Biography & Gravesite Photo Courtesy of Russell C. Jacobs, August 2007
Lyal Ament Davidson (1886-1950)
Born on December 12, 1886 in Muscatine, Iowa.
Graduated from Annapolis in 1910 and commissioned in 1912.
Served aboard the New Hampshire at the invasion of Vera Cruz in 1914 and the Kansas during World War I. M.S. from Columbia University in 1917. Aide to Commandant Eleventh Naval District 1931-1934. Commander of 9th Destroyer Division 1934-1936. Commanding Officer of the Relief 1938-1939 and the Omaha 1939-1940. Instructor at the University of Michigan ROTC July 1940-December 1941.
Rear Admiral in November 1941. Commander of Cruiser Division Eight, Atlantic Fleet 1942-1944. Commander of Task Force 86 July-October 1944. Duty in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations as member of the State-War-Navy Coordinating Committee 1945-1946.
Vice Admiral upon retirement in June 1946. Decorations included two Distinguished Service Medals and two Legions of Merit.
Died on December 29, 1950.
DAVIDSON, LYAL AMENT
VICE ADM USN
- DATE OF BIRTH: 12/12/1886
- DATE OF DEATH: 12/29/1950
- BURIED AT: SECTION 2 SITE 4695-A
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.
Reviewed by: Michael Howard