of a peninsula that lies at the confluence of the Potomac River and the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C. To its west is the Washington Channel, while the Anacostia River is on its south side...
, Washington, D.C. - 1989 National and International Security Management Course, Harvard UniversityHarvard UniversityHarvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Assignments
- December 1958 - March 1960, undergraduate pilot training, Graham Air BaseGraham Air BaseGraham Air Base was a United States Air Force base located in Marianna, Florida. After it was closed, it was reused as Marianna Municipal Airport.-Marianna Army Airfield:...
, Florida and Vance AFB, Oklahoma - March 1960 - October 1960, strategic bombardment pilot, 4347th Combat Crew Training Wing, McConnell AFB, Kansas
- October 1960 - April 1965, bomber pilot, 344th Bomber Squadron, Lincoln AFB, Nebraska
- April 1965 - September 1968, pilot, 124th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Iowa ANG, Des Moines
- September 1968 - September 1970, flight commander, 124th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Iowa National Guard, Des Moines
- September 1970 - June 1977, air operations officer, 132nd Tactical Fighter Group, Iowa ANG, Des Moines
- June 1977 - October 1978, officer in charge, Command Post, 132nd Tactical Fighter Wing, Iowa ANG, Des Moines
- October 1978 - June 1979, Deputy Commander of Operations, Headquarters Iowa ANG, Des Moines
- June 1979 - February 1980, Deputy Chief, Manpower and Personnel, Air National Guard Support Center, Andrews AFB, Maryland
- March 1980 - January 1982, Executive to the Chief, National Guard Bureau, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
- February 1982 - July 1990, Wing Commander, 113th Tactical Fighter Wing, District of Columbia ANG, Andrews AFB, Maryland
- July 1990 - December 1991, Air National Guard Assistant to the Commander, Tactical Air Command, Langley AFB, Virginia
- December 1991 - December 1995, Commanding General, District of Columbia National Guard, Washington, D.C.
- December 1995 - August 1998, Vice Chief, NGB, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
- August 1998 - November 2002, Chief, NGB, Arlington, Virginia
Flight information
- Rating: Command pilot
- Flight hours: More than 4,700
- Aircraft flown: B-47B-47 StratojetThe Boeing Model 450 B-47 Stratojet was a long-range, six-engined, jet-powered medium bomber built to fly at high subsonic speeds and at high altitudes. It was primarily designed to drop nuclear bombs on the Soviet Union...
, T-33T-33 Shooting StarThe Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star is an American-built jet trainer aircraft. It was produced by Lockheed and made its first flight in 1948, piloted by Tony LeVier. The T-33 was developed from the Lockheed P-80/F-80 starting as TP-80C/TF-80C in development, then designated T-33A. It was used by the...
, F-89F-89 ScorpionThe Northrop F-89 Scorpion was an early American jet-powered fighter designed from the outset as an all-weather interceptor. Though its straight wings limited its performance, it was among the first USAF jet fighters with guided missiles, and notably the first combat aircraft armed with air-to-air...
, F-84F-84 ThunderjetThe Republic F-84 Thunderjet was an American turbojet fighter-bomber aircraft. Originating as a 1944 United States Army Air Forces proposal for a "day fighter", the F-84 flew in 1946...
, F-100F-100 Super SabreThe North American F-100 Super Sabre was a supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard until 1979. The first of the Century Series collection of USAF jet fighters, it was the first USAF fighter capable of...
, A-7A-7 Corsair IIThe Ling-Temco-Vought A-7 Corsair II is a carrier-based subsonic light attack aircraft introduced to replace the United States Navy's Douglas A-4 Skyhawk, initially entering service during the Vietnam War...
, F-4F-4 Phantom IIThe McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...
and F-16F-16 Fighting FalconThe General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
Major awards and decorations
Air Force Distinguished Service MedalAir Force Distinguished Service MedalThe Air Force Distinguished Service Medal was created by an act of the United States Congress on July 6, 1960. The medal was intended as a new decoration of the United States Air Force to replace the policy of awarding the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Air Force personnel.The Air Force...
Legion of MeritLegion of MeritThe Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
with oak leaf clusterOak leaf clusterAn oak leaf cluster is a common device which is placed on U.S. Army and Air Force awards and decorations to denote those who have received more than one bestowal of a particular decoration. The number of oak leaf clusters typically indicates the number of subsequent awards of the decoration...
Meritorious Service MedalMeritorious Service Medal (United States)The Meritorious Service Medal is a military decoration presented to members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguished themselves by outstanding meritorious achievement or service to the United States subsequent to January 16, 1969...
with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal
Army Commendation Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
Combat Readiness MedalCombat Readiness MedalThe Combat Readiness Medal is an award of the United States Air Force which was first created in 1964. The original Combat Readiness Medal was an award senior to the Air Force Commendation Medal and was awarded for superior and meritorious duty to the United States Air Force...
with eight oak leaf clusters
Army Good Conduct Medal
National Defense Service MedalNational Defense Service MedalThe National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower...
with service star
Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon with nine oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with hourglass device
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon
Other achievements
- University scholar, Tuskegee UniversityTuskegee UniversityTuskegee University is a private, historically black university located in Tuskegee, Alabama, United States. It is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund...
, 1956–1958 - Jury Award, Drake University Law SchoolDrake University Law SchoolDrake University Law School is a fully accredited law school of Drake University, located in Des Moines, Iowa. The school has over 400 full-time students. The school is presently led by Dean Allan Vestal. The most recent edition of US News and World Report's Best Law Schools ranked Drake in the...
, 1969 - NAACP Roy Wilkins Achievement Award, 1984
- Air Force Association Service Award, Air Force Association Headquarters, 1985
- Tuskegee Airmen Achievement Award, 1985
- Tuskegee Airmen Achievement and Service Award, 1987
- Ira Eaker Fellow, Tony Anthony Chapter, AFA, 1988
- Howard Kacy Flying Safety Award, District of Columbia ANG, 1990
- Former member, Drake University Board of Trustees
Effective dates of promotion
- Second Lieutenant March 18, 1960
- First Lieutenant March 18, 1963
- Captain March 18, 1965
- MajorMajor (United States)In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
March 19, 1969 - Lieutenant ColonelLieutenant Colonel (United States)In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
October 13, 1973 - ColonelColonelColonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
January 26, 1979 - Brigadier GeneralBrigadier general (United States)A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
December 16, 1982 - Major GeneralMajor (United States)In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
August 3, 1990 - Lieutenant GeneralLieutenant General (United States)In the United States Army, the United States Air Force and the United States Marine Corps, lieutenant general is a three-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-9. Lieutenant general ranks above major general and below general...
September 1, 1998