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SALT LAKE CITY — This weekend, a Utah World War II pilot received recognition not only for his service in the war, but also for his passion to lead.
Emmett "Cyclone" Davis passed away last November, but his family was on hand for his Hall of Fame induction.
As one of the few U.S. pilots who flew the during the Pearl Harbor bombings in World War II, Davis — from Roosevelt — met the Japanese fleet head on.
"He was leading a flight over Pearl Harbor to escort some bombers out to look for the Japanese fleet," explained his son, Dr. J. Tucker Davis. "By that time every Navy gunner was — anything that flew, they were shooting at. So Dad almost lost his whole flight there. They had to turn around."
Cyclone nearly lost his life that day. His family believes leadership and his fun character led him successfully through his mission and also earned him that nickname.
"Dad had a maneuver where he would spin up and come down on people's tails, and they would call it the cyclone," his son explained. "They would say, 'Who's going to fight the Cyclone tomorrow?' That name stuck with him and forever more he was known as the Cyclone."
As his family watched proudly, Cyclone became part of the Utah Aviation Hall of Fame at the Hill Aerospace Museum.
"He was decorated 45 times. One of the amazing things about him as a pilot — he was also a test pilot early at one point in his career — but he flew well over 100 different types of aircraft, everything from bi-wings to Mach-2 fighters."
Pearl Harbor may be where Cyclone's story started, but it certainly isn't where it ends. He went on to fly more than 100 different aircraft and now will forever be remembered as one of the elite.
"All of his units, when he commanded the 35th or the 8th fighter group, they always renamed it Cyclone's Flying Circus, and that was what the sign would say," his son said.
Cyclone retired in 1963, turning down a promotion in order to spend more time with his family.
