International Air Bahama

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AIR BAHAMA HISTORY BY FRED COX

CREW FRIENDSHIP REUNION WEBSITE FIRST PUBLISHED JULY 16, 2000

Captain Emmett Hays grandson Ruben Hays
LEATHERNECK BAND CADET OF THE MONTH

“Cadet Hays has stepped into the MMA Band with 
his feet on the ground, ready to do absolutely 
anything and everything he is tasked with.  
I can’t recall the last time I had a musician/
cadet in the band with the drive and can-do 
attitude that Ruben possesses.  He has been 
a God send when we needed it most.  Already 
making public appearances, representing MMA, 
Cadet Hays is a consummate musician and model 
cadet.  I very much look forward to Ruben’s 
continued contributions to the MMA Band and 
this school.  Keep your eyes on this guy.  

He’s going to be a key leader here at MMA in 
the near future.  Great job, Ruben, and thank 
you for everything you do.  Rock on, Ruben!”  

Chief Warrant Officer 3 Ed Harris, USMC (Ret) - 
ALPHA Company Drill Instructor and LEATHERNECK 
Bandmaster

“In the short time I have been here at MMA I 
have learned a great deal about leadership 
and success. I have learned that success comes 
from the team, not the individual. Receiving 
the Leatherneck Band Cadet of the Month award, 
to me, is a recognition of my dedication to the 
team…that I set my personal gain aside and 
focused on helping the group as a whole to 
succeed. To me, being Cadet of the Month means 
being the cadet who can be counted on to do the 
right thing and to help out whenever there the 
need arises, even if no one is looking. I am 
proud and deeply honored to have been selected 
as Cadet of the Month, and I hope that every 
cadet will strive not only for individual 
success, but for the success of his peers and 
fellow classmates as well.”  
Cadet Private Ruben Hays  – 
LEATHERNECK Band Cadet of the Month

RUBEN HAYS

RUBEN CADET OF THE MONTH

Anne & Emmett Hays triplet grandchildren
turned seventeen on 16 October. Ruben is 
attending a prep school in Texas.  

He passed the tests for private pilot on 
his birthday. So we now have another pilot 
in our family.  Rebeca is an exchange 
student in Denmark and Ruth is an exchange 
student in Japan.  
Greetings to IAB crew from Emmett

PILOTS CRUISING THE GLOBE AT 30 000 FEET

COLONEL EMMETT HAYS SAN FRANCISCO COLONEL EMMETT HAYS SAN FRANCISCO COLONEL EMMETT HAYS SAN FRANCISCO COLONEL EMMETT HAYS SAN FRANCISCO COLONEL EMMETT HAYS SAN FRANCISCO

COLONEL EMMETT HAYS
SAN FRANCISCO

Jack Wagner, Emmett and Larry Swartz

The Temple of
Heaven, Beijing

HOTEL BLUE VISTA CLUB
NASSAU BAHAMAS

Fighter pilot in the USA Air Force.
Emmett was a fighter pilot in the US
Air Force. Highest rank was Colonel.
The first fighter he flew was the P40
in WW2. He also flew the P51 in combat
in China.

After the war he stayed in China for a
total of three and one half years. During
his stay in China, his fighter squadron
was closed down and the pilots transferred
to a troop carrier group. Emmett then flew
the C47 and C46 for a little over a year for
General Marshall's peace team.

The rest of the time in China he flew the L5,
C47 & C46 for the state department and other
government agencies.

When he returned to the States, he went back
into fighters. It was all jet fighters until he
retired. After leaving Air Bahama, he flew as
Captain on DC8's for Air Jamaica for five years.