Honoring an American War Hero

before the Warriors played against the Patriots

Patricia Smith
ECB Publishing, Inc.

Aucilla Christian Academy honored Major John L. Haynes (Ret.) on Friday, April 8, during their varsity baseball game. His many heroic achievements were honorably announced before he threw the first pitch of the game to senior Warrior Tripp Joyner (#4).
The Warriors suffered a five-point loss to the Patriots who took home a win of 14-9. The Patriots scored 11 runs during the first three innings while the Warriors only brought in a total of four. The fourth inning was scoreless for both teams as the fifth inning rolled around, and the Warriors made four good runs compared to the two made by the Patriots. One run went to the Patriots in the 6th and one to the Warriors in the 7th. A few questionable “out” calls were made by the referees, leaving the Warriors behind with no chance of catching up.
Honoring Major Haynes: Major Haynes was born in Madison County, Fla., and now resides in Jefferson County. In 1945 at the young age of 15, he joined the Marine Corps and retired in 1975 after serving America for 30 years. During World War II, he served in Okinawa and China. He received a Purple Heart Award, along with a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat “V” for serving heroically with valor and getting wounded in combat while in Korea. After serving two tours in Vietnam, he was awarded the Prestigious Star Medal (third highest combat decoration for Conspicuous Gallantry in Action against an armed enemy).
After completing his military career, he earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland and a master’s degree from Central Michigan University. He recently served as Commander of the Author R. Meyer Detachment 472 of the Marine Corps League in Tallahassee and is currently the Chairman Emeritus of the Florida Veterans Foundation, where he served as the first Chairman from 2008-2013. He has also served as Senior Vice Commander of the Florida Purple Heart Chapter. In 2012 and 2017, he served as the Tallahassee Veteran’s Day Parade Grand Marshall. In 2013, he was chosen for the Inaugural Class of the Florida Veterans Hall of Fame.
In March of this year, he was presented with the prestigious Daughters of the American Revolution Medal of Honor at Florida’s Capitol, where Governor Ron DeSantis declared March 9, 2022, as Major John L. Haynes Day.
If you are interested in learning more about Major John Haynes, do a little research online and you will find many more accomplishments he has achieved in his lifetime that have contributed to the freedoms you are enjoying in the country he has so faithfully loved and served: America.