[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 15]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 20559-20560]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING COMMANDER ROBERT R. DAVIS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SAXBY CHAMBLISS

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 10, 2002

  Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. Speaker, our country has lost a great American. My 
good friend, retired U.S. Navy Commander Robert R. Davis, passed away 
on Oct. 1, 2002, and he will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
  It was very much a privilege for me to have known Commander Davis for 
many years. I had the privilege of being with him on several special 
occasions including the Georgia Pearl Harbor Survivors Association on 
December 7, 2001 when he kindly asked me to address the survivors on 
the 60th anniversary of the infamous attacks on our country.
  Then on July 19, 2002, I was so proud to have Commander Davis as my 
special guest when Vice President Dick Cheney came to Georgia.
  The last time I saw Commander Davis was on September 7 of this year 
when he and his

[[Page 20560]]

son Jim were hunting in Georgia on the opening day of dove season. On 
many other memorable occasions he and I were together as friends. He 
loved his country and strongly supported its military. I always 
appreciated his wise counsel on defense and other issues.
  Robert Roscoe Davis was born on December 16, 1914, in Jacksonville, 
in Telfair County, Georgia. He joined the United States Navy at age 17, 
enlisting as a seaman, and made the Navy his career for 28 years. On 
December 7, 1941, Bob Davis was assigned to the Minesweeper U.S.S. 
Ogloia at Pearl Harbor. He was not aboard when the Japanese attack came 
and the ship was sunk, but later put on a diving suit and went down to 
try to raise it. He was later commissioned as an officer, rose to the 
rank of Commander, and was the commanding officer of the USS Washoe 
County, LST 1165. He had assignments all over the world and was 
commander of the Naval Reserve Training Center on Riverside Drive in 
Macon when he retired.
  Upon his retirement from the United States Navy Commander Davis 
entered the real estate business and was active in the Pearl Harbor 
Survivors Association, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 658, and the 
Macon Exchange Club. His friends and family used the term ``Commander'' 
to respectfully address him for the rest of his life.
  On Saturday, October 5, 2002, Commander Davis was given a 
distinguished funeral and a graveside ceremony at Riverside Cemetery in 
Macon, Georgia, with military honors including a Navy Honor Guard, 
bugler, and bagpipe player.
  Mr. Speaker, my wife Julianne and I express our sadness over the 
passing of Commander Robert Davis and we send our sincere condolences 
and best wishes to his loyal family. He was a great American and he 
will be missed so very much. I think it is most appropriate that I 
close this tribute to Commander Robert R. Davis with the first verse of 
the ``Navy Hymn.''


     Eternal Father strong to save, Whose arm hath bound the 
           restless wave,
     Who bid'st the mighty ocean deep Its own appointed limits 
           keep;
     O hear us when we cry to thee, for those in peril on the sea.

     

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