The Sun Does Not Rise in the East

About the Book

The Sun Does Not Rise in the East is the autobiography of Billy Rees - veteran of World War II. I drowned at age six, was in a car wreck that turned over three times and was left on the side of the road as dead. Two days later, I came out of a coma with one ear torn off. I almost killed my sister. I threw up on my instructor's neck during my first flying lesson. I made an airplane fly backwards over Jonesboro, AR. The airplane which I learned to fly in 1940 was a 50 HP Piper Cub with no brakes, no radio, and I had to spin the propellers by hand to start it. In 1941, I graduated from Arkansas State College with a BS degree and a private pilot's license. I studied celestial air navigation at the University of Miami and took training flights with Pan American Airlines. Pearl Harbor occurred while there, starting World War II. I graduated as a 2nd Lieutenant and became an instructor at Hondo Air Force Base, Texas. I crash-landed a plane in Detroit and the photo is in a book, We'll Find the Way. I was in a tornado that killed 45 people. I flew around the world 50 times, bringing back Rhesus monkeys for the polio vaccine. The head of an Indian was cut off by airplane propellers in Bombay, India. I made 5 trips to the North Pole, taking personnel to the DEW line (a radar screen between Russia and US). I have owned 2 nightclubs, 2 liquor stores, 2 restaurants, 1 theater, 1 pool hall, 1 beer lounge (lessee put a gun in his mouth and killed himself). I was in VA hospital for 6 months and almost didn't survive. I lost 50 pounds. I owned 19 new Cadillacs and 4 motorcycles. I flew as navigator for Seaboard World Airlines, which became Flying Tigers, which became Federal Express. I am retired at age 87 in good health.

About the Author

Billy Rees is a World War II Veteran. The Sun Does Not Rise in the East is his autobiography. He was born in Jonesboro Arkansas Nov. 3, 1919. He drowned at age 6. He was in a car that turned over 3 times and was left on the side of the road for dead. Two days later he came out of a coma with one ear torn off. In 1941 he graduated from Arkansas State College with a B.S. degree and a private pilots' license. He threw up on his instructor's neck during his first flying lesson. The plane he learned to fly in 1940 was a 50 H.P. Piper Cub with no brakes, no radio, and he had to spin the propeller by hand to start it. He made it fly over Jonesboro in a backward direction. He became a cadet at the University of Miami Coral Gables Florida in September 1941 studying Celestial Air Navigation and training flights with Pan American Airlines. Pearl Harbor was attacked Dec. 7, 1941 starting World War II. March 1942 he graduated as Second Lieutenant and was selected as an instructor at Hondo Air Force Base, Texas. He crash-landed a plane in Detroit. He flew the Hump from India to China then joined the Ferry Command in Long Beach CA ferrying planes world wide, was promoted to Major then was hospitalized for 6 months. He flew the Korean Airlift for Seaboard World Airlines as Navigator. Seaboard became Flying Tigers which became Federal Express. Billy owned 2 night clubs, 2 restaurants, a theatre, pool hall, beer lounge (lessee committed suicide), 19 new Cadillacs, 4 motorcycles. He is 87 in good health.