CLYDE HERMAN LONG SR. left the farm at age 15 to join the US Army. He lied so he could enlist as a 16 year old. He served 2 years of duty in Germany and returned to the farm. Life was too difficult on the farm so he reenlisted service as a US Marine. The Marines gave him credit for 2 years served in the Army. He entered as a Private and retired 31 years later as a Major in the Supply Division. During WWII, he saw combat action in the Philippines with the 4th Marine Division. He also did two years of duty in Pearl Harbor and one year in Cuba.
THOMAS MILFORD EASON served in the United States Army from 1950 to 1954 where he was trained in electronics, which later became his career. He served during the Korean War, and also was stationed in Germany during his service.
WILLIAM "BILL" N. YANCEY was in the Army from 1953 through 1957, which was at the end of the Korean Conflict. He was in communication intelligence, something that he never used again after the service. He was stationed in Germany during part of his tour of duty. He returned home and became an electrician, which was his career.
MARK ALLEN YANCEY was in the Navy from 1991 to 1994. He was stationed on a battleship, which sent some of the cruise missiles to Iraq during the first war. He became a machinist in the Navy, which was his career until recently when he graduated from college with a Mechanical Engineering Degree. Also pictured is his son, Matthew.
FREDERICK BREVARD HAYES served in the US Army from l959-1961 and was stationed in Waco, Texas. He was in the army when he married his first wife, Joan. He and Joan lived in Waco Texas until he was discharged.
MELVIN BLAIR HAYES graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y.
My first assignment after graduation was training as a Nuclear Weapons Officer. After completing the course, I volunteered for flight training. I completed Navigator Training in 1961 and stayed as a Navigator Instructor in Texas and California until 1967. In 1967 I received an Air Force Institute of Technology scholarship to Syracuse University. Upon receiving an MBA in Production, I was assigned to Vietnam in AC119G gunships. After temporary training in Columbus, Ohio and Puerto Rico, I landed in Vietnam in January 1969. During the next year, I flew 201 missions.When I returned to the States, I was assigned to Air Defense Command Headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colorado. In an elaborate ceremony, I received 11 Air Medals and the Distinguished Flying Cross from the Commanding General. One secretary, who worked in the offices to which I was assigned, remarked, "I don’t know how you could accept medals for fighting in Vietnam." Somebody had missed the point. I didn’t think it was me. I enjoyed Colorado. It took me a while to get used to the snow. Finally, I learned how to ski and didn't want to leave.
My next assignment was in Bitburg, Germany. I was Chief of Base Operations. I used the two years to tour Berlin, London, and most points to the Mediterranean Sea. When I returned to the States, I was assigned to another transport aircraft, the C-141. For four years, I was everywhere. I participated in the recovery of bodies from Jonestown, Guyana. I participated in the input and extraction of French Foreign Legion troops to Zaire when Angola invaded Zaire.
Finally, after 6000 hours of flying, 15 years of flying assignments, having been shot down once and landing safely, over 600 combat flying hours, and no accidents, I realized I was doing the same thing I had been doing twenty years earlier. With no hope of getting a non-flying job, I retired.
KELLY BREVARD HAYES served in the US Navy from September of 1988 to July 1992, as an interior communication electrician. He served in the U.S.S. Guam in Operation Desert Storm in 1990 -1991 during which he received several medals and commendations. The Battle E Award, Sea Service Ribbon, National Liberation Medal, Southwest Asia Campaign Medal, Navy Unit Commendation Medal (with Bronze Star) and letter of Commendation.
ELMER PORTER GOREE entered the Marine Corps at age 15. He came from a very poor environment and his father lied about his age so he could enlist. Elmer was a Marine “Mustanger” and retired as a 1st Lt. He was in the Supply Division and retired with 35 years of service. He continued to work with the Military in Supply for the next 10 years as a Civil Service employee. He was a Drill Instructor at Parris Island, SC for 2 years and also had tours of duty in Haiti, Guam, Cuba and Pearl Harbor
BILL SELF was a member of the Virginia National Guard for six years. He was trained on the 105 mm and 155 mm Howitzer Artillery at Fort Sill, OK, and Fort Campbell, KY. He left the NG at the rank of Sergeant.
JAMES THOMAS "NELSON" HAYES served 5 years, two months and 19 days on Active Duty; Honorable Discharge from the United States Marine Corps, served March 1935 to March 1939:
Honorable Discharge from the United States Army, served April 9, 1945 to June 27 1946. Entered into U.S. Army at Fort Jackson, South Carolina; Point of Separation: was Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Rank: Private First Class; Military Occupation Specialty: Military Policeman.
Stationed in Okinawa, Japan and served with the 785th Military Police, Battalion, Okinawa; Decorations and Citations: Asiatic Pacific Theater Service Medal; World War II Victory Medal; Good Conduct Medal; Occupation Ribbon. His duties included guarding Prisoners of War; patrolling escapes from camps; interviewing Prisoners of War; apprehended fugitives and culprits; escorted parades, processionals, and personnel movements.
