Born in Denison, TX, David Kincaid Jamison II moved to Siloam Springs, AR, where he graduated from Siloam Springs High School in 1964. In high school he was a member of the National Honor Society, track and football teams, Future Farmers of America, and attained the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts. His senior year he took college courses at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and, after graduation, attended Hendrix College in Conway, AR. Appointed to West Point in 1965 by 3rd District Arkansas Congressman James W. Trimble, he travelled to the Hudson Valley to join the Class of 1969.
As a cadet, he was in Company D-1 his first two years. With the expansion of the number of cadets and companies in the Corps, he joined the majority of his companymates in forming G-1 the last two years. In the Class of 1969 Legacy Book, Dave stated: “West Point was my adolescent dream, but the reality was a culture shock. I was considered a country yokel as a plebe—giving entertainment to many upper-level students. I was so poor at memorizing standard ‘poop,’ my squad leader had me memorize and present a speech at the dining hall. The “Arkansas Poop” (from a 19th century Arkansas legislative speech) earned me unintended notoriety among my classmates and allayed my fear for public speaking.” The above statement belies the maturity and humility noticed by his classmates from the beginning. He was well liked and respected throughout the company. Warren Mueller (a New Yorker), Kenny Bevis (Alabama), and Dave (from Arkansas and known as Deke from his initials DK) were roommates for cow year. Warren recalls: “Since I was a Yankee, their southern drawl left me understanding about 70 percent of what each one said. I do remember that one of them was always "fixin’’ to do something and the other was "a-fixin’’ to do it. They were both great guys, and Deke will be missed!” Glenn Schiraldi remembers two things about Deke: “1) His calm and friendly presence—never puffed up or self-important. He impressed me as one who had a sense of perspective and didn’t make mountains out of molehills; and 2) He was a very fast swimmer. The ref would place the ball in the middle of the pool and the best swimmer on each team would race to it. Deke always won the race. He was a great teammate who led by quiet example.” Perhaps the best summary of his companymate’s admiration is from Mike Kelly. Dave served as the G-1 executive officer the last detail First Class year. Mike Kelly, the G-1 company commander, recalls, “Deke was such a great guy…wonderful friend...one helluva’ young officer…not to mention greatly missed. But so many thoughts and memories of one of the finest men I’ve ever known.”
Upon graduation Dave branched to the Signal Corps. His assignments during the next eight years are testimony to Dave the person, the soldier, and the leader. He was Airborne, Ranger, Pathfinder, Jumpmaster, and jungle warfare qualified. After schooling he served as a platoon leader in the Ranger Regiment (B Company, 75th Infantry [Ranger]). He followed with a volunteer assignment to Vietnam as a platoon leader in the 3-82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 196th Infantry Brigade. Returning Stateside, he went to the Signal School, where he served as aide to the commanding general ECOM at Fort Monmouth, NJ. His final assignment was to Germany and the 106th Signal Group, where he commanded a company. In his Legacy book narrative, Dave stated, “Though blessed in assignments and good performance, discouraged about cultural changes, I made the difficult decision to leave the Army in 1977.”
After his service in the Army, Dave returned to his native south. He worked in sales at Procter and Gamble for two years in Nashville and never left Tennessee. Dave worked for various U.S. Department of Energy contractors (Martin Marietta, Lockheed Martin, UT-Battelle) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Most recently, he worked as program manager at Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy.
Dave met his wife, Robin Addis, the daughter of a U.S. Naval attaché, in Caracas, Venezuela while on summer leave before his firstie year. On January 31, 1970, they were married and enjoyed an exciting and challenging life with family, first in the Army, then in industry and Tennessee. Following a divorce in 1986, Dave remarried. His second wife passed in 2004. He retired in 2007 from Oak Ridge and moved closer to his two children near Spring Hill, TN. Dave and Robin were reunited almost 25 years after their separation and remarried on December 15, 2011. In the Legacy book, Dave stated: “With the Lord’s blessing, I reunited with my first wife, and we remarried in December 2011. My Christian faith, values I learned growing up, West Point ethics, and the honor code have all made the best course clear in confronting life’s challenges.”
His family, friends and classmates remember Dave as a Christian husband and father who worked hard and believed in excellence. Survivors include his wife, Robin Addis Jamison of Christiana, TN; his son, Robert Jamison, and his wife Kara of Christiana, TN; his daughter, Amy Catherine Jamison of Franklin, TN; and his five grandchildren: David Alexander (Alex) Zimmerle, Carter Stephen Jamison, Kaylin Taylor Jamison, Kylie Catherine Jamison, and Luke Kincaid Jamison.
— Robin and Company G-1 classmates