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164. Bagdad Soldier Survives WWI 1918

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Updated: Mar 30, 2022


Leo Vance Davis (Sr.) was born on April 13, 1895 in Willocoochee, Georgia, the son of John Alexander Davis and Mariam Juanita Wilson (both from North Carolina). Willocoochee (formerly Danielsville) is a small town on the Alapaha River in Atkinson County, Georgia whose name means "home of the wildcat." Oddly, the crossroads community has been mentioned on the Steve Harvey Show, the Renaissance Man movie character with Mark Wahlberg, the Jungle Fever movie, the Beauty Shop movie and even in Lewis Grizzard's "No Name Bar." Leo's parents married in 1893 and his father was working in Willocoochee by the time Leo was born. By 1900, John moved the family to Liberty County, Florida to the community of Orange where he entered the lumber business.


Ten years later they're in Florala, Alabama where John became an insurance agent. When America entered World War I, Leo enlisted in the US Army and was assigned to the Medical Department of the 117th Machine Gun Battalion of the 31st Infantry Division. The division had been organized in October 1917 at Camp Wheeler, Georgia. On October 6, 1918, Leo set sail from New York bound for France on the British troop ship SS Lancashire. Because of the horrific casualties already endured, his division was designated upon arrival as a "replacement" division with the troops dispersed to other decimated units. Leo was sent to the Sanitation Detachment of the 306th Infantry Regiment of the 3rd Battalion with the 153rd Brigade, 77th Division. A "sanitary" detachment was part of the medical treatment and evacuation group that consisted of ambulance companies, field hospitals, and medics. Upon arrival, his Division was already engaged in the Meuse-Argonne offensive, where another Bagdad soldier Lt. Norman A. Garrett was killed in action. Leo and the other replacements joined the Division on the Aire River in France. After heavy fighting for the towns of St. Juvin and Grand-Pre, they were given a respite. But on October 30th, they again engaged the enemy at Champigneulle pushing them to the Meuse River. After 10,500 casualties, the fighting ended with the Armistice of the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 11-11-1918. Now a sergeant, Leo set sail from Brest, France on April 27, 1919 bound for Hoboken, NJ aboard the USS Mt. Vernon.


Released from the Army, Leo returned to Bagdad and his parent's home in the community called "Waterworks" in Santa Rosa County, Florida. He became an accountant at the Bagdad Lumber Company and married Miss Lois Olive Sindorf, daughter of William A. Sindorf and Mary "Mollie" Olive Parker on October 14, 1920. Lois' sister Arnette had married Charles H. Overman who was their next door neighbor. Charles was an engineer at the lumber company while Lois and Arnette's father William was a millwright there. In the meantime, Leo's father stayed in the insurance business until he and Mary passed away and were buried in an unmarked grave in the Bagdad Cemetery. After a lifetime as an accountant, Leo (Sr.) would join them in 1971 with Lois to follow in 1983. Both military veterans, their two sons Leo Jr. and John Harold followed their parents in 2000 and 2012 respectively.


Sgt. Leo Vance Davis (Sr), 306th Infantry Regiment, World War I


WWI Medical Units called "Sanitary Detachments"


WWI Medical units used motor vehicles unless terrain too rough then used mules


Leo Vance Davis Sr. in his later years


Leo's Transport Ship to France 10-6-1918, the British SS Lancashire


Leo's Transport Ship home from France 4-17-1919, the USS Mt. Vernon


Wife - Lois Olive Sindorf Davis

(1901-1983)


Son - Leo Vance Davis Jr.

(1927-2000)


Son - John Harold Davis

(1939-2012)


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