Community remembers Soldiers Ultimate Sacrifice

ZANESVILLE, Ohio- A Zanesville soldier returns home after making the ultimate sacrifice for his country 73 years ago.

Sergeant Harold Burton Davis was in a plane crash in New Guinea in 1944 serving in the US Army as a code telegrapher. Originally thought to be MIA, the crash site was discovered in 1961 but bodies were not identified until recently and now on August 10th his remains were brought to John Glenn International Airport and transported to Zanesville by Columbus and Zanesville Police as well as the United States Army and the Patriot Guard Riders. Auxiliary Officer, Bill Shaw led the processional and says he was overwhelmed by the amount of love and support shown for Sergeant Davis.

” I was struck by the fact that there were so many citizens and people who came out with the American flags along the way. This really wasn’t just about one man coming home. This was about an entire generation and the sacrifices that an entire generation of Americans made back in the 1940s and it was really nice to see such a turnout today.”

Shaw also spoke on the turnouts impact on Sergeant Davis’s family.

“You know here is somebody that nobody knew. People today weren’t even alive probably when he passed away but it lets them know that people do care and really appreciate their family and their families sacrifice.”

Sergeant Davis will be laid to rest on Saturday August 12th at Zanesville Memorial Park with a processional leaving at 10 am at DeLong-Baker and Lanning Funeral Home. For more information on Sergeant Davis his obituary can be viewed here.