​Second Lieutenant KENNETH WAYNE DAVENPORT O-747990

 

​Second Lieutenant KENNETH WAYNE DAVENPORT O-747990 (Officer) 18140007 (Enlisted Number) KIA MIA, U. S. Army Air Corps. He is the son of Ben and Myrtle Davenport of Vivian, Louisiana, he was born January 4, 1921. After attending Vivian High School and Louisiana Tech, he was employed as an electrician. Inducted November 17, 1942, at Barksdale Field, at the age of 21. He received his training at the Santa Ana Army Air Base, California, and Bombardier School in Deming, New Mexico, being commissioned there on June 19, 1943. For additional training, he was sent to Navigation School at Carlsbad, New Mexico; Boise, Idaho; Muroc Field, California, and to Hamilton Field, California. On January 1, 1944, he embarked for the European Theater (ETO) where he was stationed in Italy. On his first combat mission, he was shot down near Rome, and reported Missing in Action February 17, 1944, at the age of 23. On May 18, 1945, the report was changed to Presumably Killed. The only information received about the mission was that the plane was damaged badly by flak, and was last seen when it left the formation. Second Lieutenant Davenport is survived by his wife, Maxine, who resides in Haynesville, Louisiana.

 

Source:

1- THE FIGHTING MEN OF LOUISIANA – LOUISIANA HISTORICAL INSTITUTE – 1946

2- US Headstone and Interment records for US Military.

3- http://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=929&mtch=1&cat=all&tf=F&q=KENNETH+W++DAVENPORT&bc=sd&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=276209