“A father is neither an anchor to hold us back nor a sail to take us there, but a guiding light whose love shows us the way." — Unknown

December 30, 1946 - January 19, 2015
MSgt. (USAF Ret) David Allan Davolt, Sr. finished his tour."

Upon graduation from high school MSgt. (USAF Ret) David Allan Davolt, Sr. attended IBM TAB wiring school and then enlisted with the U.S. Air Force in July 1964. He was first stationed in Biloxi, Mississippi at Keesler AFB where he met his Air Force medic wife, Jeanette, during his 2nd enlistment. They married in May of 1968 and Jeanette was sworn in as a US Citizen in Hattiesburg, AL. 

In April of '69 MSgt. Davolt and his younger brother received orders for Vietnam. He valiantly claimed the position of the first-born to spare his family from having two sons in harm's way. Putting family and others before self was a pattern he continued and maintained for the rest of his life. MSgt. Davolt flew the coast of Vietnam with the 903rd Air Evac headquartered at Da Nang AB as a medic caring for the wounded. In his 11th month of service was a hopeful prelude to coming home from the war. However, upon landing back in 'Nam, the Red Cross informed  MSgt. Davolt that his youngest brother had been involved in a fatal motor vehicle accident. There were subtle changes over the following years later recognized as PTSD. A marriage briefly consumated and followed with six months attending seven level school in another state, comiing home to pay the delivery bill and return to complete training only to be welcomed back with order to Vietnam. The leaving behind his first born after a week home to settle his family in before flying to ‘Nam, the news of his younger brother’s death delivered as he stepped off the airplane on return from R&R and still cherishing the reunion with his wife after eleven months apart and wondering if he’d make it home, the carnage and dying during air-evac rounds and no outprocessing from his unit and friends. All of these emotionally packed events in a whirlwind span of a year and a half had no time to be grieved or even acknowledged. Life demanded facing forward momentum. Another tour, another child. More responsibilities.

MSgt. Davolt was stationed in Cheyenne, Wyoming at Francis E. Warren AFB from 1970 to 1971 where he was the NCO in Charge of the Flight Surgeon's Office. He was stationed in San Antonio, Texas at Brooks AFB from 1971 to 1976 and worked in the Audiology Section and was moved to Hyperbaric and was actively teaching alongwith the doctorsin flight nursing school and involved with the beginnings of conducting clinical research in the altitude chamber. David was stationed in Spangdahlem AFB, Germany from 1976 to 1979 where he held the position of NCO in Charge of the clinic. He also provided medical coverage for Army demolition operations and was a member of the Air Crash Recovery Team. In 1979, he was reassigned to help establish the USAF Hyperbaric Center at Brooks AFB, where he also created the medical photography program for documentation of wound healing. MSgt. Davolt earned the Meritorious Service Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Medal, NCO Professional Education Ribbon, Vietnam Service Medal with Bronze Star, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal and Air Force Longevity Service Award with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters. He was also selected as NCO of the Quarter at the School of Aerospace Medicine in 1980. MSgt.

David retired from the USAF in 1984 after 20 years of military service and joined the original hyperbaric pioneers with International ATMO. He created the medical photography program there as well and provided research assistance to many scientific projects. He was the co-author of some forty scientific papers. Most of the seminal textbooks in hyperbaric medicine contain photographs he generated. In 1998, the UHMS Gulf Coast Chapter acknowledged his work as they honored him with the Charles W. Shilling Award. He presented papers at several medical meetings and was well known for his special expertise in wound photography. He was an active member and Board of Governors member of the BioCommunication Association and a former Chair of the Texas Chapter. In addition to his duties as a medical photographer, he acted as a medical assistant at both the USAF and civilian hyperbaric centers providing direct care to innumerable patients. He was always a patient favorite recognizing each by name and providing personalized care. David retired from ATMO in 2009 and worked subsequently as a professional medical photographer and videographer for several physicians, dentists and surgeons. MSgt. Davolt always made time for serving God and supporting his community. David was baptized Roman Catholic in 1968 and lived a religious life. He was an active Eucharistic Minister while stationed in Germany. He was a parishioner at St. Matthew Catholic Church of San Antonio where he was a member of the Knights of Columbus and ACTS society. At St. Matthew David actively participated in church cook-outs, golf-tournaments and fundraisers. He was also a member of the VFW, Post 4676 and American Legion, Post 336. David also acted as a group facilitator for the "Bridges to Life" Program at Kyle Prison, where he would assist in ministering to offenders and the victims of violent crimes. David was also a Director for Helpful Hands, Inc. where he was able to assist disabled veterans and persons with severe disabilities transition back into the workforce and secure them employment in healthcare housekeeping.

