Tom Davis was born in 1947 in Eufaula, Alabama. He enlisted in the U.S. Army on June 2, 1967, and completed basic training and infantry training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, in October 1967. His first assignment was as an Ammunition Specialist with Company B, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment of the 196th Light Infantry Brigade in South Vietnam from November 1967 until he was captured and taken as a Prisoner of War on March 11, 1968. After spending 1,832 days in captivity, SSG Davis was released during Operation Homecoming on March 16, 1973. He was briefly hospitalized to recover from his injuries, and then served as a Calibration Technician and Specialist at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, from September 1973 to January 1975. His next assignment was as a Senior Calibration Specialist with the 95th Service Company at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, from January 1975 to April 1979, followed by service as Platoon Sergeant of the 291st Military Police Company at Redstone Arsenal from April 1979 to February 1982. After serving at Fort Rucker, Alabama, from February 1982 to February 1983, Sgt Davis served as Provost Marshall and then as First Sergeant of the 554th Military Police Company in West Germany from February 1983 to November 1986. His next assignment was as a Military Police Advisor with the U.S. Army Readiness Group at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, from November 1986 to January 1988, and he then attended the Sergeant Major Academy at Fort Bliss, Texas, from February to August 1988. CSM Davis served as Command Sergeant Major of the 795th Military Police Battalion at Fort McClellan, Alabama, from August 1988 to August 1989, followed by service as Command Sergeant Major of the 8th Military Police Brigade in South Korea from August 1989 to December 1991. His next assignment was as Command Sergeant Major of the 385th Military Police Battalion in Germany from December 1991 to July 1992, and then as Command Sergeant Major of the 18th Military Police Brigade in Germany from July 1992 to November 1995. His final assignment was as an instructor with the Army ROTC program at Armstrong State College in Savannah, Georgia, from December 1995 until his retirement from the Army on October 1, 1997.

His 2nd Legion of Merit Citation reads:

For exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service from 30 September 1987 to 30 September 1997 throughout a distinguished military career of more than 30 years, culminating as Senior Military Science Instructor and Noncommissioned Officer in Charge, Military Science Department, Armstrong Atlantic State University, First Region (ROTC), United States Army Cadet Command. Sergeant Major Davis's outstanding performance of duty, total dedication to soldiers and cadets, gifted leadership, and devotion to the Army contributed immeasurably to the building of the Army's future leadership. His outstanding achievements and distinguished service to his country reflect great credit upon him, the Cadet Command, and the United States Army.