Haley, James A., 1904?-1977

Retired Navy Captain James A. Haley was an officer, pilot, and aeronautics authority in the U.S. Navy. Born in Fall River, Massachusetts in 1904 or 1905, Haley graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1927 and learned to fly in 1930 as he received his wings at Pensacola, Florida. Haley was a pilot on the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Ranger during the 1930s and was serving with the U.S. Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics at the outbreak of World War II.

From 1944 to 1945 he was stationed at Pearl Harbor, then returned to the Bureau of Aeronautics as a contract officer. From 1954 to 1956, Haley was the commanding officer of the U.S. Naval Air Development Center at Johnsonville, Pennsylvania. After retiring from the Navy in 1956, Haley worked as a consultant for Glenn L. Martin Company (1956-1957) in Baltimore and Boeing Airplane Company (1958-1963) in Seattle.

Haley was a member of the Elks, the Institute of Aeronautical Sciences, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Army Navy Country Club and the Belle Haven Country Club.

Captain James A. Haley passed away in 1977 of an aneurism at his home in Belle Haven. He was survived by his wife, Margery, of the home; a daughter, Margaret Riche, of Alexandria; a son, Robert Michael, of Staunton, Va., and two grandchildren.