John Hodges David, Jr. was born on December 25, 1892 in Dillon County, South Carolina. He was the son of John Hodges David and Arletta Ione Manning David. He completed Officer Candidate School at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia and during World War I he served in France with the 18th Infantry Regiment of the 1st Division, American Expeditionary Forces. He was awarded the Silver Star for heroism at the Battle of Piccardy where he singlehandedly killed 7 German soldiers with his pistol while leading his men against a much larger enemy force before he was overwhelmed and fatally wounded on March 1, 1918. He was the first US Military Officer from South Carolina and first Citadel alumni killed in the conflict. He is now buried in St. Mihiel American Cemetery, Thiaucourt, France. He also has a cenotaph located in Riverside Cemetery, Dillon, Dillon County, South Carolina, USA.