Hayne D. Boyden

Hayne Davis Boyden (January 11, 1897 – August 23, 1978) was a highly decorated Naval aviator and aviation pioneer in the United States Marine Corps who retired at the rank of Brigadier General. A veteran of several campaigns of the Banana Wars, Boyden became known in the Marine Corps as a pioneer in Aerial photography. He photographed thousands of square miles of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, Panama and the Olympic forestry region of the Pacific northwest. This aerial photography became the basis for mosaic maps of these areas.

Early career 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. Boyden and a United States Senator in Nicaragua in September 1932. 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.

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.

Decorations Brigadier general Boyden's personal decorations include: