Biography of Irma Jack Medley, USS Arizona, USN

Sailor, USS Arizona, USN

   My grandfather, Irma Jack Medley did a 1918-1924 tour of duty on the USS ARIZONA. I don’t know what he did after that. I have some photos and mission photos where he was listed as the pilot from 1927.

   One plane had the following: Tail # 2746 Ryan M-2 Dallas, TX High wing, single prop, open cockpit. Then I have three photos dated 4 June 1927 being inspected by military but they do not look like the Ryan M-2. While all three are wrecked they again do not look like the same plane each time. In Jack's handwriting but not dated, he mentions an accident[the worst photo] and that the photographer died.

   In the mission photos that were id by a ret.Major in the USAF in Tucson about 1982, he was able to find from the numbers on the photo-- 1.DH-7 Pilot Jack Medley, Mech C. Coburn on trip to Deluth, Miss 4-30-27 to 5-5-27 1st photo section AAC, location--El Centro CA?[ O-11-301T-1] [7-10-25-10 A.] [2000-20]. #2 DH "Moth" Jack Medley, pilot. Ship on Corps Area msp#835-473B1 First photo section[photo wing] 7-10-25 [flying over sand] [0-17-302T-1] [7-10-25 -A.] [1500-20]. #3 Parachute testing, El Centro, CA 1927 US Army Air Corps.

   The photos were sent in a #10 envelope postmarked San Antonio, TX 6 May 1927 at 5:30 p.m. Return address was: J. Mlldey 12th Observation Squadron, Second Division Air Corps, Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, TX. They have no record and almost nothing on the Observation Squadron before 1928.

   I have his complete set of fingerprints from Navy. His Navy records and some other personal items arrived in NM via train in late 1927-1928. According to the VA he never applied for any benefits and since there was no social security numbers in 1927 they have no record of him in their files. Either he pull off the biggest hoax of the decade or what he was doing in 1927 is still calssified after 80 years :-).

-----Penny

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