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dc.creatorHays, Joseph Warren
dc.date.accessioned2020-09-02T18:22:45Z
dc.date.available2020-09-02T18:22:45Z
dc.date.issued1944-01-13
dc.identifier.urihttps://repository.tcu.edu/handle/116099117/40475
dc.descriptionHays loves flying, learning basic maneuvers; family will visit.
dc.format.mediumpaper
dc.languageen_US
dc.relationJoseph Warren Hays Papers (MS 159)
dc.rightsPrior written permission from TCU Special Collections required to use any file.
dc.sourceSeries I, Box 1, Folder 3
dc.subjectWorld War II
dc.subjectUnited States Army
dc.subjectUnited States Army Air Corps
dc.subjectSheppard Field
dc.titleHays letter to family
dc.typeDocument
dc.description.transcriptionTyped on stationery:If you don’t have time to write -just drop me a box of cookies.1-13-44Dear Folks,I guess that by this time Weasilpusshas the distemper. It has been so long since I’ve written that that I hardly know how to begin but here goes. As for the news, the weather is bad constantly. It was so cold yesterday and today that it is impossible to stay up in an airplane for over an hour without coming down and warming. Up until the snow melted it was hard to keep from getting lost, everything looked white, it was beautiful but dangerous. Incidentally one of the men wound up 75 miles from the field today when he was out of gas.He picked a good field so neither he or the airplane were hurt. Another one got lost today that hadn’t been found the last that I heard. Both of them were Student Officers, men that already had their commissions before they started learning how to fly. As for me and my flying I am still doing all right. Nothing wonderful, nothing too bad. I have about 4. hours now and I like it moreevery day. As soon as I master the things that have already been demonstrated to me, I’ll start learning acrobatics. All that I have learned now are basic maneuvers such as climbs, glides, turns, stalls, (13 different kinds), spins, chandells, lazy eights, and some more maneuvers done at 500 feet that require flying difficult patterns in relation to the ground. All of these low maneuvershave to be done with wind drift being taken into consideration.1-14-44That is as far as I got last night when they hauled all of us “underclassmen” off to town last night to watch the 44 E men graduate. I wish that I could have been with them but I am learning a lot by not. By the way that other Lt. was found and brought back to the field unscathed.I got a letter from Ruth saying that she, Brother, and Gertrude would all be there the 15thor 16thso I am going to try to call at that time. If I don’t this letter which will get there the 17thwill let Mama & Papa know that I tried. As you were, I’ll send this Special Delivery –Air Mail, and let all of you know that I am trying.By the way Brother & Gertrude, any thanks for the dog-tag chain. It is by far the best and classiest that I have ever seen. I wear it on the outside of my undershirt where everyone can see it instead of on the inside like everyone else.This will be all for now except look for a call early Sunday morning or soon after church.Lots of love,Joe


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  • Joseph Warren Hays Papers [162]
    The collection includes a complete set of letters written by Joseph Warren Hays to his family while serving in the Army Air Corps during World War II. The letters detail his aviation training across the United States and his service in Europe toward the end of the war. In his later years, Mr. Hays wrote recollections of his missions over Europe. The collection also includes printed publications, newspaper clippings, a scrapbook, a photograph of Hays, and ephemera.

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