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Haymen, James P.
James P. Hayman U.S. Navy WWII
James P. Hayman U.S. Navy WWII
  
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Date of Birth: 6/14/1916
Died On: 5/23/1989
Street Address: 398 Rye Beach Avenue
Service Number: 600 27 27
Branch of Service: U.S. Navy-WWII


Veteran Code: USN-85


BIOGRAPHY Extended Information
 
James P. Hayman

James Peter Hayman was born on June 14, 1916, in Rhode Island to Eva Mary Senecal, age 23, and Robert Campbell Hayman, age 27. His mother Eva died of cancer in Rhode Island when she was just 36 years old in 1927. That left his father to raise 8 year old James and his five siblings, Leah 14, Harvey 6, Dorothy 7, Robert 2 and a new born Marie. The family moved to Port Chester in the early 1930s and James attended Port Chester High School.

In 1936 James enlisted in the US Army and served for a time at Pearl Harbor. He married Miss Dorothy Walsh on April 1, 1939 at Summerfield Methodist Church, with the Rev. Harry Sanford Crossett officiating. A reception at the home of Mr. and Mrs. George Adams, brother-in-law and sister of the bridegroom, followed. When the bridal couple returned from their honeymoon they resided briefly at 398 Rye Beach Avenue, Rye.

Tragically after a long illness his father passed in December of 1940, by then James and his wife were on their own and James was working in Litchfield, CT. The four younger siblings were living with their married sister Leah Adams and her husband George at 398 Rye Beach Avenue.

On April 5, 1942, four months after the Pearl Harbor attack, James younger brother Harvey Hayman and a flight crew of nine men patrolled the waters off Oahu. The crew of the PBY-5A Catalina was dangerously off course due to a horrific storm. In their confusion, the crew mistook the lighthouse beacon from Makapuu for the Barbers Point lighthouse. Harvey was killed when his plane slammed into the hillside 200 yards south of the Makapuu, HI.

Less than 3 weeks later, James enlisted April 30, 1942 and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He served in the Pacific on LST 464. (SEE NAVY MUSTER ROLLS)

LST-464 was converted into a "first aid ship" at Sydney, Australia, in 1943. These modifications included the installation in the tank deck bulkhead of a watertight door to allow access to the forward troop compartment from both the starboard and port sides of the ship. Spaces were also converted to receiving, sterilizer, and operating rooms. On the tank deck, 78 hospital beds, refrigerators, lockers, toilets and wash basins were installed. LST-464's medical staff was increased to six doctors, one dentist and a number of corpsmen.

LST-464 earned two battle stars and the Navy Unit Commendation for her World War II service. James received his honorable discharge on January 10, 1946.

In 1950 James and his wife Dorothy had moved to New Paltz, NY and he was working as a commercial representative for an electric company. In the late 70's they retired to Alabama.

James Peter Hayman died on May 23, 1989, in Florence, Alabama, when he was 72 years old and he was buried in Catskill, NY..
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