JAMES N. MAYES, LTJG, USN

James Mayes '37

Date of birth: March 15, 1914

Date of death: October 14, 1940

Age: 26

Lucky Bag

From the 1937 Lucky Bag:

JAMES NORRIS MAYES

Springfield, Missouri

"Jim"

Jim hails from an old Army family of way back, but he finally saw the light and decided on the Navy. Since he has been here, the academics and other obstacles have been met and defeated. Sometimes these battles have been close, but never indecisive. Of course, a comprehensive treatment of Gentleman Jim's dragging activities is beyond the scope of this text, but it may be said that he seldom passes a week-end in the ranks of the Scarlet Michaels. For diversion, Jim spends his time at swimming, tennis, or perhaps a little music—Ah! the classics!

Swimming 1. Glee Club 4, 3, 2, 1, Leader 1. C.P.O.

JAMES NORRIS MAYES

Springfield, Missouri

"Jim"

Jim hails from an old Army family of way back, but he finally saw the light and decided on the Navy. Since he has been here, the academics and other obstacles have been met and defeated. Sometimes these battles have been close, but never indecisive. Of course, a comprehensive treatment of Gentleman Jim's dragging activities is beyond the scope of this text, but it may be said that he seldom passes a week-end in the ranks of the Scarlet Michaels. For diversion, Jim spends his time at swimming, tennis, or perhaps a little music—Ah! the classics!

Swimming 1. Glee Club 4, 3, 2, 1, Leader 1. C.P.O.

Loss

Jim was lost when his SBD Dauntless dive bomber crashed near Camp Kearney, California, on October 14, 1940. He was a member of Bombing Squadron (VB) 3 stationed at NAS San Diego.

He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Family

From researcher Kathy Franz:

James' mother was Helen, and his sisters were Helen and Frances. James was born on Governor's Island, and Frances was born in 1911 in Fort Ontario, New York. In June 1920, they sailed from Belgium on their way home to Springfield, Missouri. In May 1924, they traveled with their father James from Le Havre to New York City.
James married Virginia Marchant Blair on June 10, 1939, in Los Angeles. She was the daughter of Army Major Ben Blair (retired.) His best man was Ensign James Ray ('38). His ushers were Ensigns: Donald Baer ('37), Robert Savage ('37), Paul Hirshberger ('37), Robert Farrington ('37), Donald Mehlhop ('37) and Herman Krol ('38.) The traditional arch of sabers was formed at the close of the ceremony.

His father was an Army Colonel who served during World War I as Deputy Judge Advocate of the American Expeditionary Forces.

Career

Jim reported to NAS Pensacola for flight training on June 30, 1939 as an Ensign. He was promoted to LTJG on June 3, 1940; on June 20, 1940 he was designated naval aviator #6500. (Information from Richard Leonard, naval aviation historian.)

Navy Directories & Officer Registers

The "Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps" was published annually from 1815 through at least the 1970s; it provided rank, command or station, and occasionally billet until the beginning of World War II when command/station was no longer included. Scanned copies were reviewed and data entered from the mid-1840s through 1922, when more-frequent Navy Directories were available.

The Navy Directory was a publication that provided information on the command, billet, and rank of every active and retired naval officer. Single editions have been found online from January 1915 and March 1918, and then from three to six editions per year from 1923 through 1940; the final edition is from April 1941.

The entries in both series of documents are sometimes cryptic and confusing. They are often inconsistent, even within an edition, with the name of commands; this is especially true for aviation squadrons in the 1920s and early 1930s.

Alumni listed at the same command may or may not have had significant interactions; they could have shared a stateroom or workspace, stood many hours of watch together… or, especially at the larger commands, they might not have known each other at all. The information provides the opportunity to draw connections that are otherwise invisible, though, and gives a fuller view of the professional experiences of these alumni in Memorial Hall.