David Benjamin Tuck

David Benjamin Tuck, born on November 25, 1923, in Walton County, Georgia, was the middle son of Robert Mell Tuck and May Mozelle Still. His brothers were Robert Mell Tuck Jr. and Dennis Arnold Tuck. Before David’s birth, a fourth brother was born and passed away on April 2, 1918. He is my 3rd cousin 1x removed, and our nearest common ancestors are Claiborne Tuck and Frances Moore, my 3rd great-grandparents. 

At some point after David’s birth, the family moved to Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia. By April 3, 1930, they had relocated to Tampa, Hillsborough County, Florida. They resided in a home on West Hanna Street, which was owned by David’s father, a service manager at an auto shop. The home’s value was $3000, and the family had a radio.

By 1935, the Tuck family had moved to a rental home on Watrous Avenue in Tampa. They were still living there on April 2, 1940, as recorded in the census. David’s father continued working as a service manager in a retail automobile agency, while his brother Robert Jr., now 18 years old, worked as a bookkeeper, likely alongside their father. Notably, David’s father maintained a busy schedule, working 60 hours a week, while Robert Jr. worked 38 hours.

David attended Henry B. Plant High School in South Tampa. In 1940 and 1941, he was a member of the recently formed Debate Club, serving as the parliamentarian in 1941. Additionally, in 1940, David participated in the Camera Club. The following year, he held the position of art editor for the Pep O’ Plant, the official school newspaper, and was also a member of the Baccalaureate Committee.

On March 27, 1942, David enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps at MacDill Field in Tampa. By July 1943, he had achieved the rank of Lieutenant. At that time, David served as an air force pilot stationed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. During a visit home, he and his brother Robert Jr. spent time with their parents, who now resided in Sebring, Florida. His father worked as an automotive adviser in the Ordnance Service Command, Army Fourth Corps Area, while Robert Jr. related to the engineering department of the Allison division of General Motors.

Subsequently, David was deployed to France, where he served as a P-47 Thunderbolt pilot with the Ninth Air Force during World War II. Prior to this, he had also served with the Eighth Air Force. Notably, David led 97 missions, including during the French invasion. After completing 50 missions, he received a 30-day leave and returned home to Tampa in August 1944 to visit family. By September, he was back in France, assigned as a deputy assistant operations officer.

Tragically, David’s plane was shot down and crashed in France on November 18, 1944, just a week before his 21st birthday. For his service as a fighter pilot abroad, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with 11 oak leaf clusters. At the time of his death, David held the rank of First Lieutenant. He was survived by his parents and brothers: Arnold, who was still a high school student, and Robert Jr., who served in the U.S. Navy.

Lt. David B. Tuck (The Tampa Tribune, 1944)

David was temporarily buried in a military cemetery in France. His body was repatriated to Georgia in early October 1948. The re-burial occurred on October 31, 1948, following a service at the First Methodist Church in Loganville—four years after his death. The service was officiated by Rev. James D. Matthews. The Loganville American Legion VFW conducted military rites and served as the honorary escort. David’s final resting place is Loganville Memorial Gardens in Loganville, Walton County, Georgia.

Meanwhile, his brother Robert Jr. resided in Indianapolis, Indiana, and brother Arnold served as a Midshipman at the U.S. Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, Florida. Notably, David was one of the 171 Georgia war dead who returned from Europe.

Photo used with permission from GA Fighter,
Find A Grave member ID 47269205

A large stone at his grave contains a plaque that reads:

First Lieutenant, Army Air Forces Reserve, was commissioned March 20, 1943 at Randolph Field. He served in Eastern Defense Command United States; the Eighth Air Force Bomber Escort Pilot in the European Theater, and in the Ninth Fighter Command as P-47 Thunderbolt pilot in the invasion and sweep across France.

For the meritorious service, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with Eleven Clusters.

He was shot down over France November 18, 1844.

Photo used with permission from GA Fighter, Find A Grave member ID 47269205

References

• 171 Georgia War Dead Returned from Europe, The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, October 6, 1948.
• 38 War Dead Are Returned, The Macon Telegraph, Macon, Georgia, October 6, 1948.
• David B. Tuck, U.S., Rosters of World War II Dead, 1939–1945.
• David B. Tuck, U.S., World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938–1946.
• David Benjamin Tuck, U.S., School Yearbooks, 1900–2016, H. B. Plant High School, Tampa Florida, 1941 (including yearbook photo).
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/51329551/david_benjamin-tuck: accessed June 22, 2024), memorial page for Lt. David Benjamin Tuck (25 Nov 1923–18 Nov 1944), Find a Grave Memorial ID 51329551, citing Loganville Memorial Gardens, Loganville, Walton County, Georgia, USA; maintained by SDG (contributor 46878874).
• Funeral Notice, Lieut. David Benjamin Tuck, The Atlanta Journal, Atlanta, Georgia, October 29 and 30, 1948.
• Lieut. David B. Tuck Killed in Plane Crash in France November 18, The Walton Tribune, Monroe, Georgia, January 19, 1945.
• Lt. David B. Tuck, Plant Graduate, Dies in Crash, The Tampa Tribune, Tampa, Florida, December 10, 1944.
• U.S. Federal Census, Tampa, Hillsborough County, Florida, 1930, 1940.
• Who’s Here and There, The Tampa Tribune, Tampa, Florida, July 29, 1943.