Hayne D. Boyden

Education and World War I Hayne D. Boyden was born on January 11, 1897, in Statesville, North Carolina, as the son of wealthy farmer John L. Boyden and his wife Mary Davis. He was a member of the prominent lawyer family from mother's side and his great-grandfather was Richmond M. Pearson, Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court from 1858 to 1878. Young Boyden completed grade schools in Statesville and Hill's private school before entered the Brevard College in Brevard, North Carolina. He graduated in summer 1914 and enrolled the Webb School in Bell Buckle, Tennessee. During the flight from Santo Domingo to Port-au-Prince, the engine of Boyden's plane suffered mechanical failure over the Maimón mountains and he was forced to parachute to safety. He and his passenger survived the crash, but suffered a fractured skull, which also resulted in permanent loss of hearing in his left ear. Boyden was forced to march 25 miles through dense jungle for two days, before he reached help. Nicaraguan campaign During March 1927, Boyden was attached to Observation Squadron 1 under Major Ross E. Rowell and departed for Nicaragua, where they were joined the 2nd Brigade of Marines under Brigadier general Logan Feland. Their task was to support ground forces of the brigade in combats against rebels called Sandinistas by their leader Augusto César Sandino. Boyden and his squadron also conducted air patrols over the jungles of Nicaragua in order to search for concentration of enemy forces. In May 1930, Boyden was on a flight above Pensacola Bay with a student pilot, when the plane suddenly went into a spin and dove 3,000 feet into the bay. The student was uninjured but Boyden suffered a brain concussion and fractured skull. He spent five months in the hospital, before he was declared fit for duty again and ordered to the Headquarters Marine Corps. Boyden was then tasked with the photographing Marine Barracks Parris Island, South Carolina, and making a large mosaic map of the base, that could be used in the planned development of the facility. He later received another Letter of Commendation from Major General Smedley Butler, commanding general of Parris Island, for his work. The flight consisted of nine observation land planes, one observation amphibian plane and one transport amphibian plane. He completed the task successfully and received another Letter of commendation for the excellent performance of a difficult mission. Boyden was promoted to Captain on November 30, 1934, after ten years as first lieutenant. He led his squadron during the series of exercises aboard aircraft carrier Ranger and participated in the winter fleet operations in the Caribbean based at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. Boyden remained in that command until the end of January 1940, when he was ordered to Washington, D.C. for new assignment. ==World War II==

Boyden was ordered to the Office of Naval Intelligence for a two-month preparatory indoctrination course and upon the completion, he embarked for Havana, Cuba and succeeded his former superior commanding officer, Ross E. Rowell as Naval attaché and Naval attaché for Air to the American Ambassador George S. Messersmith. He had to face an attempts of enemy's spies, who raided his office in Havana and stole some documents in November 1940 and also abortive revolution in February 1941. Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the United States entry into World War II, Boyden assisted in the evacuation of total 450 civilians dependents of the Naval personnel at Guantánamo Bay and was praised by the Commandant of the Naval Base there, Rear admiral George L. Weyler. Boyden was promoted to the temporary rank of lieutenant colonel on January 26, 1942, and assumed additional duty as Naval attaché for Haiti two months later. He was later promoted to the temporary rank of Colonel on October 13, 1942, and served in Cuba until August 1943, when he was succeeded by Colonel John N. Hart and ordered back to the United States for new assignment. For his service in Cuba, Boyden was decorated with Order of Naval Merit, 1st Class and Red Cross Medal of the Order of Honor and Merit, rank Commander by the Cuban Government. Boyden then reported at the Headquarters Marine Corps in Washington, D.C. and was attached to the Division of Aviation under Major general Louis E. Woods. However he remained there only for two weeks and was transferred to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, where he assumed duty as Assistant Wing Commander, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing under Brigadier general Claude A. Larkin. He participated in the training of replacements Marine air crews until December 1943, when he was ordered to the Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics at Orlando Army Air Base, Florida, and completed one-month instruction there. He was subsequently ordered to the Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and completed another one-month course of instruction there. Boyden was then sent to the Army and Navy Staff College in Washington, D.C. and completed his third instruction after two months in April 1944. He was then assigned to the headquarters, Marine Air, West Coast in San Diego, California, under Major General Francis P. Mulcahy. In July 1944, Boyden was then ordered to Espiritu Santo and assumed duty as Chief of Staff, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (2nd MAW) under Major general James T. Moore. The 2nd MAW just returned from combats in Northern Solomons and served mainly to train and outfits Marine air units through the summer of 1944. Following the Battle of Peleliu in November 1944, the 2nd MAW moved there and served as Garrison Air Force, Western Carolines. Boyden was largely responsible for preparing the wing for the operation, procuring equipment and personnel, arranging transportation, assigning and training officers and non-commissioned officers to specific duties, and coordinating the entire organization into a smooth functioning combat unit. By the end of April 1945, the 2nd MAW was ordered to Okinawa to support the landing troops. Boyden was in command of the rear echelon after embarkation of the assault unit, and was responsible for completing preparations for the movement of his troops and equipment. Landing on Okinawa on May 1, he was indefatigable in carrying on the details of administration under the new Commanding General of the Wing, Francis P. Mulcahy, being especially diligent in arranging for the security of the camp and effecting physical improvements. He carried on his work in exposed areas heedless of danger, and his disregard of personal safety was an inspiration to the entire command. For his service during the Okinawa campaign, Boyden was decorated with Legion of Merit with Combat "V" and also received Navy Presidential Unit Citation. ==Postwar service==

Boyden returned to the United States in August 1945 and after brief tour at Headquarters Marine Corps in Washington, D.C., he was ordered to California for duty as Commanding Officer of Marine Corps Air Station Santa Barbara. The Marine Corps considered making MCAS Santa Barbara a permanent installation, however the city of Santa Barbara opposed this, since the area was needed for its municipal airport, as no other land nearby was suitable. The Marine Corps Air Station went into caretaker status on March 1, 1946, and it was released to the War Assets Administration for disposal two months later. Boyden supervised the decommissioning of the base and received a letter of appreciation from the Mayor of Santa Barbara, Herbert E. Weyler, for the fine relations between the station and the city. He was subsequently ordered back to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, where he assumed duty as Facilities Officer under Brigadier General Ivan W. Miller. His main duty was to maintain the cleanliness, general appearance and maintenance of the base. Boyden retired on June 30, 1949, after 31 years of active service and was advanced to the rank of brigadier general on the retired list for having been specially commended in combat. ==Retirement==

Following his retirement from the Marine Corps, Boyden remained with his wife at the Cherry Point Air Station, before moved to Asheville, North Carolina, where he died on August 23, 1978, aged 81. He was buried at McKendree United Methodist Church Cemetery in Manquin, Virginia, with his second wife Dorothy Antoinette Townsend Boyden (1909–1978). They had together one son, Richmond P. Boyden. ==Decorations==

Brigadier general Boyden's personal decorations include: ==References==