During the time Dad was in Okinawa, he took Mom (Ruth Hayes), and his two daughters, Becky and Shirley (ages 5 and 3) back to Monroe, North Carolina, on Hayes Hill, to stay with Fred and Maggie Hayes. Mom told us that while she stayed with Grandmother Hayes that every night the two of them would write letters to the Hayes sons serving overseas.
GRAYSON HAYES enlisted as a Pvt at age 18 in Battery “F\ 113th Field Artillery of National Guard and served 2 years, 39 days. He enlisted on 18 Feb 1935 and on 6 Mar 1937; be received an Honorable Discharge with excellent character.
On February 13, 1942 he was inducted into the Army Air Corps to serve in WWII and was discharged on September 10, 1945 as a Technical Sergeant of the 838th Bombardment Squadron, Army of the United States. He was an Airplane Engineer Gunner and flew Air Offensive Europe; Normandy; Northern France, Rhineland. He flew 28 missions and his decorations and citations are listed as: EAMET Campaign Medal with 4 Bronze Service Stars; Air Medal with 3 Oak Lead Clusters; Distinguished Flying Cross GA#698 Hq 3rd Bomb Div. 25 Sep 1944, Good Conduct Medal SO #7 Hq. 437th Bomb GP, now known as 487th; Graduate AM Course 1942, Keesler Field, Miss; Graduate B-26 Maint School 1942; Graduate Aerial Gunnery School Aug 1943.
After WWII, while in school at NC State College, he again enlisted mio the ARNG on November 11, 1947, and retired July 30, 1978 as Lieutenant Colonel. His total service for pay purposes was 31 years, 6 months and 19 days.
PHIL ANTIS enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in July 1965, at the age of 18, began active service on August 2, 1965, was released from active duty on August 2, 1969, and receive an honorable discharge on July 1, 1971 after serving a six-year obligation. After boot camp in San Diego, California, and specialty training in Camp Pendleton, California, he served in Vietnam from March 1966 to April 1967. After Vietnam, he returned to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, where he served on two six-month long Mediterranean Deployments, a Caribbean Cruise, and a month long trip to Vieques, Puerto Rico. He held the rank of Staff Sergeant (E-6) at the time of his discharge. He received the Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the National Defense Medal, and the Good Conduct Ribbon. While serving in Vietnam, he was nominated for the Vietnamese Medal of Honor. He was trained as an artillery surveyor and a forward observer.
ROY HARVEY BLEY enlisted 2/5/1935 as a private, went to boot camp at Parris Island, SC., and was paid $21.00 / month (less 20 cents for health insurance.) After boot camp, Roy was accepted into aviation training, went to Pensacola, soloed in record time, graduated flight school in 1937, and was promoted to the rank of Corporal. Roy flew a large variety of prop and jet single-seated fighters, and transport aircraft, and served in both fighter and transport squadrons; stationed in the States and South Pacific. In 1948 at Patuxent River, Md, he served in a companion fighter squadron with Senator John Glenn in the other squadron. (Roy never thought too highly of Glenn, as he was "a smart-ass college guy.") Roy was shot-down, wounded, and Captured by the Communists during the Korean Conflict, spending eighteen months as a POW, twelve months of which he spent in a hole-in-the-ground, the opening covered by iron bars. Occasionally he was removed from the hole, beaten, and interrogated. Roy was released by the North Koreans, returned to southern California; cited for bravery and gallant conduct in the face of extreme adversity. As a point of trivia, Roy relates that he was one of the few servicemen that held seven enlisted ranks and seven ranks of officer. Retired 9/1/1956 as Major. In January of 2003, the Marine Corps promoted him (post-retirement) to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Roy and the Corps are in the process of negotiating for nearly 47 years of back pay.
FRANK W. HAYES -82nd Airborne Div Fort Bragg, NC - Paratrooper, Stationed and Trained: Fort Bragg NC, Military rank: PFC, Drafted in to the Army July 21, 1994, Honorable Discharged June 29, 1946.He served in USA and in Europe; Expert Sharpshooter with M-l Rifle; Guarded General Ridgeway while in France. Medals won: American Theater, EAME Service Medal with one Bronze Star; Good Conduct Medal; -World War II Victory Medal. His wife says that Frank was an expert marksman both at home (hunting rabbits) and while in the 82 Airborne. After Frank’s training at Fort Bragg NC, Frank was sent overseas to France during WWII. This was toward the end of the war. It seems that Frank's marksmanship was highly respected. Once in France and then moved in to Germany, he was assigned personally to General Ridgeway as the General's guard. Frank stood guard at the General’s tent at night and was with the General during the day. Frank made several paratrooper jumps while in Germany. This was done mostly at night. He always said he was "pushed" rather than jumping on his own.
