[1] During World War II, Davis served aboard the USS Mobile in the Pacific Theater, which participated in nine major campaigns.

[1] After his WESTPAC tours, Davis reported for duty in Washington, D.C., where he served as Aide and Special Assistant to the Undersecretary of the Navy.

While serving as Air Group Commander, he made a South American transit cruise aboard the aircraft carrier USS Constellation.

During the years 1964–66, Davis served as the Senior Navy Project Officer for the F-111 (TFX) aircraft in the Air Force Systems Command.

[1] On 3 June 1966, Davis assumed command of the USS Montrose (APA-212) which recently participated in numerous amphibious operations off the coast of Vietnam.

[4]) Just days before the mission was to launch, Captain Willard S. "Sam" Houston Jr. took command of the Pacific Fleet Weather Centre, Hawaii.

He took immediate interest in the mission's splashdown position, and took the initiative to seek out data from the top secret Corona satellite station.

Houston was warned by the Corona station commander, Major Hank Branli, that the intended splashdown area would be subject to a gathering storm.