John E. Davis (North Dakota politician)

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John Davis
Director of the Defense Civil Preparedness Agency
In office May 5, 1972 – January 20, 1977
President	Richard Nixon Gerald Ford
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Bardyl Tirana
Director of the Office of Civil Defense
In office May 20, 1969 – May 5, 1972
President	Richard Nixon
Preceded by	Joseph Romm
Succeeded by	Position abolished
National Commander of The American Legion
In office 1966–1967
Preceded by	Eldon James
Succeeded by	William E. Galbraith
25th Governor of North Dakota
In office January 9, 1957 – January 4, 1961
Lieutenant	Francis Duffy Clarence P. Dahl
Preceded by	Norman Brunsdale
Succeeded by	William L. Guy
Member of the North Dakota Senate
In office 1952–1956
Personal details
Born	John Edward Davis (1913-04-18)April 18, 1913 Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Died	May 12, 1990(1990-05-12) (aged 77) Rancho Mirage, California, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouses	Pauline Huntley ​ ​ (m. 1938; div. 1978)​ Marilyn Westlie ​ ​ (m. 1980⁠–⁠1990)​
Children	3
Education	University of North Dakota (BS)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1935–1945
Rank	Lieutenant Colonel
Commands	1st Battalion, 134th Infantry
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Normandy Operation Overlord Allied advance from Paris to the Rhine Battle of the Bulge Western Allied invasion of Germany
Awards	Silver Star Bronze Star Purple Heart

John Edward Davis (April 18, 1913 – May 12, 1990) was an American politician who served as Director of the Defense Civil Preparedness Agency from 1969 to 1976. He also previously served as the National Commander of The American Legion, from 1966 to 1967, and as the 25th governor of North Dakota from 1957 to 1961.

Davis was born in Minneapolis.^[1] After attending several years of high school in Fargo, he graduated from Bismarck High School in 1931. Later that fall, he enrolled at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. While at the university, he pledged for Beta Theta Pi, and was active in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC). He was the ranking officer in Scabbard and Blade, an organization of select senior ROTC cadet officers. Davis graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Commerce in 1935 and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Officers Reserve Corps. He returned to Goodrich and took over management of his family's ranch and farm. Davis was married to Pauline Huntley in 1938, and they had three children; John Jr., Richard, and Kathleen.^[2] The couple divorced after forty years of marriage in 1978, after which he married Marilyn R. Westlie in 1980.

In May 1941, Davis was ordered to active duty and reported first to Fort Snelling, Minnesota, before being sent to Camp Joseph T. Robinson, Arkansas, where he later became commander of Company C, 1st Battalion, 134th Infantry, 35th Infantry Division. He saw extensive combat duty in the European Theater as commander of Company C, and later as the commander of the 1st Battalion, 134th Infantry Regiment, and received the Silver Star Medal, the Bronze Star Medal, and the Purple Heart. He was discharged from the United States Army on July 31, 1945, at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin.

In 1946, Davis was elected mayor of McClusky, North Dakota, serving until 1952. That year, he successfully ran for a position in the North Dakota State Senate. He served in the Senate until 1956, when he was nominated for Governor on the Republican ticket. He defeated the Democratic candidate, Wally Warner, in the fall election. He was re-elected in 1958, defeating the Democratic candidate, John F. Lord, and served until 1960.^[3] He was a candidate for the United States Senate in 1960, but was narrowly defeated by Quentin N. Burdick. He was again a candidate in 1964, but lost the Republican primary to Tom Kleppe. In 1966, Davis was honored with the Sioux Award, the University of North Dakota Alumni Association's highest honor. Davis was elected The American Legion National Commander from 1966 to 1967, and was appointed Director of the Office of Civil Defense by President Richard Nixon in 1969. The agency was renamed in 1972 as the Defense Civil Preparedness Agency. Following his retirement in 1976, he was awarded the Department of Defense Service Medal.

In 1977, Davis returned to North Dakota to operate the family ranch and resume presidency of the First National Bank of McClusky. In 1978, he received the Greater North Dakota Award from the Greater North Dakota Association. Davis was active in many non-profit organizations, including the Elks, Masons, and the Scottish Rite and the Shrine. He died on May 12, 1990, in Rancho Mirage, California. He is buried in Fairview Cemetery, Bismarck, North Dakota.

• North Dakota's United States Senate special election, 1960

• "'It Was Easy to Get Involved': An Interview with Governor John E. Davis." Edited by Gerald G. Newborg. Gerald G. Newborg. North Dakota History.v70, n1 (2003): 2–25.

• John E. Davis at Find a Grave
• John E. Davis at the National Governors Association
• John E. Davis Papers at the University of North Dakota