Robert Harold Davidson

Robert Davidson died suddenly on October 10, 1982, of a coronary occlusion in Charlotte Hungerford Hospital in Torrington, Connecticut. He was interred in East Cemetery in Litchfield, Connecticut. On September 30, 2010, Anne Davidson died at home in Litchfield and following a funeral service in the First Congregational Church; United Church of Christ was also interred in East Cemetery.

In 1976, Davidson retired as president and chief operating officer of PVO International of Boonton, New Jersey, and San Francisco, California; soybean processors and marketers. He was previously an executive of the General Foods Corporation, administrative vice president of the Economics Laboratory and was president of Fanny Farmer Candy Shops and Anderson-Clayton Foods Inc.

Davidson was not recalled to active duty during the Korean War. However, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel on January 1, 1951, in the Marine Corps Reserve. Subsequently, he was promoted to colonel on March 1, 1958, and transferred to the Retired List.

On August 30, 1947, in New York, New York, Davidson married Anne Breeding Davidson (July 22, 1918 – September 30, 2010), a native of Boston, Massachusetts, and daughter of Edwin Charles Breeding and Flora (née MacLean) Breeding. Robert and Anne Davidson have one daughter, Anne Stowell "Missy" Davidson (February 24, 1949 – ) of Florham Park, New Jersey.

In October 1944, at the age of 25 and as a major, Davidson assumed permanent command of 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marines. He continued in this capacity until the end of the war. As the battalion commander, Davidson was responsible for training, supply, discipline and welfare of a unit of approximately 1,000 men in garrison. As a Landing Force commander, Davidson was responsible for embarking his command abroad 6 naval attack transports. On February 19, 1945, Davidson commanded one of seven battalion landing teams in the initial assault at the Battle of Iwo Jima. Davidson's command was composed of an infantry battalion plus attachments totaling approximately 1,800 men. He continued as battalion commander throughout the Iwo Jima operation.

In October and November, 1945, Davidson returned with and deactivated the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marines, at Camp Pendleton. On November 10, 1945, after 60 months of active military services, Davidson was assigned to terminal leave and returned to his home of record in Washington D.C.

In a letter to the Commandant of the Marine Corps dated August 26, 1945, Colonel L.B. Cresswell CO of the 23rd Marine Regiment notes:

Colonel T. A. Holdahl USMC, CO Marine Garrison Forces in a letter to Colonel E. W. Davidson, A.U.S. dated September 20, 1945 wrote:

In July 1943, Davidson was detached as a captain from Marine Corps Schools and assigned to the 4th Marine Division, commanded by Major General (later General) Harry Schmidt, being formed at Camp Pendleton, California. Davidson performed several staff and command roles in 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marines, and served with this unit throughout combat operations against Roi-Namur in the Battle of Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands (January 31 – February 3, 1944).

Davidson was promoted to major and assigned as Plans and Training Officer of the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marines, and participated in the training phase prior to and during initial combat operations at the Battle of Saipan in the Marianas Islands (June 15 – July, 1944). On the fifth day of Saipan operations, Davidson was appointed battalion executive officer for the remainder of the Saipan battle and served in this capacity during the Battle of Tinian (July 24 – August 1, 1944).

According to July 30, 1944, edition of The Sunday Star, "Candidate for "ironman" of the outfit is Maj. Robert H. Davidson of 1825 Nineteenth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.

On November 12, 1940, Davidson enlisted in the U.S Marine Corps Reserve as a private. He graduated from Officer Candidates Class, Marine Corps Schools, Quantico, Virginia, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant on February 20, 1941. On May 29, 1941, he graduated from the Reserve Officer's Class, Marine Corps Schools, Quantico. In April 1944, Davidson attended Transport Quartermaster School in Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, where he received training in commercial and combat ship loading and dock management.

Davidson was a graduate of the Milton School, Rye, New York, (1932) and Rye High School (1936). He was the winner of the Lord Jeffery Amherst Scholarship for New York, which paid for four years tuition at Amherst College. Davidson was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree (cum laude) from Amherst (1940) with majors in biology, chemistry and political science. He was president of the Amherst chapter of Delta Upsilon fraternity.

Robert Harold Davidson (January 15, 1919 – October 10, 1982) was an officer in the United States Marine Corps who was decorated with the Silver Star for his actions as the commanding Officer of a battalion in the Battle of Iwo Jima. At age 24, Davidson was one of the youngest officers in Marine Corps history to be assigned command of a Combat Infantry Battalion. After World War II he was a successful businessman.