James Wilton Hayes Jr.

James Wilton Hayes, Jr. RHODE ISLAND James Wilton Hayes, Jr., Capt. USN, (Ret.) 84, a resident of South Bay Manor, South Kingstown, RI and a long time resident of Narragansett, RI died at South County Hospital on October 20, 2008. He was the beloved husband of Doris C. (Hanigan) Hayes. Capt. Hayes was born in Milton, MA on Feb. 9, 1924; he was the son of the late James W. Hayes and Reta (Whelan) Hayes of Quincy, MA and brother of the late Yvonne Young of Plymouth, MA. Capt. Hayes retired from the United States Navy in 1977 after 32 years of distinguished active duty service. Following graduation from North Quincy High School, Quincy, M, he enlisted in the US Naval Reserve and in 1942; he entered the United States Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, NY as a cadet midshipman. After completion of an accelerated two-year program during World War II, he was assigned to a Liberty Ship in 1944 as a deck officer sailing in North Atlantic convoys carrying war supplies to Murmansk, Russia. After the war, he sailed on several merchant vessels including service as Third Officer on the SS America the United States premier transatlantic passenger liner. He was called into active Naval service during the Korean War and served on an amphibious landing ship and received a regular commission in the US Navy after the war. During his long naval career he had command of the USS Roy O. Hale, a destroyer escort; the USS Jose ph P. Kennedy, Jr., a destroyer (now part of Fall Rivers Battleship Cove Museum) and the USS Grand Canyon, a destroyer tender all based in Newport, RI. He served on the USS Charles R. Ware, a destroyer, as an Executive Officer and Operations Officer, during the Cuban missile crisis blockade. He was Commanding Officer of the Navys Anti Submarine Warfare Center, San Diego, CA and completed his Bachelors of Science requirements at the U.S. Navy Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA. He is the recipient of the Merchant Marine Combat Bar, The Navy Commendation Medal, and Navy Maritime Service Medal. After retiring from the Navy and settling in Narragansett, he became active in Republican politics and served as Chairman of the Republican Town Committee. He served on the Narragansett Board of Canvassers, the Narragansett School Committee and he chaired a Republican State Convention. He taught Naval Maritime History at Providence College for ten years. For many years, he served on the Board of Directors for the Battleship Cove Memorial Museum in Fall River. He was the loving father of James W. Hayes, III of East Greenwich, RI and Pamela I. Quinn of Warwick, RI; and devoted uncle of Gregory E. Young of Holliston, MA. He is also survived by five grandchildren, Heidi Mulligan of Narragansett, RI, Jacquelyn Hayes of West New York, NJ, Eric J. Hayes of Bedminster, NJ, Andrew P. Quinn of Warwick and James W. Hayes, IV of East Providence, RI. His Funeral will be held Friday, October 24, 2008 at 9a.m. from the FAGAN-QUINN Funeral Home, 825 Boston Neck Road, North Kingstown, RI, with a Burial Office at 10 a.m. in the Chapel of St. John the Divine, Churchway at Willett Road, Saunderstown. Burial with Military Honors will be in RI Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Exeter. Visiting hours Thursday 5-8 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to the Battleship Cove, USS Massachusetts Memorial Committee, PO Box 111, Fall River, MA 02722, will be appreciated. For information and guestbook visit www.FaganQuinnFuneralHome.com.