Colonel Carl Leroy Davidson, age 86, died in St Mary’s, Ga. on Friday, January 31, 2025. Col. Davidson was born in Kankakee, Ill. on June 7, 1938, to Joseph and Genevieve Davidson. In 1963, he married his sweetheart and love of his life Anna Marie Pickett of Richmond, Ind.
Col. Davidson graduated from Henryetta High School in 1956. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering in 1960 and a Master of Science degree in Industrial Engineering in 1967, both from Oklahoma State University. He completed Air Command Staff College in 1975 and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in 1976.
Col. Davidson received his commission through the Air Force Reserve Officers Training Corps in August 1960 and was assigned as an armament systems officer and squadron section commander with the 408th Fighter group at Kingsley Field, Oreg. In 1962, he transferred to the civil engineering field as a design engineer and then Base Civil Engineer at Kingsley Field. He transferred as site civil engineer to the 921st Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, St. Anthony Air Force Station, Newfoundland, Canada in June 1964.
In June 1967, Col. Davidson returned to Oklahoma State University and earned his Master of Science degree in Industrial Engineering. He was then assigned to the Requirements Division, Civil Engineering Directorate, Headquarters Pacific Air Force, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii where he was responsible for facility requirements to support all base realignments and closures in Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand and Korea.
In May 1970, he was reassigned to the Directorate of Construction, Headquarters U.S. Military Assistance Command Vietnam (MACV), Saigon, Republic of Vietnam with responsibility for coordinating all Air Force and Navy construction programs. Col. Davidson returned to the United States in June 1971, as Operations Officer, Civil Engineer Squadron Heavy Repair (RED HORSE), Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. During this period the 820 CES trained all active, Air National Guard, and Reserve PRIME BEEF, RED HORSE teams that were deployed to Alaska and Germany.
In August 1972, he was reassigned to U.S. SOUTHERN COMMAND, Quarry Heights, Panama Canal Zone. During this tour, Col. Davidson served as a member of the special June 7, 1938 – January 31, 2025
team directing disaster relief operations for the 1972 Managua, Nicaragua earthquake.
He was reassigned in June 1973, to Headquarters Command USAF as Chief of the Utilities Division, Bolling Air Force Base, District of Columbia.
In June 1976, he was reassigned to the Directorate of Civil Engineering, Air Force Systems Command, Andrews Air Force Base, Md. as Deputy Chief of Program Requirements, Development Division. In July 1980, the Colonel was assigned as Director of Research and Development Civil Engineering, Aeronautical Systems Division, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio where he was responsible for approval, design, and construction of all laboratory and research facilities at Wright-Patterson AFB for over $100 million of urgently required industrial facility projects to support the production of the B1-B bomber and stealth fighter.
Col. Davidson served as base civil engineer and commander of the 51st Civil Engineering Squadron, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea from June 1983 to June 1984.
In July 1986, Col. Davidson became chief of the Civil Engineering Research Division of the Weapons Laboratory, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. He was in charge of the principal Air Force System Command division charged with planning and executing the United States Air Force research on the blast and shock effects of nuclear and advanced weapons, as well as conventional high explosive weapons effects on protective structures. His military decorations include a Bronze Star, a Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Joint Service Commendation Medal with one Oak Leaf Custer and an Air Force Commendation Medal. Col. Davidson was a registered professional engineer in Oklahoma, California and New Mexico. He was promoted to Colonel on October 1, 1981. Upon retirement in 2009, Col. Davidson became City Manager of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, N.M. Colonel Davidson is survived by his wife Anna Marie as well as his son Patrick Michael Davidson and his fiancée Elizabeth Ramos of St Mary’s, Ga. He is survived by his brother Duane Davidson and wife Barbara of Apollo Beach, Fla., and also his sister Nancy Duke and husband Ronnie of Henryetta; Brother-inlaw Mike Pickett and wife Stephanie of Gig Harbor, Wash. along with many nephews, nieces and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his parents Joseph and Genevieve Davidson, brother Edward Davidson and Edward’s wife Mary Louise Brumley of Tulsa.
Arrangements were cared for by Allison Memorial Chapel, 10141 Colerain Rd. in St. Marys, Ga., 31558, 912729-5000.
