The Post-WWII Life of Horace "Ace" Haston
Post-War Life of Horace Haston as Told by Daughter, Alice Haston Norton
When the war was over Dad was sent back to Manila in the Philippines. The crew was disbanded and he became the crew chief on an AT5 aircraft for 4-5 weeks. He was then sent to Clark Air Base in Luzon, Philippines where he was in charge of the post office there. He was sent back to Manila and sailed on the ocean mail ship to Fort Sam Houston, TX. He was given a train ticket to Chattanooga, TN.
Over the years, Dad and his fellow crew members met several times in various cities and remained close. He was the last surviving member of the crew. Shortly after leaving the service, he fulfilled his dream of getting his pilot’s license.
When my Dad got out of the service, he started working with his grandfather in the meat market of a grocery store in Lafayette, Georgia. That’s where he met my mom, Juanita Layton. Mom was the oldest of six children, so she helped by going to the grocery store for the family. Dad used to laugh and say he thought she shopped there more than was needed so they could talk. She never confirmed nor denied the matter. They married and lived in Lafayette, Georgia, for a short time and then moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee.
My sister, Elizabeth Ann Haston, was born in 1949, and I was born in 1954. We moved from Chattanooga to a farm in Apison (a small suburb of Chattanooga). I absolutely loved it because we had horses on the farm and I rode every day after school and the completion of my chores. Dad baled the hay on the farm and hired local boys to help. He took an interest in each one and gave them advice. It ended up that they all seemed to love and respect him. He was tough and expected them to work, but he was also good to them. Sometimes, there would be a knock on the door, and a young person wanted to talk to Dad and Mom and get their perspective on some issue they were having. Dad was very straightforward in what he said. He didn’t mince words, and you knew exactly how he felt.
He was also fun to be around and made everyone laugh. He had a great sense of humor. I know now that it came from the Haston side.
We attended some of the decoration days at The Old Union Cemetery in Sparta, TN when I was young. I have memories of long tables filled with food out under the large tree at the cemetery.
God Spared His Life on September 25, 1972
Dad owned gas stations, drove a tank truck for Shell Oil, and drove for Malone and Ranger Trucking over his lifetime. On September 25, 1972, he was driving to the Shell Oil fuel terminal on Jersey Pike (Chattanooga, TN) to start his workday. He pulled off at a gas station not far from the terminal to pick up the tractor that was there to be washed. This was a regular routine. He stayed at the gas station this time longer than usual. At that time, a massive explosion occurred at the terminal across the street from the Shell Oil facility. The flames shot across the street and burned the trees and anything else where there were fumes. Dad should have been on top of the tank truck loading at the time of the explosion. The inferno burned for over 28 hours. A special foam had to be shipped in to contain the fire. It was on the national news. I’m thankful that Dad wasn’t on top of that truck at the time of the fire. Sadly, three people lost their lives.
Dad passed away on August 15, 2020, due to COPD and Covid. He was 94 years old.
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