People I’ve met since writing When I Turned Nineteen: A Vietnam War Memoir often asked why I enlisted in the Army and then went on to Vietnam to fight an unpopular war. During the ’60s, when I graduated from high school, parents expected one of three things: go to college or trade school, get a good-paying job, or enlist in a military service. Parents thought one of these choices a good choice, and, more often than not, this meant we left home.
I explained about growing up in a military family and being taught the importance of service to country from an early age. Most men in the Haynie family—and today, women—volunteered to serve during peace and wartime. Joining the Army was as natural as the kid next door enrolling in college or a trade school. It amazed me, that, with the number of people I talked to, including neighbors and friends, none of their family members fought in a war or served in a military service. So most people didn’t understand or experience the belief of military service.
I thought providing a brief description of the Haynie family military tradition would be fitting. I don’t include the many uncles who served in World War II. As examples: Charles Coxon at the Battle of the Bulge, and Fred Lane at Iwo Jima. Or my dad’s brother, Jack, who served in the Army National Guard in the mid-1950s.
I explained about growing up in a military family and being taught the importance of service to country from an early age. Most men in the Haynie family—and today, women—volunteered to serve during peace and wartime. Joining the Army was as natural as the kid next door enrolling in college or a trade school. It amazed me, that, with the number of people I talked to, including neighbors and friends, none of their family members fought in a war or served in a military service. So most people didn’t understand or experience the belief of military service.
I thought providing a brief description of the Haynie family military tradition would be fitting. I don’t include the many uncles who served in World War II. As examples: Charles Coxon at the Battle of the Bulge, and Fred Lane at Iwo Jima. Or my dad’s brother, Jack, who served in the Army National Guard in the mid-1950s.
CHARLES HANEY
Charles, my 5th great-grandfather, was born in the year 1745 in Londonderry, Ireland. He served in the American Revolutionary War in the Pennsylvania and Virginia Militia as a Private. He started drawing
his $30 annual pension at the age of 84. He died in the year 1843 in Marion, North Carolina, at the age of 98.
No photograph available.
Below is part of a letter that was received by a relative who requested information about his pension
from the U.S. Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application File:
. . . He enlisted June 1, 1776, Little York, Pennsylvania, served as private in Captains Ben Savage’s and McGee’s companies, Colonels McAllister’s and Kennedy’s Pennsylvania regiments and was discharged between Christmas and New Year’s Day. He moved to Prince Edward County, Virginia, where he enlisted June 1, 1780,
served as private in Captain Jesse Owens’s Company, Colonels Lucas’s and Downman’s Virginia regiments, was in the battle of Camden, August 16, 1780, and was discharged sometime in October, following, after having served a tour of little over four months.The soldier was allowed pension on his application executed
October 22, 1832, at which time he was aged eighty-four years and a resident of Burke County, North Carolina.
Charles, my 5th great-grandfather, was born in the year 1745 in Londonderry, Ireland. He served in the American Revolutionary War in the Pennsylvania and Virginia Militia as a Private. He started drawing
his $30 annual pension at the age of 84. He died in the year 1843 in Marion, North Carolina, at the age of 98.
No photograph available.
Below is part of a letter that was received by a relative who requested information about his pension
from the U.S. Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application File:
. . . He enlisted June 1, 1776, Little York, Pennsylvania, served as private in Captains Ben Savage’s and McGee’s companies, Colonels McAllister’s and Kennedy’s Pennsylvania regiments and was discharged between Christmas and New Year’s Day. He moved to Prince Edward County, Virginia, where he enlisted June 1, 1780,
served as private in Captain Jesse Owens’s Company, Colonels Lucas’s and Downman’s Virginia regiments, was in the battle of Camden, August 16, 1780, and was discharged sometime in October, following, after having served a tour of little over four months.The soldier was allowed pension on his application executed
October 22, 1832, at which time he was aged eighty-four years and a resident of Burke County, North Carolina.
