This Military Service Page was created/owned by
A3C Michael S. Bell (Unit Historian)
to remember
Haynsworth, Stuart Getz, Maj Gen.
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Contact Info
Home Town Columbia
Last Address Houston, TX
Date of Passing Jun 06, 2011
Location of Interment Forest Park Cemetery - Houston, Texas
Major General Stuart Haynsworth, United States Air Force (Retired) was born in Columbia, South Carolina and "flew his last great mission" prophetically on the 66th Anniversary of D Day, Monday, the 6th of June 2011, locked arm in arm with his daughter at his Houston home.
As he often stated, "age is just a number, and mine is unlisted." For many wonderful and exciting years, he was married to architectural designer, Elizabeth Drane Bartell Haynsworth, notably the designer of the beautiful mosaic floor in the main entrance of Hobby Airport.
General Haynsworth earned his BBA from Fenn College - currently Cleveland State University, and his Doctor of Juris Prudence from the University Of Houston Bates College Of Law. He was a member of the American, Texas and Houston Bar Associations. He was captain of his high school basketball team and he was on the varsity tennis team in college. He was a fabulous golfer and totally devoted to the sport. In general he was a very gifted athlete and dancer.
General Haynsworth was a practicing Certified Public Accountant when he enlisted in the Army Air Corp in January of 1942. During World War II, serving in England, he was an instructor in the Advanced Flying School and in Central Instructor's School, flying virtually all of the U. S. fighter aircraft, including the P-38, P-39, P-40, P-47, P-51, P-63, F-4, F-7, F-80, and F-111 for a total of over 5,000 flying hours. In addition to being an instructor, General Haynsworth was a fighter pilot flying 50 assigned combat missions and an additional 25 volunteer missions with the famed 56th Fighter Group of the 8th Air Force flying P-47 Thunderbolts in Europe. He had three confirmed aerial victories and shared another with his wingman. He destroyed five German Heinkel 111K aircraft on the ground in one mission. He had a "very educational experience" in a dogfight with a German ME 262 jet (one of the first jet engines produced) in September of 1944.
The General served thirty-three years in the Air Force Reserve, and was Vice-commander of the 446th Airlift Wing at Ellington Air Force Base in Houston, and Assistant to the commander of Tactical Air Command, western U. S. when he retired from the Air Force Reserves in 1977 at a ceremony at Bergstrom Air Force Base in Austin. He performed the reserve officer duties, all while maintaining a full time career as an attorney and CPA in Houston.
His last assignment at Bergstrom Air Force Base in Austin provided the opportunity to drive to Austin one weekend per month. He was known to have a heavy foot on the gas pedal, and could make the trip in 1 hour and 45 minutes from his central Houston home. He was once brought to the judge for his speeding, where he expressed that he could have made the trip much faster, had he not been stopped by the police!
General Haynsworth was a long-time member of the Houston Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Committee of Houston and the Reserve Officers Association. He also served in Washington D. C. on the Air Reserve Policy council and on the staff of the War College at Ft. Leslie McNair. He conceived and helped initiate the program rotating reserve crews and their own aircraft providing fighters and airlift forces abroad integrated with our regular forces during the cold war and thereafter.
General Haynsworth was the first of just two Houston area Air Force Reserve officers to attain the rank of Major General and the only holder of the Distinguished Service Medal, in addition to the Distinguished Flying Cross, Eight Air Medals, and other decorations.
General Haynsworth was a member of Christ Church Cathedral, the Houston Grand Opera Guild, the Museum of Fine Arts, and the Houston Symphony Society. He served as president of the Edgemont Civil Club. He also served also as President of the English Speaking Union and he was a huge supporter of the University of Houston Cougars, having four seats on the fifty-yard line for close to fifty years.
The General wrote the renewal deed restrictions for Edgemont and West Edgemont, preserving indefinitely the residential character of two of Houston's most historic and beautiful streets. He received recognition from the Bar Association and the Texas Board of Public Account Association for his over fifty years of practice in each. He maintained an office in the Esperson building downtown for over fifty years. With his wife Elizabeth, he traveled the world, experiencing many of the world's most fabulous and interesting cultures.
The General had the most wonderful sense of humor and always had a funny story to go with whatever subject he was discussing.
His quick wit and charm will be sorely missed by his family, his friends and his neighbors. He was predeceased by his first wife, Bette Worth Sloan; second wife, Elizabeth; step-daughter, Jacqueline Bartel Tapp; mother, Louise Getz; sister, Shirley Whiteman; and brother, Gerry Getz.
He is survived by his daughter, Kristen Haynsworth of Houston; his granddaughter, Sloan Haynsworth Leger and her husband, Kevin Leger; and his great grandson, Hunter Haynsworth Leger, all of Austin. He is also survived by his sister and brother-in-law, Joanne and Art Schupska of Geneva, Ohio. Additionally, he is survived by Frances and Felix Tapp, Meg and Filson Tapp, Bartell Tapp, Lee and Glenn Seureau, Becky and Cliff Chatham, Claudia and John Polsgrove, Donette and Joe Drane, Janet Drane, Kay and Russel Drane, Georgia and Harvey Dyer, Mark Schupska, Gary Schupska, Janet Musante, and Jon Whiteman; as well as many other great nieces and great nephews.
"Our family extends thanks and appreciation to his wonderful neighbors and friends who always expressed so much concern and devotion to him. We also wish to thank the lovely and caring group of ladies that took such great care of him and made certain all his needs were met, no matter what time of the day or night. Thank you, Billie Witter, Thelma Thomas, Linda Noel and Beverly Pearson. You not only provided love and support to the General, you showed outstanding support and love to those closest to him."
Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from half-past five o'clock in the afternoon until eight o'clock in the evening on Thursday, the 9th of June, in the Library and Grand Foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.
The funeral service is to be conducted at ten o'clock in the morning on Friday, the 10th of June, at Christ Church Cathedral, 1117 Texas Avenue in Houston, where the Very Rev. Joe D. Reynolds, Dean, the Rev. James C. McGill, Canon Missioner, and the Rev. Lucrecia "Luchy" Littlejohn, Canon Pastor, are to officiate.
A military interment service is to immediately follow, via an escorted cortege, at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery in Houston, where United States Air Force Honors are to be rendered by an honor guard from Randolph AFB.
For those desiring, in lieu of customary remembrances, contributions in memory of General Haynsworth may be directed to Christ Church Cathedral, 1117 Texas Ave., Houston, TX, 77002; Christus Visiting Nurses Association (VNA) Hospice, 601 Sawyer St., Suite 750, Houston, TX, 77007; or to the University of Houston, Athletics Dept., 3100 Cullen Blvd, Suite 2004, Houston, TX, 77204-6002.
"Off we go into the wild blue yonder,
Climbing high into the sun;
Here they come zooming to meet our thunder,
At 'em boys, Give 'er the gun!
Down we dive, spouting our flame from under
Off with one helluva roar!
We live in fame or go down in Flame - Hey!
Nothing will stop the U. S. Air Force."
VIII FC 12 Jan 1943
VIII FC, 4 ADW 30 Jun 1943
VIII FC, 65 FW 7 Aug 1943
2 BD, 65 FW 15 Sep 1944
2 AD, 65 FW 1 Jan 1945
Combat Aircraft:
P-47C 5 Feb 1943 to Apr 1943
P-47D Jan 1943 to Mar 1945
P-47M Jan 1945 to Sep 1945
Stations
KINGS CLIFFE 13 Jan 1943 to 5 Apr 1943
HORSHAM ST FAITH 5 Apr 1943 to 8 Jul 1943
HALESWORTH 8 Jul 1943 to 18 Apr 1944
BOXTED 18 Apr 1944 to 9 Sep 1945
LITTLE WALDEN 9 Sep 1945 to 10 Oct 1945
Group COs
Col Hubert Zemke 1 Sep 1942 to 30 Oct 1943
Col Robert B. Landry 30 October 1943 to 11 Jan 1944
Col Hubert Zemke 19 Jan 1944 to 12 Aug 1944
Col. David C. Schilling 12 Aug 1944 to 27 Jan 1945
Lt. Col. Lucian A. Dade Jr. 27 Jan 1945 to Aug 1945
Lt. Col. Donald D. Renwick Aug 1945 to Oct 1945
First Mission: 13 Apr 1943
Last Mission: 21 Apr 1945
Total missions: 447
Aircraft MIA: 128
Claims: Air 674 Ground 311.
Major Awards:
Two Distinguished Unit Citation:
20 Feb 1944 to 9 Mar 1944 foe destroying 98 enemy aircraft
18 Sep 1944 invasion of Holland in support of airborne forces
Unit Claims to Fame
Destroyed more enemy aircraft than any other 8th AF fighter Group.
Had more fighter aces than any other Fighter Group
Top Scoring fighter aces Francis Gabreski, and Robert Johnson flew with the 56th Fighter Group
First USAAF group to fly P-47
Only 8AF Group to fly P-47 throughout the War
Early History:
Activated on the 15th of January 1941 at Savannah AAB, Ga. Expansion of the Group began after the move to Charlotte AAB, NC in May of 1941 when they were equipped with a small number of P-39 and P-40 aircraft. IIntensive training at Charleston MAP, SC in Dec 1941 and from Jan to Jun 1942 at airfields in New York, at area headquarters at Mitchel field, NY. Here they flew on air defence patrols. Selected to train with the new P-47B they received the first aircraft in June of 1942. The group then moved to Bridgeport MAP, Conn on 7 July 1942 and continued testing and training with early P-47s. Alerted for overseas duty in December of 1942 they sailed on the Queen Elizabeth on the 6th of January 1943 and arrived in Gourock on the 11th of January 1943. The 647 aerial victories placed the group on the top of the 8th AF in that category and they finished second only to the 4th Fighter Group in combined air and ground victories. The group finished with a eight to one kill ratio.
Subsequent History:
Aircraft went to depots on September 1945. The remainder of the personnel went to Little Walden. they returned to the States on October 1945, sailing on the Queen Mary on the 11th of October 1945, and arriving in New York on the 16th of October 1945. The group was established at Selfridge field, Michigan and flew P-47s and P-51s until 1947, then they transitioned to P-80s and moved to O'Hare IAP, Ill on August 1955 and were equipped with F-86Ds, then they were reestablished as the 62 Fighter Intercepter Squadron with the F-101 Vodoos until 1969. Then the designation was given to a special operations wing in Thailand in 1967.
Radio Callsign: YARDSTICK (A Group) and ASHLAND (B Group)
These changed on April 22nd 1944 to FAIRBANK (A Group), SUBWAY (B Group)
and (C Group) PANTILE
In the middle of July 1944, 61st Fighter Squadron commander (and leading scorer of the 56th Fighter Group) LTC Francis S. Gabreski bounces an ME-109 for his final victory of the war. Within two weeks he would make himself a prisoner of war when, during a strafing run on an enemy airfield, he got too low and caught his propeller on the ground.
Francis "Gabby" Gabreski of the 56th Fighter Group
