He Flew THE Winnie Mae

Wyle Moore was born at Denison, TX, February 26, 1898. The 1900 U.S. Census, his first, placed him at age two living with his father, Wylie (age 27), mother, Lizzie (22) and younger brother, Hugh (1). They lived in Whitewright, TX. His father was a "Day laborer."

Moore was educated through high school at Dennison, TX. The 1910 Census cited him living with his family at age 12 in Grayson County, Justice Precinct 2, TX. And what a family it was. He had accumulated four brothers during the previous decade. Besides Hugh (9) there was now Leo (8), William (5), Jerome (3) and Edward (1). Father Wiley (37) was now a "Merchant" in a "Hardware Store."

Moore became one of the best known early aviation figures at Dallas Love Field. As such he probably knew fellow Register pilot Jean LaRene and her husband Lou Foote (not a Register pilot). Moore served as a U.S. Army Air Service flying Instructor, barnstormer, executive pilot, commercial airline pilot, observer pilot for the U.S. Weather Bureau, and an airport traffic controller for more than twenty years with the CAA and FAA in every capacity from trainee to Tower Chief. On October 5, 1960, the council of the Air Traffic Controller's Association presented him the Meritorious Award Certificate for Controller of the Year, distinguishing “Pop” as one of eight people in the U.S. to have received the award.

The following summary of Moore's life in aviation can be found at the University of Texas, Dallas (see the link in the left sidebar). Moore received his first flying lessons while a high school student in 1918 (given his birth date, he must have started school late, or the 1918 date is in error) at Love Field, Dallas, TX from a U.S. Army Air Service colonel. The aircraft was a single-engine Jenny with an OX-5 engine. He soloed at Love Field.

From 1919 until April 1922 he served as a U.S. Army Air Service Flying Instructor. In 1920 General Billy Mitchell signed his Air Service Pilot School Certificate at Carlstrom Field, Florida. Though a seasoned flight instructor, “Pop” had to enter and pass cadet school for certification. The 1920 Census (the first I could find for him) placed him, age 21, at Arcadia, FL, Carlstrom Field, as a "Student Aviator" in the "U.S. Air Service." He was listed on the Census form along with over 50 other "Student Aviators" living in "Barracks 6."

From 1922-28 he was self-employed as a barnstormer and flew mostly the JN 4 D with OX-5 engine. From April through November, 1928-29, he served as a flying instructor for the Dallas Aviation School. From November through April 1, 1929-30 he became a demonstration pilot for the American Eagle Airplane Factory.

During 1930 he flew a Lockheed (model unspecified) for the Tex Worth Tool Company, Fort Worth, TX. From March 1 until December, 1930 he flew a Lockheed for Williams Iron Works, Tonkawa, OK. In December he flew a Lockheed for Moran Drilling Company, Wichita Falls, TX.

The 1930 U.S. Census cited him at age 31 living in Tonkawa, OK with his wife, Connie (age 26, Honor Constance Williams, 1903-1995), whom he married on December 25, 1922), son Wyle V., Jr. (6, 1923-1992) and daughter Anna R. (3, 1926-1945). They lived in a rented ($30 per month) home at 221 North Public Street in Tonkawa. According to Google Earth, that address today is a modest frame house in a working-class neighborhood. Moore was identified as an "Aviator" in the "Aviation" industry. He was probably working for Williams Iron Works at the time of the Census (April 9th).

During 1931 he served as an extra pilot for Braniff Airways until late in the year. Thanks to Branifflist.com Webmaster John North (cited, right sidebar), we can corroborate Moore's work for Braniff Airlines for about a year beginning January 1, 1931. He carried seniority number 10. This information is supported by his photograph and document collection maintained by the University of Texas, Dallas, cited in the left sidebar.

Then he piloted a Wasp powered Lockheed for Kessler Oil Company in Oklahoma City. He and Connie also gave birth to another daughter, Billie Doris on January 7, 1931. About six-months later we find him landing at Tucson (see below).

From 1931-1932 he was a private pilot for F.C. Hall and his daughter, Winnie Mae, in Oklahoma City, OK. Late in 1932 he flew the weather ship for the Dallas Aviation School in Dallas, TX. During 1933 he returned to barnstorming. He flew out of Love Field for the Van Cleave Air Plane Company.

From the Albuquerque, NM, The New Mexican, January 7, 1953 (Source: Woodling)

In 1939 he accepted a position in the Control Tower at Love Field which was run by the city of Dallas. In 1941 he moved to a position in the CAA Tower as Air Traffic Controller in Albuquerque, NM. During 1942 he moved to the CAA Tower at Meacham Field in Fort Worth, TX. And in 1943 he returned to the Tower at Love Field in Dallas.