CHARLES HAYNIE
Charles, my 3rd great-grandfather, was born the year 1817 in Buncombe County, North Carolina. He died in the year 1867 in Asheville, North Carolina, at the age of 50. He enlisted in Company G, North Carolina 1st Cavalry Regiment Confederate Army on Jun 15, 1861, and served during the Civil War and mustered out on Dec 28, 1862. Something of interest that I found was the first Confederate soldier killed in the civil war was Henry Lawson Wyatt of the First North Carolina Regiment, the same Regiment as my grandfather. Note: The photograph is of Lewis Haynie; the brother of Charles Haynie. No photo available of my grandfather. |
WILLIAM HAYNIE
William, my great-grandfather, was born on January 17, 1874, and died on March 12, 1942, in Asheville, North Carolina, at the age of 68. He served in the Army in 1898 with Company H, 2nd North Carolina Infantry Regiment when he was 24 years old, but his unit didn’t deploy to fight in the Spanish-American War. |
CLARENCE HAYNIE
Clarence, my grandfather, was born on December 26, 1893, in North Carolina and died on February 5, 1966, in Black Mountain, North Carolina, at the age of 72. He served in the Army, a Corporal with the 245 PW Escort Company Army Service Corps (ASC) (prisoner escort duty on the front), and during World War I on August 4, 1918, when he turned 24 years old. |
JOHN HAYNIE
John, my father, was born June 5, 1924, in Franklin, North Carolina, and died on September 9, 1984, in Center, Alabama, at the age of 60. He entered the Army on March 16, 1944, as a 19-year old. He served in World War II, Company G 157th Infantry 45th Infantry Division and at the Battle of Anzio. He served in Vietnam, in the year 1967, with the 199th Light Infantry Brigade. He retired at the rank of Captain, after 26 years of service, in 1969. Some of his assignments were: Heidelberg, Germany, Korea, Fort McPherson, Georgia, Fort Monroe, Virginia, Orleans, France, Vietnam, and Fort Benning, Georgia. Below is an article that I transcribed, from the Asheville Citizen-Times newspaper, published in 1944, which talks of an action, in Italy, that included my father. HAYNIE GIVES ALARM, MANY JERRIES SADDER For a little while the Thunderbirds in the little house on the hill were looking down the Jerries’ throats—but only figuratively. There was no doubt in anyone’s mind that the Krauts had the drop on them. The assault Company, G, trudged along the road. Directly behind them was 200 yards of blacktop and nothing else. Then came the support companies and a few tanks.To the right of the road was a little house on high ground. Technical Sergeant Gene Thompson had set up a cannon Company Observation Post there, and Staff Sergeant Paddy Williams, Durham, North Carolina, was up there looking around for the mortars. Sergeant Louis Wims, Attleboro, Massachusetts, and Private John W. Haynie, Asheville, North Carolina, went up to help. One of the four men spotted a couple of figures coming around the bend of the hill below them. No one was quite sure if they were German, but the suspense didn’t last long. Around the bend came about 50 more figures, and there was no mistaking them this time. They were Krauts. They headed for the open stretch of blacktop, intending to cut off Company G from the support that followed. A few of them stopped long enough to set up a mortar. The four Thunderbirds looked down at the Germans. The 50-odd Germans looked back up at the Thunderbirds. Then Private Haynie made a dash. Across open terrain, under the observation of all the approaching Krauts, he sped to warn the companies coming up. He made it. His information was relayed to our mortars and machine guns, and the Germans were pinned down before they could get off more than a couple of rounds of mortar ammo. Later, when Company A cleaned up the sector, over 70 prisoners were taken. |
WAYNE HAYNIE
Wayne, my brother, served in the Army for 20 years and retired at the rank of Sergeant First Class, November 1989. He came out on the E8 promotion list and wore the rank of First Sergeant but decided not to stay in the Army the extra two years the promotion required. Some of his assignments were: Vietnam, Korea, Fort Benning, Georgia, Heilbronn, Germany, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, Fort Jackson, South Carolina, and Recruiting Command. |
SHERRIE HAYNIE
Sherrie, my wife, served in the Army for 20 years and retired at the rank of Major, December 1996. She received her commission to 2nd Lieutenant through the University of Tennessee ROTC program. Some of her assignments were: Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Korea (3 tours), Fort Gordon, Georgia, Fort Bliss, Texas, and Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. |
DAVID HAYNIE
David, my oldest son, served in the Army for 20 years and retired at the rank of Sergeant Major in 2012. He rose through the ranks faster than me or any other family member and served with Special Operations in a support position. Some of his assignments were: Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, Korea, Fort Detrick, Maryland, and Fort Bragg, North Carolina. David served several short tours during the war in Iraq. |
TARIE HAYNIE
Tarie, my daughter-in-law, wife of David, served in the Army 21 years active duty and retired at the rank of Master Sergeant in 2007. Some of her assignments were: Fort Carson, Colorado, Nuremberg, Germany, Fort Eustis, Virginia, Fort Riley, Kansas, (Desert Storm) with the 1st Infantry Division, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and a short tour in Iraq with Special Operations in a support position. |
NATHAN HAYNIE
Nathan, my next-to-youngest son, served in the Army for four years and held the rank of Sergeant when discharged. When Nathan returned from Iraq, I pinned my father’s Combat Infantry Badge (CIB) on his uniform. Some of his assignments were: Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Iraq with the 82nd Airborne Division, a short tour in Afghanistan with the 82nd Airborne Division, and Fort Lewis, Washington. |
BRYAN HAYNIE
Bryan, my youngest son, served in the Army for three years and held the rank of Specialist 4th Class when discharged. When Bryan returned from Afghanistan, I pinned my Combat Infantry Badge (CIB) on his uniform. Some of his assignments were: Fort Benning, Georgia, a short tour in Afghanistan with a Ranger Battalion, and Fort Lewis, Washington. |
Delray Herrington
The Veterans History Project
December 9, 2007
The Veterans History Project
December 9, 2007
My uncle, Delray Herrington, served with the 101st Airborne Division Glider Field Artillery during World War II. He landed in Europe by glider. His interview is in four parts, and it's best to watch them in sequence. He died on February 12, 2012, at the age of 95.
After listening to the interview, I learned my uncle Delray was a modest man. During the war, he landed at Omaha Beach on D-Day, participated in Operation Market Garden, fought at the Siege of Bastogne, and helped liberate the Kaufering complex under the administration of the Dachau concentration camp.
After listening to the interview, I learned my uncle Delray was a modest man. During the war, he landed at Omaha Beach on D-Day, participated in Operation Market Garden, fought at the Siege of Bastogne, and helped liberate the Kaufering complex under the administration of the Dachau concentration camp.