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Contact Info
Home Town Clifton, Ohio
Date of Passing Mar 12, 1987
Location of Interment Union Cemetery - Columbus, Ohio
LCdr. Wayne Woodrow "Woody" Hayes, USNR, WWII
Football Player and Coach. Head Coach at Denison University (1946-1948),
Miami University in Oxford, Ohio (1949-1950), and Ohio State University (1951-1978)
Wayne Woodrow "Woody" Hayes (February 14, 1913 to March 12, 1987) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Denison University (1946-1948), Miami University in Oxford, Ohio (1949-1950), and Ohio State University (1951-1978), compiling a career college football record of 238 wins, 72 losses, and 10 ties.
Woodrow "Woody" Hayes was born on Valentine's Day in 1913 in the sleepy little village of Clifton, Ohio, near Springfield, about 55 miles from The Ohio State University campus. He grew up in Newcomerstown, in northeast Ohio. His father, Wayne Benton Hayes served as the school superintendent at Newcomerstown from 1920 until his death in 1939. His mother, Effie Hayes, was a strong woman who, according to Woody, "when she believed in something all hell couldn't change her mind."
Hayes enlisted in the United States Navy in July 1941, eventually rising to the rank of Lieutenant Commander during World War II. He commanded USS Ukiah (PPC-1251), a submarine chaser, in the Palau Islands invasion and the destroyer-escort USS Rinehart (DE-196) in both the Atlantic and Pacific operations.
As World War II was winding down and Hayes' alma mater, Denison University, was pursuing plans to reinstate its football program (which had been suspended during the war), it contacted former head coach Rogers (also in the Navy) about rejoining the program as head coach. Rogers declined, but recommended that his former team captain, Hayes, be named the next head coach. Denison was able to locate and cable Hayes an offer, which he accepted, minutes before his Navy ship was to begin the passage through the Panama Canal - meaning Hayes would have been incommunicado for an extended period of time. Discharged in 1946 Woody returned to Denison University as Head Coach.
Other Comments:
Woody commanded USS Ukiah* (PC-1251) a Submarine Chaser and saw combat in the Marianas and Peleliu (Palau) Island invasion during Operations Stalemate II and Forager.
Commanding Officer, USS Rinehart (DE-196): LCdr. Wayne Woodrow Hayes, USNR: 28 Sep 1945 - 04 Jun 1946. Woody also commanded the destroyer-escort USS Rinehart in both Atlantic and Pacific operations, with a crew of 15 officers and 201 enlisted.
Yes, Woody is known for his coaching, but many do not know of his military service during World War II. Woody enlisted in the United States Navy in July 1941, eventually rising to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. Woody could have stayed at Naval Station Great Lakes outside Chicago for the whole war, but he volunteered for sea duty. He asked for active duty and served his country for five years.
* The USS Ukiah was originally classified as PC and changed to PCC in 1945, and it would appear that Woody commanded the ship before 1945. From NavSourceOnline:
Ukiah (PCC 1251) ex-PCC-1251 ex-PC-1251 Call sign: November - Delta - Charlie - India
PC-461 Class of Submarine Chaser: Laid down 8 June 1942 at Brown Shipbuilding Co., Houston, TX Launched 12 September 1942 Commissioned USS PC-1251, 27 February 1943 Reclassified as a Control Submarine Chaser, PCC-1251, 20 August 1945.
