He was the son of John Baer Ayres and Lacy Eloise Decker Ayres. James graduated from Pampa High School and Texas Tech University, where he participated in the ROTC program. He married Brenda Stephenson on January 25, 1959, and was commissioned into the United States Air Force on January 25, 1960. He started out flying a C-123 Army transport, flying more than 350 missions throughout South Vietnam and over Laos. He was later authorized to fly the F-4E Phantom II aircraft. He departed Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base on January 3, 1971 with weapons systems officer LTC Charles Wayne Stratton on a nighttime strike mission of enemy targets. The plane went down. Their remains were recovered in 2001. James's remains were positively identified in 2007 and brought home to Pampa, Texas for burial in August, 2007. He earned The Purple Heart and The Air Medal. James is honored on the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Wall on panel 5W, line 21. He is survived by his wife, Brenda Ayres of Lewisville; 2 Sons: Steve Ayres of Amarillo and Jim Ayres & wife Meleah of Plano; his daughter, Allison Johnson and husband Tom of Carrollton; 5 Grandsons, Davin Martinez, James Ayres, Kirby Ayres, Nathan Ayres and Tommy Johnson; granddaughter Stephanie Johnson; 1 Great-Grandson, Alex Martinez; his mother, Lacy Ayres of Abilene; a sister, Dorothy Ann Davidson of Abilene. He was preceded in death by a sister, Mary Helen Callarman, a brother John Ayres in 1969, and his father, John Ayres in 1987. Some of LTC Ayres' remains are buried with LTC Stratton at Dallas-Ft. Worth National Cemetery.
Bio by: Sue
Bio by: Sue
He was the son of John Baer Ayres and Lacy Eloise Decker Ayres. James graduated from Pampa High School and Texas Tech University, where he participated in the ROTC program. He married Brenda Stephenson on January 25, 1959, and was commissioned into the United States Air Force on January 25, 1960. He started out flying a C-123 Army transport, flying more than 350 missions throughout South Vietnam and over Laos. He was later authorized to fly the F-4E Phantom II aircraft. He departed Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base on January 3, 1971 with weapons systems officer LTC Charles Wayne Stratton on a nighttime strike mission of enemy targets. The plane went down. Their remains were recovered in 2001. James's remains were positively identified in 2007 and brought home to Pampa, Texas for burial in August, 2007. He earned The Purple Heart and The Air Medal. James is honored on the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Wall on panel 5W, line 21. He is survived by his wife, Brenda Ayres of Lewisville; 2 Sons: Steve Ayres of Amarillo and Jim Ayres & wife Meleah of Plano; his daughter, Allison Johnson and husband Tom of Carrollton; 5 Grandsons, Davin Martinez, James Ayres, Kirby Ayres, Nathan Ayres and Tommy Johnson; granddaughter Stephanie Johnson; 1 Great-Grandson, Alex Martinez; his mother, Lacy Ayres of Abilene; a sister, Dorothy Ann Davidson of Abilene. He was preceded in death by a sister, Mary Helen Callarman, a brother John Ayres in 1969, and his father, John Ayres in 1987. Some of LTC Ayres' remains are buried with LTC Stratton at Dallas-Ft. Worth National Cemetery.
Bio by: Sue
Bio by: Sue
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