Charles “Mutt” Davison, a Lincoln resident and former University of Nebraska baseball and basketball player, was awarded the Silver Star on May 21, 1945 for heroic conduct in action. Davison served with the 11th Armored Division in Germany during World War II. On April 2, 1945, Davison left Ruckingen, Germany with several other soldiers in a mail truck bound for the Division Class I supply distributing point. While passing through the town of Wolferborn, the truck was fired upon by German soldiers, and one of the Americans in the truck was injured. They were able to drive away and ended up hiding in a grove of trees along a side road. Davison and another soldier scouted the area for enemy soldiers, and when they didn’t find any, they decided to walk cross-country several miles to where they had seen a column of American soldiers. After reaching the American column, they continued on to the next town where they were able to get assistance. They returned to the hidden mail truck and the wounded soldier was evacuated by Jeep to the nearest hospital. Davison and the others proceeded on with the mail.
Map showing Davison’s route through Germany (RG5000.AM)
This map from the Library/Archives collection shows the 11th Armored Division’s movements through Germany. Davison sketched in the exact route that he took and added notations and photos of himself and other soldiers. A newspaper clipping detailing the incident is attached along the side of the map. Davison was a lifelong resident of Lincoln. After the war he worked as a postal clerk. Charles Davison died on January 26, 1974. For more information about Charles Davison or this map, contact the Library/Archives Division. -Tom Mooney, Curator of Manuscripts
