The correct answer had to do with not finding
/usr/share/lib/term/terminfo/d/dumb
I copied /usr/share/lib/term/terminfo/u/unknown to this file
and ex is happy.
Special thanks to K. Ravi <RAVKRISH.IN.ORACLE.COM.ofcmail@in.oracle.com>
and Olagappan Subramanian <osubarama@cvimail.cv.com>
who had the correct answer
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- generated by /dev/dave -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
David Stern Flight Dynamics
dave@davka.gsfc.nasa.gov Goddard Space Flight Ctr
Building 28 Room N258 301-286-7631