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Capt. Morris "Mo" Hayes  
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In his memory:

Capt. Morris "Mo" Hayes

VFP-62 1965-67

:

Updated: May 26,2023





Capt. Hayes in cockpit - FDR Detachment O-in-C 1965


The last VFP-62 Commanding Officer



For his biography, click: Capt. Hayes Biography Use back arrow "<--" to return this page.


    Obituary and Family Memories



    I am Christopher Hayes, second son of Morris (Mo) Hayes. Captain, U.S. Navy (Retired)

    I am sad to inform you all that my father passed away this week, on Monday, 24 August 2020, just one week short of his 90th birthday.

    We are sad to see him go, but glad to have seen him live a long, full life. We are full of respect for his Naval Aviation career and the happiness he brought to his family and many friends. He was a good man, a good husband, father, community member, citizen, and servant to our country as a Naval Officer.

    He is survived by his four children:

    Morris Hankins (Hank) Hayes
    Holly Lucas
    Christopher Hayes
    Cindy Hayes

    We will miss him.



    Obituary


  • CAPT Morris Lee Hayes, US Navy (ret), 89, of Pensacola, FL passed away Monday, August 24, 2020.

    He was born on August 31, 1930 in Birmingham, AL to Ralph Morris and Tommie Lee (Justice) Hayes. At the age of 12 the family moved to the Sebring and Lakeland, FL area. In 1947, he graduated from Riverside Military Academy in Gainesville, GA before attending and graduating from Auburn University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering in 1952. Upon graduation from Auburn University in March 15, 1952 he was commissioned as an Ensign, and married June Hankins the next day. The marriage produced four children; Hank, Holly, Christopher and Cindy. He continued his education at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) Troy, NY and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from University of West Florida in 1982. CAPT Hayes served one year as a Deck Officer on the Destroyer USS John R. Craig deployed to the Korean War. After receiving his wings he served as a Fighter Pilot from 1954-1963 and was deployed aboard multiple air craft carriers including the USS Philippine Sea, USS Hancock, USS Franklin D. Roosevelt, USS Enterprise and the USS Shangri LA. He served as a Commanding Officer Photo/Reconnaissance Squadron VFP-62 ship's Navigator aboard the USS Ticonderoga deployed to Vietnam War. Commanding Officer US Naval Photo Center, Washington DC, and retired as a Captain after 30 years of service. After his military career, CAPT Hayes worked as a Commercial Banker for 14 years and 8 years as Chief Financial Officer for the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation.

    He is preceded in death by his wife, June Hankins Hayes. Survivors include his children, Morris Hank Hayes; Holly Hayes Lucas, Christopher Hayes and Cindy Hayes.

  • Tributes and Memories


  • Webmaster's Rememberance: Capt. Hayes made you feel at ease when you spoke to him, enlisted or officer. He gave the impression of being a Navy captain was something he once did, but now, he was just "Mo," although I don't remember calling him that.

    He was VFP-62's last commanding officer and guided the squadron through disestablishment in January 4,1968.

    He attended our reunion in Mobile Al in 2008 when we dedicated our RF-8G at Battleship Memorial Park. He agreed to be our banquet Guest Speaker. He was a great story-teller and kept us laughing with his sense of humor. His wife,June, just laughed along with us, probably having heard them many times before. Both stopped by at our Jacksonville reunion in 2010 when we were visiting Cecil Field. The picture below shows them happily leaving us for another move, that time to Georgia.

    He was the type of officer that made VFP-62 the great squadron it was. We will all miss him. "Blue Skys, Skipper."---Ken Jack, PH2


  • (8/31/20) As I recall my days in VFP-62 and fellow aviator Mo Hayes, an interesting vignette comes to mind. Sometime in the mid 1960s Mo and his family were living in base housing at Cecil Field. On a Saturday morning I had occasion to stop by their home at about 8:30 AM. This was somewhat remarkable since I was not married yet and Saturday mornings were usually devoted to "recovery" time from Friday evening happy hour and other assorted bachelor activities.

    Mo's children were seated at the kitchen table just starting their breakfast, the family dog and a cat were providing entertainment, I think Mo was wearing an apron. Breakfast appeared to be waffles, and one of the kids, I think it was a daughter, unable to pronounce the word "waffles", proudly announced that daddy was making "woxels." Mirriam and Webster scrambled to insert the new word in their latest edition. Even after getting married, the word waffles has never been spoken in our household; we adopted the new found nomenclature- "Woxels."---Cmdr. Norm Green




  • VFP-62 reunion Mobile Al. 2008.


    Mo and June heading to Georgia after lunch at Cecil Field--2010

    Click photo to enlarge

 


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    Updated 3/9/18




 
 

 

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