| Issue #36, December 1, 2006 |
SOUTHAMPTON’S SERGEANT HAYNES COMES HOME
By Sabrina C. Mashburn
On Sunday, November 26, the body of Sgt. Schuyler Haynes, of New York City and Southampton, was returned to the United States from Iraq. Sgt. Haynes perished in the line of duty while serving his country, as he had for nearly twenty years, as a member of the United States Army’s First Cavalry Division. And although he will no longer be coming out to the Hamptons with his family, he will always be remembered as one of the most heroic people to ever call the Hamptons home.
Sgt. Haynes came from a military background more illustrious than most, yet his youthful path, from President of the Millbrook Student Council to award-winning student at Trinity College, mirrors that of many young people in our community. Of all the little boys in the Hamptons who refuse to play anything but the policeman or soldier in their childhood games, only a very select few are brave and committed enough to fulfill their dreams of serving their country – Sgt. Schuyler Haynes was one of these few. His father remarked that he was “a very gentle man — very strong, yet very gentle.” His many heroic acts both on the battlefield and off, including his rescue of a homeless kitten on a military base in Russia, and his financial support of many underprivileged children in Third World countries, speak volumes about his giving spirit and caring for those who could not care for themselves. His bravery and unassuming demeanor was evident when he was awarded the fourth highest honor for bravery in the United States Army, the Bronze Star, and did not tell his family about the honor because he did not want to draw attention to the fact that he had been in a situation dangerous enough to merit being awarded the Star.
His father remarked that he “often felt that [Schuyler’s] many talents in other areas would have led to another career,” but Schuyler had a strong sense of patriotism, even at a young age, and he enlisted in the Army shortly after his graduation from Trinity College. His aptitude as a Platoon Leader was unrivaled, and his men decided to stay with him wherever he was stationed rather than disperse after their missions were completed, because they felt that there was no leader as fit to prepare them for war than Sgt. Haynes.
Sgt. Schuyler Haynes was revered by both his subordinates and superiors, and when news of his death reached them, they began to send heartfelt notes and e-mails to his mother that fill a binder many inches thick, detailing instances where Sgt. Haynes “made the Army a great place to work” and where he had exhibited “unparalleled character and courage.”
He spent many years serving his country, and had been offered higher positions in the Army throughout his career, but Schuyler didn’t seem “to have been particularly interested in becoming a general,” explained his father. “Napoleon once said ‘every soldier carries a baton in his pocket.’ Well, Schuyler carried a baton in his knapsack.” Sgt. Schuyler Haynes enjoyed being in the trenches with his men, and although he never achieved the rank of General, they respected him in a way that could only be described as with the utmost devotion. Even in his days as a counselor at Southampton’s Meadow Club, his father remembered that he enjoyed a devoted following. Perhaps this aptitude for leadership and love of adventure was instilled in Sgt. Schuyler from the moment he was born, as he was descended from a long line of brave, revered ancestors. His father explained that the settlers on the second boat of settlers to land at Conscience Point in 1640 were the Rogers Family — Schuyler was descended from the Rogers, making him a direct descendant of the very first British settlement in the Hamptons, and in the state of New York. His military background was similarly impressive, with one of his grandfathers having served in World War I and the other in World War II. His father remarked that, “on his mother’s side (Schuyler) comes from some very elevated Catholic families, and on his father’s side, he comes from… Huguenot families, and [Schuyler] was killed in yet another religious war.” Sgt. Haynes has made his family history all the richer by supporting his country and holding on to his patriotism even when his country was in the throes of turmoil.
When asked what her son would have said if he had been asked to put something in print about the situation he faced in Iraq before his death, his mother replied, “He was very concerned about the caliber of equipment being sent over, even the tanks — some were broken, others just did not work. Practically every e-mail I received [from him said that] ‘we simply weren’t ready to send them back in.’ Some, not all but some, of his boys were not ready. He tried everything he could to keep them from going, they weren’t ready and he just didn’t want them to go in like that.” Sgt. Haynes was a firm supporter of his country’s military efforts in Iraq and a devoted Republican, and he would have wanted readers to know that he felt that his country did not adequately prepare his young troops for war and did not supply them with adequate tools to do their jobs.
Before his death, Schuyler told his mother that he felt he could do some good for the people in Iraq, and that he wanted to help them as best he could. The loss of this brave soldier will resonate in our community, and the many others he touched during his life of service to his country, and perhaps his death will act as a catalyst for all of us on the East End to become more involved and informed about the situations that men from our neighborhoods face every day in one of the most tragic and important events in recent United States History.
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Sgt. 1st Class Schuyler Haynes, 40, passed away on November 15, 2006 in Buquba, Iraq when his military vehicle drove past an improvised explosive device during a combat operation. He is survived by his mother, Sophy Haynes, his father, Robert Haynes, his brother, Robbie, and Sister, Sophy, and her husband, Tommy.
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