Robert P. Davis

Retired U.S. Army 1st Sgt. Robert Paul (Bob) Davis, Petersburg, passed on to his Maker on Oct. 27, 2010.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 50 years, Elfriede F. Davis, and his loving son, Kenneth S. Davis.

First Sgt. Davis was born in 1937, and raised in Winfield, Kan. He joined the U.S. Army in 1957 and served multiple tours of duty at Fort Lee and in Germany, Korea, and Vietnam. During his many years of service to the Army, Davis was recipient of numerous awards including the Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal, two Meritorious Service Medals, Vietnam Medal Cross of Gallantry with Palm. Following his 26-year career retirement from the Army in 1982, he and his family settled in Petersburg, Va. The Department of the Army Civil Service subsequently employed Davis, for 22 years, as 23d Quartermaster brigade postal officer at Fort Lee, where he received the Department of the Army Superior Civilian Service and Civilian Achievement Service Medals.

Davis was a devout American patriot, dedicated to his country and its history. Throughout his lifetime he was a passionate student of American history with specific interest in the study of the American Revolution and U.S. Army Quartermaster history. Over many years he gained status as a writer, author and speaker on various facets of military history. During his military and civilian career he was also at times affiliated with the U.S. Army Quartermaster Museum at Fort Lee. Davis was elected to the Company of Military Historians in 1974 and became a periodic contributing writer to their quarterly journal.

Davis' particular area of historical concentration was the American Revolution, which began while he was Fort Lee's representative to the Petersburg American Revolution Bicentennial Commission in 1975. His subsequent studies, research, and writings led to the first-in-history, comprehensive account of the Revolutionary War Battle of Petersburg. Concurrently, Davis authored and published the biography of the British commander of that battle, who is buried in Petersburg's Blandford Church Cemetery: "Where a Man Can Go, Major General William Phillips, British Royal Artillery, 1731—1781." In conjunction with the Petersburg Department of Tourism and Museums, Davis founded the city's annual reenactment of the Revolutionary War Battle of Petersburg and later produced 16 yearly events, which brought many reenactment units from along the eastern coastal states to the city. Throughout his 20-plus years of study, research, writing and promoting, it was Davis' principle goal, and his legacy, to provide Petersburg with a historical recognition and heritage claim equal with other major American Revolutionary War battlefield sites.

A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30, 2010, in the Petersburg Chapel of the E. Alvin Small Funeral Homes & Crematory, 3935 S. Crater Road, with the Rev. David Prather officiating. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 4240 Park Place Court, Glen Allen, VA 23060. Condolences may be registered at www.ealvinsmall.com.