Major (Ret) Joe Ayres
Honorary Member Of The Dawn Patrol
650 hours flying the "hump" in WWII and  180 trips during the Berlin Airlift.

Joe joined the United States Army Air Corps in July 1940 and graduated from flying school in June 1943. He was farmed out to Delta Airlines to learn twin engines and instrument flying. In 1944 Joe was flying in the U.S. Army Air Corps in many different types of aircraft: PT19, BT13,AT6, C47, C49, C53, C54, C60. B25. B24, B26, B17, A20, A26, C45, UC78 and before 1962 was flying an F80 jet.  Joe flew the "Hump" over the Himalayas in a C46 for a total of 650 hours of combat. (Flying the "Hump" was some of the most dangerous transport flying during the war.)  When he returned from over seas he flew a P38. He also flew all types of cargo planes. Joe flew passengers and cargo for MATS over the North Atlantic in a C54. 
During the Berlin air lift in 1949 Joe flew over 180 trips into Berlin. He later flew C54s in the U.S. plus the far east. Major Ayres primary service was both as a Pilot and an Intelligence Officer.Medals and awards: Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal W/2 Oak Leaf Clusters, Medal for Humane Action, Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Army of Occupational Medal (Germany) w/Berlin Airlift Device, National Defense Service Medal, Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon w/4 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, Armed Forces Reserve Medal.

                                            Joe passed away in September, 2014.