Oral history interview with Charles L. Hayward

Collection

Identifier: SR 9580

Staff Only

Oral history interview with Charles L. Hayward

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Scope and Contents

This oral history interview with Charles L. Hayward was conducted by Linda S. Dodds on December 5, 1979. A transcript of the interview is available. At the time of the interview, Dodds’ name was Linda S. Brody.

In this interview, Hayward discusses his experiences as a balloon lookout during World War I. He talks about his Army training and learning how to operate balloons. He describes his deployment to Europe, including traveling across England and marching across France to reach the front lines. He speaks at length about the organization, equipment, and operations of the balloon corps. He also describes the experience of being in a balloon while under fire. He closes the interview by sharing his memories of Armistice Day, November 11, 1918, and of the return journey to the U.S.

Dates

Creation: 1979 December 5

Creator

Hayward, Charles L. (Charles Lewis), 1895-1998 (Interviewee, Person)
Dodds, Linda S. (Interviewer, Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright for this interview is held by the Oregon Historical Society. Use is allowed according to the following statement: Creative Commons - BY-NC-SA, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

Biographical note

Charles L. Hayward was born in Holyoke, Massachusetts, in 1895. He studied chemical engineering at Columbia University, but changed his major to electrical engineering. His studies were interrupted by World War I, during which he served in the U.S. Army 13th Balloon Corps in France. After his discharge, he completed his degree at Columbia. He worked for many years as a manufacturer of time switches and later of self-starting motors for clocks, known as Telechron motors. He also served as chair of Minnesota Congressman Walter Judd’s campaign committee, and as chair of the Republican Party in Minnesota’s fifth ward. In 1923, he and Grace Parsons were married; they soon divorced, but Hayward maintained a lifelong relationship with her son. At the age of 80, he and Ruth Bailey were married. Hayward settled in Portland, Oregon, late in his life. He died in 1998.

Extent

0.1 Cubic Feet (2 audiocassettes (1 hr., 24 min., 34 sec.) + transcript (31 pages))

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Oral history interview with Charles L. Hayward conducted by Linda S. Dodds on December 5, 1979. Hayward served as a balloon lookout for the U.S. Army during World War I.