Quick Facts
Biography
St Elmo Murray Haney (1898 - 1979) was a Master Gunnery Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps. As a veteran of many early campaigns in the Marine Corps, he was considered the epitome of the "old breed" Marine and a source of inspiration during the tough battles of the Pacific Campaign in World War II. Author Eugene Sledge described Haney as being, "everywhere at once, correcting mistakes and helping out". As one who fought in some of the most fiercest fighting of the time, he had the respect of the Marines. In World War I, he fought in the Battle of Belleau Wood with the 5th Marine Regiment. In 1930, between the wars, he was stationed in Shanghai and played in the outfield for the Fourth Marine Regiment Baseball Team. He also served in France, Nicaragua, Iceland and on the Amazon.
In World War II, he fought in the Battle of Guadalcanal, Cape Gloucester and Peleliu with Company K, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, where he was one of the oldest to fight in the regiment. At the Battle of Cape Gloucester, Haney received a Silver Star for heroic actions against the enemy, carrying ammunition to the front lines during the thickest of the fighting for "Walt's Ridge". At Battle of Peleliu, he rallied the Marines as they got bogged down, and kept them moving forward during the fighting.
Haney also served in Nicaragua, China, Tulagi, Florida Island, and New Britain. Haney is featured in several books for his role in World War II and actor Gary Sweet portrayed him in the HBO miniseries The Pacific.
Personal life
Haney was born in April 1898 in Magazine, Arkansas to Albert S. and Mary Haney. He was the grandson of Henry Haney a Confederate veteran. He attended the Chillicothe Business College. He married Ethel Taletha Tirey in 1949. He died January 31, 1979 in Fayetteville, Arkansas and was buried in Benton County Memorial Cemetery, Rogers, Arkansas.
Ethel was born in about 1895 in Whitefield, Oklahoma and died on July 14, 1972 in Bentonville, Arkansas.