“To MSgt David Davolt Sr, one of the best military supervisors a young Airman could ever hope for: I will miss you my friend. As you would always tell me, "Ya did good." You were an NCO, a mentor, and a friend. You never once looked down on anyone and never held anyone in judgment for their errors. Instead, you coached your troops through the rough spots and proved that they could do way more than what they thought they were capable of. In the process, you took a young, wild, inexperienced Airman with no real direction in his life under your wing and turned him into a confident, successful NCO. You stood behind me as my NCOIC and stood beside me during one of the greatest accomplishments in my life. I will never forget you. Now, you are on your "fini" flight home to rest. Godspeed Sir.”

- Dan Lieja

David was gifted with turning any scene into a beautiful piece of pictorial art. More important than using this gift for professional purposes, he used this skill to document the life and events of family and friends, and allowing those photos to be shared with those that couldn't be present. He could be readily identified by the camera hanging from his neck and camera bag slung over his arm, both of which were like natural appendages. David's children roughly calculated the astronomical number of photos into the hundreds of thousands. Each of his photos reflected his love of the flowers, wildlife, architecture and landscapes that he witnessed on his travels around 30 of the Unites States, Europe, Mexico and Sweden. He has shots of his volksmarches through Germany with the family, his whale watching off the coast of Cabo San Lucas, his submarine ride in Hawaii, his medical excursions to Honduras, and visits to the missions in Belize. He was the unofficially designated family photographer who was counted on to have his camera at the ready for all family births, birthday parties, holiday gatherings, funerals, scholastic awards, professional achievements, sporting events, concerts, choir recitals, reunions, as well as an assortment of interactive conversations among friends, children and strangers alike. David left the living a priceless gift through his love of photography; life through his eyes has been eternalized. David was a patient and kind-hearted husband who never failed to support his wife's spontaneity. He respected her professional commitments which were often accented by outlandish activities, extended hours, and days away from home. He could always be relied upon to willingly clean-up her power-point presentations and deliver forgotten needed items to fulfill frantic requests. Through sickness and health, through good times and bad times, David's love for his wife never wavered, and he remained faithful to his promise to her and to God. David was a sentimental soul and was successful at maintaining contact with his children, grandchildren, parents, siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews, close friends and former co-workers on a regular basis whether through texting, facebooking, e-mailing, and making phone calls. David could be found more often than not sitting outside on his front porch enjoying a lively phone conversation or out on the sidewalk visiting with all his neighbors.

David's family is grateful for the care, compassion and respect provided by the staff at the St. Luke's Baptist Hospital Emergency Room and Stroke Unit, his loyal and faithful friends from the medical field, the tall-tale tellers from the golf course and fishing trips, and his turkey, deer hunting family circle in Missouri, the thoughtful male and female colleagues who reached into the past and notified old co-workers and friends, and the ever presence of dearest friends Dr. John and Judy Feldmeier particularly during this time of difficulty.

My father MSgt. David Davolt Sr. was an example of community, giving back and being present in whatever he was doing at the moment. His love for my mother was pure and unwavering. Through both his and my mother’s example of community and inclusion, myself and my family continue to Pay it Forward. 

“He taught me how to take stellar wound photos, among other things wound-care related.”

-Eileen