Eugene A. Davidson, 84 of East Bridgewater died Sunday at the Blue Hills Alzheimer’s Care Center in Stoughton after a lengthy illness. He was the husband of Marjorie Windsor Hurd and the widower of Gunvor (Lindy) (Lindstrom) Davidson.
Born in Brockton, MA on February 22,1922 the son of the late Millard D. and Myrna L. (Stevens) Davidson. He graduated Brockton High School in 1940 and entered the United States Army Air Corp just days after the attack of Pearl harbor in 1941. He was a member of the 15th Air Force U.S Army Air Corps in the 464 Bomb group. He served as a crew chief and upper bell turret gunner on the B-24 Liberator. He was shot down on his 14th mission December, 1944 returning from a bombing run in Germany. He was rescued by Czechoslovakian partisans and fought with them until his capture by the elite German SS Mountain troops. He was interred at several allied POW camps until repatriation at the end of the war by General George Patton’s troops. During his service to his country he earned the American Theatre Campaign Ribbon, The European Theatre Campaign Medal with 2 battles, The African Theatre Campaign Medal, The Air Medal and the Ex-POW Medal. He participated in the battle of Rome-Arnos and the Battle of the Rhineland.
He married Lindy in 1946 and they were married until her death in 1987 and has lived in East Bridgewater for 60 years. Gene worked for the N.E Tel & Tel Co. from 1946 until his retirement in 1983. He was active in the telephone Pioneers, The Fitzpatrick Fund and as an auditor with the Southern Massachusetts Regional Telephone Workers Credit Union in New Bedford.
He was a member of the DAV, The America Legion and the Southern Massachusetts Chapter AX-POW. He was a lifetime member of the Commercial Club of East Bridgewater and a past president of the East Bridgewater Little League. He was a former member of the East Bridgewater Housing Authority, an elected Constable in East Bridgewater, a member of the committee formed to build the current police station and town hall expansion. He was a communicant of the East Bridgewater Methodist Church and was a Sunday school teacher for many years. He dearly loved his animals and was never without a dog by his side. For many years during his retirement he ran “Gene’s Barn” out of his garage.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by his children, Larry K. Davidson and his wife, Florrie, Linda J. Fisher and her husband Craig of East Bridgewater and Lennie P. Davidson of Jackson, Maine. His grandchildren, Billy and Cassie Fisher and Lissa and Larry J. Davidson. He was predeceased by his brothers and sisters: Ralph Davidson, Milton Davidson and Millard Davidson, Mildred Davidson, Miriam McCarthy and Beatrice Burman.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Disabled American Veteran’s of MA, Donation Processing Center, 750 North Bedford Street, East Bridgewater, MA 02333.
Funeral services will be from the Wales-Prophett Funeral Home, 35 Spring Street, East Bridgewater, Thursday at 10:00 A.M. Visiting hours are Wednesday 4-8 P.M. Burial with military honors at Central Cemetery, East Bridgewater.