STEVE WELDON HAYES received an Honorable Discharge from the United States Navy, Ratings: Ships Service Man, 3rd Class; Medals: Victory-World War II. Awarded Meritorial Point System; He earned 4 ratings in very short time because of "Points System Program." Dates Served: 11 months, 28 days from August 1945 - September 1946; Stationed in: AIEA, Hawaii; He boarded navy ship in Bainbridge MD and sailed to AEEA Hawaii. This trip took about 10-14 days. Said he was seasick a lot. Most of his company was shipped out from Hawaii for fighting and most did not return. He was stationed on base for military duty. "This is probably the only reason he survived WWII," His daughter Linda wrote, "He is my father and the uncle of all of the Hayes descendants. Thank the good Lord!"
When Steve arrived in Hawaii, his orders were apparently lost, so the instructor told him and the five other guys with him that he had 4 openings in ship service, and two openings in the barbershop. He asked Steve if he had any experience cutting hair. Steve replied, "Yes, he had cut the manes of horses and mules!" This apparently qualified him for barber apprentice, so he spent the next twenty months in the barbershop on base cutting hair. The barbershop was a 12-chair shop and it operated 8-5, six days a week. The men were charged 10 cents per hair cut, which all went toward paying for replacement of equipment when it wore out.
TOM HAYES was drafted into the US Army at Fort Jackson, SC on July 10, 1953 as a Private. After Basic training, he was sent to the Army Signal Corps at Fort Benning, Georgia as a cook at was promoted to Corporal. He enjoyed his tour of duty. He was an Ml Rifle Sharpshooter, and received an Honorable Discharge on June 20, 1955.
R.P. "SMITTY" SMITH joined the Navy at age 17 as Seaman First Class and retired 32 years later as Lt. Commander. His specialty was Aerial Photography. He served in the Pacific during WWII. He was stationed in California, Louisiana, Norfolk, Cuba and served 2 tours in Naples, Italy. At the Hayes Reunion in 1995, some of the Hayes Family permanently adopted him and his family to the Hayes Family Tree. Smitty was born 9/22/1921 and died in 2001. He was married to Thelma, born 3/3/1921 and they were married 12/14/1942. They had 2 daughters, Linda Portis, born 8/15/1944 and Barbara Wilson bom 11/23/1947. Two grandchildren; Jennifer born 3/25/1970 and Brian, born 3/20/1972. Smitty was truly a son of Fred and Maggie and wonderful brother and uncle even if not by blood.
OSCAR HUNTER HAMMOND Chief Oscar Hunter Hammond entered the Navy in September 1926 and served most of the time on destroyers. In October 1941 he was transferred from the U.S.S. Jarvis (DD-393) in Honolulu to Kearney, N.J. to await construction of the U.S.S. Juneau.
USS Juneau (CL-52) was a United States Navy Atlanta-class light cruiser. She was laid down by Federal Shipbuilding Company, Kearny, New Jersey, on 27 May 1940, launched on 25 October 1941 and commissioned on 14 February 1942.
On 8 November 1942, Juneau departed Nouméa, New Caledonia, as a unit of TF 67 under the command of Rear Admiral Richmond K. Turner to escort reinforcements to Guadalcanal. Before noon on 13 November, Juneau, along with two other cruisers damaged in the battle—Helena and San Francisco—headed toward Espiritu Santo for repairs. Juneau was steaming on one screw, keeping station 800 yd (730 m) off the starboard quarter of the likewise severely damaged San Francisco. She was down 12 feet (3.7 m) by the bow, but able to maintain 13 kn (15 mph, 24 km/h). A few minutes after 11:00, two torpedoes were launched from Japanese submarine I-26. These were intended for San Francisco, but both passed ahead of her. One struck Juneau in the same place that had been hit during the battle. There was a great explosion; Juneau broke in two and disappeared in just 20 seconds. Fearing more attacks from I-26, and wrongly assuming from the massive explosion that there were no survivors, Helena and San Francisco departed without attempting to rescue any survivors. In fact, more than 100 sailors had survived the sinking of Juneau. They were left to fend for themselves in the open ocean for eight days before rescue aircraft belatedly arrived. While awaiting rescue, all but 10 died from the elements and shark attacks. Among those lost were the five Sullivan brothers. Two of the brothers apparently survived the sinking, only to die in the water; two presumably went down with the ship. Some reports indicate the fifth brother also survived the sinking, but disappeared during the first night when he left a raft and got into the water. On 20 November 1942, USS Ballard recovered two of the ten survivors. Five more in a raft were rescued by a PBY Seaplane 5 miles (8.0 km) away. Three others, including a badly wounded officer, made it to San Cristobal (now Makira) Island, about 55 miles (89 km) away from the sinking. One of the survivors recovered by Ballard said he had been with one of the Sullivan brothers for several days after the sinking. In total, 687 men, including the five Sullivan brothers, were killed in action as a result of her sinking. MIA at se. Received Purple Heart, body not recovered.
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