
1915 – Born on the 13th of January in Fitzgerald, Georgia.
1933 – Graduated from Atlanta Technical High School, Atlanta, Georgia.
1938 – Finished Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering at Georgia School of Technology.
– Resigned his commission in the U. S. Army Infantry Reserve to accept appointment as a Marine second lieutenant.
1939 – He completed the Marine Officers’ Basic School at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.
1940 – Returned to shore duty in July for weapons and artillery instruction at Quantico, Virginia, and Aberdeen, Maryland.
1941 – He was assigned to the 1st Antiaircraft Machine Gun Battery, 1st Marine Division at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
– Promoted to first lieutenant in August.
1942 – Upon his promotion to captain in February, he was named battery commander.
– Appointed Executive Officer of the 1st Special Weapons Battalion, 1st Marine Division.
1943 – He was promoted to major on 28th of February.
– In October he took over command of the battalion and served in that capacity at New Guinea and Cape Gloucester.
1944 – Named as Commanding Officer, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division.
– In October, he returned to Pavuvu and was promoted to lieutenant colonel.
– Returning to the United States in November he was assigned to Quantico as Tactical Inspector, Marine Corps Schools.
1945 – He was named Chief of the Infantry Section, Marine Air-Infantry School, Quantico, in May.
1947 – He was the 1st Brigade’s Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3 (Operations and Training).
1948 – 1949 – Became the Assistant Chief of Staff, G-4 (Logistics).
1949 – 1950 – Returned to Guam in May, he was named Inspector-Instructor of the 9th Marine Corps Reserve Infantry Battalion in Chicago, Illinois.
1950 – 1951 – Earned the Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V" for his part in rebuilding the regiment after the Chosin Reservoir campaign.
1952 – Received award from President Harry S. Truman in a White House ceremony on 24th of November.
1960 – Completed the course at the National War College in Washington, D.C.
1964 – Assigned to Headquarters Marine Corps and served as Assistant Director of Personnel.
1966 – He was promoted to major general in November.
1968 – 1969 – Commanding General of the 3rd Marine Civision.
– Awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, and three personal decorations by the Vietnamese Government.
1970 – Promoted as lieutenant general on 1st of July and was reassigned duty as Commanding General, Marine Corps Development and Education Command.
1971 – President Richard M. Nixon nominated him for appointment to the grade of general and assignment to the position of Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps.
1972 – He retired from the post of Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps on 31st of March.
2003 – He was awarded the James A. Van Fleet Award by The Korea Society.
– He died of a heart attack at the age of 88 on 3rd of September.
2006 – General Ray Davis Middle School opened near his former home in Conyers, Georgia.