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