An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | Aug. 28, 2018

Iowa Airman is direct descendant of Davy Crockett

By Staff Sgt. Mike Kelly 132d Wing, Iowa Air National Guard

DES MOINES, Iowa - At the 132d Wing here, Master Sgt. David "Davy" Crockett, the 132d Medical Group lab non-commissioned officer in charge (NCOIC), tends to the medical needs of Iowa Guard members.

While he may not have been "born on a mountain top in Tennessee" or "killed him a bar when he was only three," Crockett is a direct descendant of the famous American of the early 1800s.

"It"s fun to connect to your past," Crockett said. "A lot of people nowadays don"t know where they came from so I"m very fortunate to have a strong lineage to a historical individual."

Naming the firstborn son of each generation 'David' is a Crockett family tradition that started when the legendary Crockett was named David after his grandfather. When it came time to name Crockett though, his parents had a bit of a dilemma.

"My father wanted to name me David but my mother was worried I would get picked on by other kids," said Crockett. "Ultimately it was my uncle, who is also named David, who convinced them that everything would be fine."

Fortunately for Crockett, he was not picked on by other children but did receive added attention. With a very recognizable name, Crockett grew up often hearing about his ancestor from other kids, usually in the form of the song "The Ballad of Davy Crockett" by George Bruns and Thomas W. Blackburn written for the Disney television mini-series "Davy Crockett" in 1954.

"Kids, when they saw my last name, would usually just sing the song," said Crockett. "People later did the same when they saw the name on my uniform and then I tell them my first name and lineage and really blow their minds."

Crockett said growing up he was proud to represent his heritage and didn"t mind the extra attention. He embraced his identity and used it to educate others on just who his famous ancestor was. Crockett said that many people now think of Davy Crockett as an American myth or often confuse him with Daniel Boone.

"I think it"s funny that people think he wasn"t a real person," said Crockett. "Some people think he was a Paul Bunyan or Johnny Appleseed type mythos creation."

Nevertheless, tall tales and the ability to sell a joke with a straight face are also traits Crockett displays from his ancestor. Even though he"s never claimed the ability to grin coons out of trees or ride alligators down streams, Crockett has a reputation for subtle jokes, bad puns and deadpan humor. His fellow Airmen at the 132d MDG said his ability to spin a good yarn always keeps them on their toes.

"He constantly keeps everyone on their toes because he seems so serious when he tells stories and he is such a good actor that you want to believe him even if what he is saying is just crazy and ridiculous," said Senior Airman Danielle Koster, 132d MDG medic. "Once he"s tricked you so many times you don't believe him when he is actually telling the truth."

The truth is the Crockett name has served the family well over the generations, leading to chance encounters with astronaut John Glenn, dinner invitations from actor Fess Parker and job offers from Walt Disney himself. But despite the fame of his ancestors, the Davy Crockett of the 132d Wing said that resiliency is one of key takeaways of his ancestor"s life.

"Davy Crockett failed in a lot of endeavors, almost died on numerous occasions and even while in Congress wasn"t liked very much," said Crockett. "But he was resilient and knew how to connect with people and build good relations with others."

Crockett uses these lessons in his day-to-day life in the Air National Guard and enjoys building up others around him while serving his country, family and friends. Whether or not he becomes another American legend someday remains to be seen.

"Connecting to your heritage as a whole is a really great thing," said Crockett. "You learn a lot from the past and it"s cool just to see how connected everyone really is."

 

 

Related Articles
Maj. Gen. Thomas Friloux, adjutant general of Louisiana, discusses briefing details with Col. Augusto Villalaz, director of the Joint Staff for the Louisiana National Guard, during the annual Hurricane Rehearsal of Concept (ROC) Drill at the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, May 21, 2025. The drill helps synchronize plans and strengthen coordination across LANG’s senior leadership ahead of hurricane season.
Louisiana Guard Rehearses Emergency Plans for Hurricane Season
By Capt. Peter Drasutis, | May 28, 2025
NEW ORLEANS – The Louisiana National Guard conducted its annual Hurricane Rehearsal of Concept (ROC) Drill at the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Baton Rouge May 21, uniting key personnel across multiple commands to refine...

U.S. Soldiers assigned to 3rd Battalion, 197th Field Artillery Regiment, New Hampshire Army National Guard, sling load a reduced range practice rocket to a Moroccan CH-47 Chinook during a multinational sling load operation at African Lion 2025 (AL25), May 17, 2025, in TanTan, Morocco. AL25, the largest annual military exercise in Africa, brings together over 50 nations, including seven NATO allies and 10,000 troops to conduct realistic, dynamic and collaborative training in an austere environment that intersects multiple geographic and functional combatant commands. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF,) on behalf of the U.S. Africa Command, AL25 takes place from April 14 to May 23, 2025, across Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia This large-scale exercise will enhance our ability to work together in complex, multi-domain operations - preparing forces to deploy, fight, and win.
New Hampshire Guard Teams with Morocco for Sling Load Training at African Lion 2025
By Sgt. 1st Class Jessica Forester, | May 28, 2025
TAN TAN, Morocco – Soldiers assigned to the 744th Forward Support Company (744TH FSC), 3rd Battalion, 197th Field Artillery Regiment, New Hampshire Army National Guard partnered with the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces (FAR), for...

From left, Sgt. Edward Acda, Lt. Col. Vern Perez, Sgt. 1st Class Celine Taitano, Capt. Ryan Arellano, Staff Sgt. Jovencio Mortera, and Sgt. Avery Tyquiengco of the Guam National Guard participate in Balikatan Cyber Defense Exercise, Manila, April 27, 2025. Balikatan is a longstanding annual exercise between the U.S. and Philippine armed forces designed to strengthen the alliance, showcase the capable combined force, and demonstrate the commitment to regional security and stability. (Courtesy asset)
Guam Guard Participates in Balikatan 2025 Cyber Defense Exercise
By Mark Scott, | May 28, 2025
MANILA, Philippines – A team of cyber professionals and an intelligence analyst from the Guam National Guard attended Balikatan 2025, participating in the three-week Cyber Defense Exercise alongside teams from various...