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Lieutenant Robert A. Haynes

On. —_ 2; 1945, Lt. Robert A. ‘damaaces went down with the proud cruiser, |
Indianapolis =. » fifteen days before peace came. This sad news has struck K.U.,
and all of eran a body blow, for personable Bobby PORE was a ee favorite,
a brilliant student, and A WORRY friend. > ts

te. "Bobby" Haynes. was very dear to our family. His parents, Mr. and
Mrs. E. L. Haynes, our neighbors and friends for mere than a quarter-century, lived
and raised their three sons just around the corner from us.

Bobby Haynes and our Bobby Allen were the same age - 26 - with birthdays
just a month apart. The two boys, were friends even before Kindergarten Gavs.
They began their Kindergarten days together here in Pinckney School, and were never
_ separated in grammar school, high school, nor in college until war came. Even

after war cast its Shadows , these two boys never lost each other. After "Bobby"

Haynes entered the Navy in 1940; and "Bobby" Allen continued as a medical student .
at the University of Pennsylvania, their furloughs, by sheer incident, seemed al-
ways to tally. More than thrice they mare home at the same time. There were
never two better friends. :

I remember so well Lt. Haynes next to the last visit to Lawrence. Bobby
Alken, Bobby Haynes, and I had a fine game of golf at the Lawrence Country Club.
I noticed with great satisfaction the maturation of the two boys. They had grown
up. Yet that same boy's friendliness between the two had remained the same; mel-
iow, friendly, and enduring. It is these durable satisfactions with which parents
are always immensely pleased. es |

Even in San Francisco, before Lt. Haynes sailed witha his noble crew on
their last important mission of delivering the first atomic bomb, the two Bobs
missed seeing each other only by chance.

Our daughter, Mary Allen Hamilton, who has eo arrived from California
for a visit, said that our Bob had wistfully remarked’ to her ‘the night ‘before she
left, "I sure hope Bob Haynes makes it home this time.’ He certainly has been a
game little guy and he deserves to get through. Me 4

Lt. Haynes! fab hor, in.speaking of this tragic: finality this ‘morning,
said, "If this had to be, I would rather have had Bob hive the fearless, questing,
purposefal life he did and die at twenty-six, than to have him live an impotent, -
inconsequential life, and die at eighty." Then he added, "But I'm glad they de-
livered their bomb." It takes: brave men to rear brave sons. -

The Haynes have enjoyed the siswebeipane honor of pagan had three sons
in the fight in the Pacific: all: Naval Lieutenants - Jean, Robert, and Marion -
and all K.U. men.

Our hearts go out to this family in the inevitable loneliness which canes
with cuch finality. Bobby has now, "outsoared the shadow of our night."

~ 0 mee tee