Background
Davis, Robert Courtney was born on October 12, 1876 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States. Son of Thomas J. and Lydia (Leaman Audenreid) Davis.
Davis, Robert Courtney was born on October 12, 1876 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States. Son of Thomas J. and Lydia (Leaman Audenreid) Davis.
He attended Franklin & Marshall College before being appointed to the United States Military Academy in 1894. Davis graduated in 1898 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the 17th Infantry Regiment.
Davis took part in the Spanish–American War, and saw action in Cuba. He was involved in the Santiago campaign and took part in the battles of El Caney and San Juan. He received the Silver Star for heroism at El Caney, and was recommended for a brevet promotion to First Lieutenant.
Davis subsequently served in the Philippine–American War.
In August 1899 he received a second Silver Star and promotion to brevet Captain for heroism while fighting Filipino insurgents. He remained in the Philippines until 1904, when he was assigned to West Point as a professor in the Department of Tactics.
In 1906 Davis returned to Cuba with the 17th Infantry. In 1909 he was assigned as aide-de-camp to Thomas Henry Barry.
When Barry was appointed as West Point"s Superintendent in 1911, Davis was assigned as the adjutant on Barry"s staff
Foreign most of 1915 Davis was detailed as Inspector of the Philippine Scouts, and received promotion to Major. At the start of Davis was assigned to the staff of the Army"s Adjutant General. In mid-1917 he went to France as Assistant to the Adjutant General of the American Expeditionary Forces.
He later served as acting Adjutant General and then Adjutant General of the American Expeditionary Force, receiving promotion to Brigadier General.
Following Davis was assigned to the staff of the Army"s Adjutant General, and participated on a board which reviewed War Department staff activities and made recommendations for personnel reorganization and improvements to processes and procedures. From 1922 to 1927 Davis served as Adjutant General of the Army, receiving promotion to Major General.
After retiring from the Army Davis was President of Photomaton, Incorporated., a company which produced automatic camera photo booths. He was also Executive Director of the New York Chapter of the American Red Cross, and served as President of the West Point Association of Graduates.
Davis died in Elmsford, New York on September 2, 1944 after suffering a heart attack while golfing at the Knollwood Country Club.
He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Section 30 Site South-25. In 1902 Davis married Ruby Caroline Hale (1879–1959). They had no children.
Davis served again with the 17th Infantry, and then served again in the Philippines as a member of the 8th Infantry Regiment.
Married Ruby Caroline Hale, November 12, 1902.