Captain James R. Payne, United States Navy
February 4, 1915 - January 3, 2004

James Robert Payne was born in Rome, Georgia, on February 4, 1915, son of Justin M. and Agnes R. (Reece) Payne, both now deceased. He attended Technological High School, Atlanta, Georgia, and during the period July 1933 to June 1934 was a Private in the U.S. Army attached to the TWENTY-SECOND Infantry at Fort McPherson, Georgia. In 1934 he entered the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, on appointment from his native state. Graduated and commissioned Ensign on June 2, 1938, he subsequently advanced in rank attaining that of Captain, to date from July 1, 1956.

Following graduation from the Naval Academy in 1938, he joined the USS SALT LAKE CITY CA-25 and in July 1940 was detached for duty as Communications Watch Officer on the Staff of Commander Scouting Force, Pacific Fleet. From January 1942 to July 1943, he served as Communication Officer, First Lieutenant, and Gunnery Officer on board the USS RODMAN DD-456 and while attached to that destroyer participated in the Algeria-Morocco landings. He next reported as Executive Officer of the USS EVANS DD-552 and as such took part in the Marianas and Western Caroline Islands operations and in the attacks on Luzon. He assumed command of' the USS HAILEY DD-556 in January 1945 and for "meritorious achievement...during operations against enemy Japanese forces in the Western Pacific War Area from February 10 to May 28, 1945..."

He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat “V”. The citation further states in part:
A skilled and daring leader, (he) directed his ship during carrier strikes on Tokyo, Iwo Shima, Kyushu, and the lnland Sea and during operations of the FIRST Carrier Task Force in support of the Okinawa Campaign. While his vessel was stationed as a member of a picket group on April 16, he aided in the destruction of two enemy planes by gunfire and, furnishing fighter director information to the control vessel, contributed to the destruction of 13 hostile aircraft by the Combat Air Patrol...".

Detached from command of the HAILEY in January 1946, he next served as Executive Officer of the USS DANE APA-238 and in July 1946 reported for instruction in ordnance engineering at the Naval Postgraduate School, Annapolis, Maryland. From June 1947 to June 1949, he continued the course at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, from which he received the degree of Master of Engineering. In July 1949 he joined the USS WORCESTER CL-144 as Operations Officer and in that capacity participated in the North Korean aggression August to October 1950, and in the Inchon landings. Between September 1951 and October 1954 he served ashore as Assistant Head of the Surface Launched Guided Missile Branch, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Navy Department, Washington, D.C. In November 1954 he assumed command of the USS MITSCHER DL-2 and in August 1956 returned to the Navy Department for duty as Assistant to the Surface Weapons System Director in the Bureau of Ordnance. He remained there until September 1959, after which he commanded the USS PIEDMONT AD-17.

In November 1960 he reported as Chief of Staff and Aide to the Commander Destroyer Flotilla SEVEN and in February 1962 reported for duty as Commanding Officer of the USS LITTLE ROCK CLG-4. In September 1964 he became Missile Development Officer in the Bureau of Naval Weapons, Navy Department, and in July 1965 assumed command of the Naval Weapons Station, Yorktown, Virginia. In addition to the Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V", Captain Payne has the American Defense Service Medal; American Campaign Medal; European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with star; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with silver star (five operations); World War II Victory Medal; Navy Occupation Service Medal; China Service Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Korean Service Medal with two stars; United Nations Service Medal; and the Philippine Liberation Ribbon. He also has the Korean Presidential Unit Citation with Oak Leaf.

Captain Payne is married to the former Kathryn J. AlIen of Cherokee, Iowa and they have two sons, James Robert Payne, Jr., and Paul Reese Payne.

Capt. James R. Payne died in Charlottesville, VA on January 3, 2004 and is buried at the South Plains Church Cemetery, Keswick, VA.