By John Flesher

Associated Press Writer

Calvin Clark Davis encountered little racism during his childhood, even though he was a light-skinned black in an almost entirely white community.

But he knew it would be a different matter in the U.S. military, then strictly segregated. So when World War II broke out, he enlisted in the Army Air Force, claiming to be white.

Davis flew 50 missions in the Pacific theater, enough to exempt him from further combat. Instead, he volunteered to fight in Europe, where he was killed during a bombing run over Germany.

On Monday, in a ceremony coinciding with Black History Month, Davis' family received seven medals honoring his service.

``This is one of the most incredible stories of dedication to country I have ever heard,'' said U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Holland, who read a description of each medal as Rep. John Conyers, D-Detroit, presented them to Calvin Murphy, a cousin of Davis.

He said Davis was one of many blacks who passed themselves off as white so they wouldn't be relegated to non-combat duty.

``Even (with) the imperfections and the hostility that was shown to them by their country, they loved America,'' Hoekstra said. ``And they were willing to fight and to die for this country that was treating them so unfairly.''

Davis enlisted in the 5th U.S. Army Air Force in May 1941. He was among a bomber crew that received the Distinguished Flying Cross for heroism during an attack on a Japanese airfield in 1943. They had left their formation to protect other planes, even though theirs had been damaged.

Transferred to Europe at his request so could continue flying, he became a radio operator aboard a B-17 bomber.

On Nov. 30, 1944, his plane and another collided during an attack on oil refineries in Merseburg, Germany. Six of the bomber's nine crewmen, including Davis, were killed.

Murphy, 54, a retired National Park Service employee, came across an old newspaper article a couple of years ago that said Davis might have been in line for the Silver Star and the Congressional Medal of Honor.

He contacted numerous agencies, including Hoekstra's office, which determined Davis was eligible for a number of awards.

Presented on Monday were the World War II Victory Medal, the Purple Heart, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the American Defense Service Medal, the Air Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Davis had received some of them previously, but they were reissued with additional ribbons or other meritorious symbols. Others were first-time awards.

Hoekstra said he and Conyers were still researching whether Davis should receive the Silver Star and Medal of Honor.