HELP! HAROLD JOSEPH "JOE" HAYS-abt.1916-?GA>CA>?
An amazing story is unfolding on-line and we need your help in finding the birth father and grandfather of two families who just learned of the other's existance.
Woman "A", b. July 1945 in Southern CA discovered her birth father's name from a long-sealed birth cert.His name is HAROLD JOSEPH HAYS.Her mother had told her only that he was from the South, was married with children, was in the Navy stationed in San Diego, CA 1944-45 and had "something to do with parachutes."
In searching a Hays Board, Woman "A" found an archived posting from Woman "B" who was looking for her paternal grandfather, "HAROLD JOSEPH "JOE" HAYS," b. in GEORGIA abt. 1916, who "had something to do with aviation" and was stationed in Southern CA during WW2.Woman "B's" father, still very much alive, was b. in Stanislaus Co., CA in May 1945.His Christening record states that this Harold's father was named "PAUL HAYS."Since neither birth mother was married to Harold Joseph "Joe" Hays it is understandable that they knew and/or said little to their children about this man.The only clue is a military address for Harold on a letter that was never sent.
It is probable that Woman "A" and the father of Woman "B" are half-sibs who share a father, and DNA testing may help to confirm this.In the mean time, I've been combing the 1920 and 1930 Censuses in hope of finding a Harold-Joseph Joe Hay** with a father named Paul but so far with no success.Nor have we been able to turn up anything from the SSDI or any death index, Google or any search engine.Are there any Naval databases or rosters available? Does anyone have any ideas on how to proceed with this search?Is there something obvious that we are overlooking?Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Barbara Hays Cook, [email protected]