As the nation marks the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War and the fall of Saigon, Azalea Trace veteran and author Miles Davis is sharing his story of survival, resilience, and ultimately healing. Miles Davis is one of approximately 55 Vietnam veterans who call the Pensacola community home.
Born in 1946 in Quantico, Virginia, Davis grew up surrounded by the Marine Corps. His father, Lt. Col. Ray Davis, was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for heroic actions in Korea. But at the time, Miles never expected to follow in his father’s footsteps.
“In 1966, a year before I graduated, I realized that we’re going to war, and I was either going to have to get commissioned or drafted,” Davis said. “I had no intention of joining the Marines, but I found out that getting a Marine officer's commission was faster—not easier, but faster. So I went to OCS at Quantico in September of 1967.”
Into the Jungle
By September 1968, Davis was in Vietnam, serving as a Marine rifle platoon commander in the remote, mountainous jungles of the country’s northernmost province. His time in combat was intense and harrowing. In just seven months, he was wounded twice and nearly killed when his Medevac helicopter was shot down.
“By the grace of God, I survived,” he said. “I consider myself lucky and grateful to be here today.”
His memoir, My War in the Jungle: The Long-Delayed Memoir of a Marine Lieutenant in Vietnam 1968–69, Miles gave readers a raw and personal look at the day-to-day realities of combat in the unforgiving jungles of Vietnam. Reflecting on seeing a young Northern Vietnamese soldier sitting dead in his foxhole he wrote:
“A sense of sorrow flitted through my head. More irony. He was the enemy, yet he knew and lived with the grit and grime, the filth and privation, and the horror of very personal face-to-face combat. In the jungle it was just him and me, and we were the same: hunters tracking our prey.”
Check out Davis’ riveting memoir “My War in the Jungle” on Amazon.com.
He continued, “He knew war like my Marines and I knew war. We had all lived it. he was one of us. Identifying with the enemy is crazy, but those who have fought at the infantry level know that feeling, and only we can grasp it. I had seen it on TV: old World War II veterans drinking with former German soldiers, laughing about the adventure without reminding themselves of the deaths. Time had erased the worst of it. They had lived it too.”
A Long Road to Healing
After returning home, Davis struggled with the weight of his experience. “I spent the first 20 years after I came home drinking heavily,” he said. But writing helped him find peace and today he celebrates 35 years sober.
“Writing about my experiences in Vietnam was very therapeutic,” Davis said. “This is why I can talk and laugh about it now. The book made the difference.”
The memoir, which took him 15 years to write, resonated with readers across the world. It has earned hundreds of positive reviews on Goodreads and selling more than 10,000 copies.
A New Chapter at Azalea Trace
After leaving the military, Davis finished his service at Quantico, earned a law degree from the University of Florida, and went on to serve as a U.S. magistrate judge for the Northern District of Florida in Pensacola from 1996 to 2011.
Today, Davis enjoys retirement with his wife, Linda, whom he lovingly calls “the most wonderful woman on Earth.” The couple has lived at Azalea Trace for five years, and Davis has found purpose and peace in building wooden model ships in the community’s expansive hobby shop.
“The one that I'm building now is the USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides,” he said. “It’s really relaxing… you get immersed into doing that, and your mind is there—not somewhere else.”
Gratitude and Community
For Davis, the move to Azalea Trace has brought him and his family even more peace of mind. He is grateful to live in a resort-like retirement community with access to all levels of care, and the opportunity to stay active, independent and engaged, to continue finding fulfillment in life.
“We live in a cottage. There are 15 cottage duplexes in our little half circle,” he said. “All the people here have become our best friends. It’s just amazing how we’ve made more friends here than we ever made in our lives.”
The close-knit Pensacola community is welcoming and friendly with countless opportunities for residents to pursue their interests, hobbies and find joy in new friendships. Azalea Trace is home to many veterans, partly due to its proximity to the Naval Air Station in Pensacola. The community actively honors and supports its service members.
As the country reflects on the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, Davis hopes his story can help others—veterans and civilians alike—to understand the sacrifices of Vietnam, the healing power of storytelling, and finding peace.
