Davish Krail, known by the moniker "Pops," was a human male originating from the planet Dantooine. During the Battle of Yavin, he served the Rebel Alliance as a Y-wing pilot. During the engagement, Krail was part of Gold Squadron, operating under the callsign Gold Five. Krail, alongside Captain Jon "Dutch" Vander and Dex Tiree, initiated the first trench run against the Death Star. After Vander and Tiree were both killed, he was forced to end his failed run, but Darth Vader's TIE Advanced x1 destroyed his fighter.
"Pops" Krail, whose full name was Davish Krail, was a human male native to the planet of Dantooine. He functioned as a pilot within the ranks of the Rebel Alliance throughout the Imperial Era. He piloted a BTL-A4 Y-wing assault starfighter/bomber as a member of the Alliance's Gold Squadron.
Krail, a seasoned pilot by 0 BBY, was handpicked to participate in Gold Squadron's assault on the Death Star during the Battle of Yavin. Known by his callsign Gold Five, he was tasked with providing cover for Captain Jon Vander during the initial bombing run aimed at the thermal exhaust port at the termination of the meridian trench. Krail assessed the trench's defenses, estimating at least twenty turbolaser batteries, and cautioned Vander and Dex Tiree to be vigilant for TIE fighters. Shortly after, Darth Vader and his escort fighters ambushed them. Despite Vander's warning that they couldn't outmaneuver Vader and his escort, Krail encouraged him to stick to their target, but when Vander was killed by Vader's TIE Advanced x1, Krail was forced to abandon his trench run. In his final moments, he attempted to warn Red Squadron of the dangers that lay within the trench before Darth Vader destroyed his engine. The starfighter spiraled wildly, and exploded, resulting in his death.
The character of Davish Krail made his first appearance in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope as "Gold Five," portrayed by Graham Ashley. After informing Red Leader Garven Dreis about the deaths of Vander and Tiree, Dreis addresses him as "Gold Leader." Whether this is a simple mistake in the film, an error made by the character within the story, or Dreis acknowledging Krail as the new acting commander of Gold Squadron remains unclear.
The name "Davish Krail" was first assigned to the character in the 1995 "Premiere Limited" series of the Star Wars Customizable Card Game. After the Expanded Universe was rebranded as "Legends," the name "Davish Krail" was reintroduced into canon through the 2015 reference book, Ultimate Star Wars.