James Joseph Bagnall lived in Brighton, Massachusetts and worked at Hood Rubber Company in Watertown. He had been at Hood since June 1910 as a Tire... Show moreJames Joseph Bagnall lived in Brighton, Massachusetts and worked at Hood Rubber Company in Watertown. He had been at Hood since June 1910 as a Tire Builder and had been night foreman for the last two years. He was 24 when he enlisted in the Army in Oct. or November 1917. Jim’s birth and baptism certificates call him James E. Bagnall. There is a family story that his middle name was Ernest and because he thought it sounded German he changed his middle name to Joseph. He trained at the Army base at Kelly Field, near El Paso, Texas. The 805th Aero Squadron was organized on Nov. 23, 1917, and left Kelly Field on Dec. 30th 1917. In early November 1918, Jim applied for a commission in the Army and received recommendations from Major A.L. Ellwood, 1st Lieut. C.E Lloyd, 2nd Lieut. John A. Elwell and 2nd Lieut. Robert E. Hine. His promotion is declared on a certificate dated May 21st, 1919, signed by F.J. Rosemeier, 1st Lieut., in Romorantin, France. Jim was promoted to “MFAS, 805 Aero Squadron of the Regular Army”. Jim sailed back to the U.S on the Leviathan in June 1919. The diary entries for June –July appear to be written in another hand, possibly by Anna Isabel Rigney in 1919 and concern Jim’s return to the U.S. on June 12th, his discharge about June 20th and their activities and entertainments that summer. He and Anna were married on Sept. 14, 1919 in South Boston, Mass. Jim returned to work for Hood Rubber for the rest of his career. Show less