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In memory of
Captain US Navy, Retired Will (Estel Wilbur) Hays
March 25, 1932 - March 16, 2022
Mar 25, 1932 - Mar 16, 2022
Will's timeline
1932
Born
March 25th, 1932
Trumbull, NE
1934
Moved
1934
From Trumbull to Giltner into a farmhouse across the road from the Wunderlich Family farmstead.
1935
Gained a sibling, Wayne Hays
December 6th, 1935
1937
Started elementary school
1937
Giltner Public Schools, NE
Moved
1937
Wunderlichs retire and Hays take over and move into family farm
1938
Will is old enough to help around the farm - feeding chickens, cows and horses
1938
1940
Farming transitions from horsedrawn. Purchase of the first family tractor, an Allis-Chalmers.
1940
1942
The War Years. Farming continues as an essential industry. Nebraska's War Effort includes local Army Air Field in Harvard where the bomber crews trained. The family saw these flights from the farm regularly.
1942
1946
Will goes to Kansas each summer to drive Uncle Leland's combine harvester
1946
1949
Graduated from high school
1949
Giltner High School, W 6 Rd, Giltner, NE
1950
Midshipman 3rd Class assigned to the Atlantic Fleet
1950
1951
Midshipman 2nd Class assigned to Marine Corps
1951
1952
Midshipman 1st Class assigned to the Atlantic Fleet; squad leader for Midshipmen 3rd Class. Stationed on the USS Wisconsin
1952
1953
Graduated from college
1953
Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD
First Deployment on the USS Menifee as decommissioning officer
1953
1954
Got married to Norma Jean Boomer
April 27th, 1954
Lincoln, NE
1966
CO on USS Wilhoite (DER-397)
November 30th, 1966
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
1968
Moved to Annandale, VA
1968
Moved to Norfolk, VA
January 7th, 1968
1970
CO on USS Knox (DE-1052/FF-1052)
June 7th, 1970
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
1971
Moved to Coronado, CA
1971
1973
CO on USS Worden (CG-18)
August 17th, 1973
Yokosuka, Japan
1975
Moved to Annandale, VA
1975
1978
NAVAL SHIP WEAPON SYSTEMS ENGINEERING STATION
June 20th, 1978
Port Hueneme CBC Base, CA
1981
Integrated Combat Systems Test Facility
January 30th, 1981
Point Loma, San Diego, CA
Deputy Commander, Operational Test & Evaluation Force, Pacific
June 17th, 1981
San Diego, CA
1983
Retired from U.S. Navy
1983
San Diego, CA
Started a job at Dean Witter Reynolds
1983
San Diego, CA
2005
Retired from Morgan Stanley
2005
San Diego, CA
2022
Passed away
March 16th, 2022
San Diego, CA
In lieu of flowers
Please consider a gift to Honor Flight San Diego.
$440.00
Raised by 5 people
Recent contributions
Recent contributions
In lieu of flowers
Please consider a gift to Honor Flight San Diego.
$440.00
Raised by 5 people
Recent contributions
Recent contributions
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Created with love by
Heather Hays (Will's niece),
Sandra Hays (Will's daughter),
Rich Hays (Will's son) and
Jennifer Hays (Will's daughter).
