Wayne was one of 12 children raised in the Appalachian foothills in Pickens, SC. Wayne received his Lucky Bastard certificate for completing 30 missions on June 15, 1944. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on June 21, 1944. After he was honorably discharged and returned home, he worked at Poinsett Lumber Co. There he met and then married Essie Jones. They had three children: Ron, Henry, and Pat. Wayne served as Asst Scoutmaster for Troop 51 in Pickens. The Scoutmaster was one of his best friends from high school, Jack Gantt. During the war, Jack was a B-24 pilot flying "The Hump." Both were loved and admired by many, many young men in the community as a result of their dedication to scouting. Wayne also enlisted in the Air Force Reserves and was honorably discharged as a Master Sergeant in 1963. Wayne retired from The Singer Co. after 40 years of employment. He died on July 23, 2013 at the age of 91.