Wichita Falls, TX, Wichita Falls Times, October 17, 1960 (Source: Woodling)

As an aside, In 1953, while stationed at Dallas, he believed he saw a UFO as documented in the news article, right from The New Mexican, Albuquerque, NM. Compare his observation with Register passenger Donald Keyhoe, who became a "specialist" in UFOs.

In 1960, left, he was awarded a trophy and a round-trip ticket from Dallas to San Francisco by the Air Traffic Control Association. A similar article describing the sighting appeared in the Pittsburgh Press (PA) of January 6, 1953.

Word to the wise: always be skeptical of UFO sightings during the winter in northern climes. Cold, clear, dense air can produce visual tricks. Your Webmaster once approached Cincinnati, OH on a commerical flight on a cold January night. To the north were lights resembling a string of pearls, twinkling and moving slowly in the dense air. The "pearls" appeared to be close together and near the horizon. The pilot came on the intercom and said the "pearls" were the landing lights of aircraft in the approach pattern to O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, IL, some 253 straight-line miles away.

Moore worked at Dallas in all levels of Air Traffic Control, from trainee to Tower Chief. In 1962 he transferred to the Red Bird Airport in Oak Cliff, a suburb of Dallas. On December 1, 1964 he retired from the FAA. The FAA granted his request to spend the week prior to retirement at Love Field, a nice touch. His pilot log books, which are part of his University of Texas, Dallas, collection, record a total of 10,955 hours of flying time. Clearly, he had a grand career in aviation from beginning to end.

WIthout further ado, Wyle V. Moore landed once at Tucson, Wednesday, July 1, 1931. He carried four passengers (see below) in the Lockheed Vega NC905Y. Their names were Chuck Fain, Mrs. Leslie Fain, Harry Frederickson and Mrs. Harry Frederickson. Based at Oklahoma City, OK, they were westbound from El Paso, TX to Long Beach, CA.

Thanks to Bob Woodling (cited, left sidebar) we know about Moore's passengers, too. Mrs. Leslie Fain was born Winnie Mae Hall, daughter of the owner of NC905Y, F.C. Hall, who was the primary financial backer for the round-the-world flights performed by Wiley Post and Harold Gatty. Hall also owned Post's Vega NC105W, which was Post and Gatty's round-the-world airplane. That Vega was named after Hall's daughter, "Winnie Mae." The Fredericksons were about the same age as the Fains and were good friends. Harry G. Frederickson, of Oklahoma City, was a businessman (see his obituary below) and also served as Wiley Post's publicity agent. 

News articles traced their voyage from Oklahoma to California. The Bakersfield Californian, July 1, 1931, and the Albuquerque Journal, July 2, 1931, below, described their flights and their purpose. The Albuquerque Journal misidentified the pilot as "Pat" Moore, perhaps a misunderstanding of his nickname, "Pop." Their stop at Tucson is not referenced in either article.

Bakersfield Californian, July 1, 1931 (Source: Woodling)

Albuquerque Journal, July 2, 1931 (Source: Woodling)

Ogden (UT) Standard-Examiner, July 3, 1931 (Source: Woodling)

Photograph, left, of the Fain family in Long Beach, is from the Ogden (UT) Standard-Examiner of July 3, 1931. The same page of this newspaper exhibited a photograph of Post and Gatty during their victory ticker tape parade in New York City. Coincidentally, their round-the-world flight had ended in New York on July 1st.

Oakland Tribune, July 2, 1931 (Source: Woodling)

It is clear from the articles above that Mrs. Fain and son, Chuck, were on their way to the Long Beach area to meet her husband and to have a family vacation.

That this is so is documented in the article from the Oakland Tribune, July 2, 1931, right. This article states that Winnie Mae's father intended to gift the round-the-world airplane to her. Although the airplane was eventually owned by her, this REFERENCE states that it was owned during 1932 by Wiley Post. Only from 1932-33 it was owned by Ms. Fain. In 1935, by act of Congress, the "Winnie Mae" was purchased by the U.S. government and it is now on exhibit at the National Air & Space Museum.

Further to Moore's passengers, from The Sooner Magazine, ca. 1935, the photograph and caption below shows Mrs. Fain and Mrs. Frederickson socializing with an actor who appeared in the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movie "Top Hat."

The Sooner Magazine, Ca. 1935 (Source: Woodling)

Harry Frederickson passed away in 1983. His obituary from The Oklahoman, published February 3, 1983, is below.

Wyle Moore passed away on December 12, 1969 at Dallas, TX. His grave marker is below.

Wyle V. Moore, 1898-1969 (Source: FindaGrave)

I have no photographs of Wyle Moore. If you can help, please let me KNOW.

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THIS PAGE UPLOADED: 04/25/16 REVISED: