Peter C. Hains, III

Peter Conover Hains, III (May 11, 1899 – July 3, 2001) was an American Army cavalry officer and Major General^[1] who competed in the 1928 Olympic games in the modern pentathlon.^[2] Hains enlisted in the United States Army in 1916 at the age of 17 and saw active combat in France on the western front of World War I in 1918. After his deployment in France, Hains returned to the United States in 1920 and then attended West Point, where he ranked 162nd in his class^[3] when he graduated in 1924. He later competed in the 1928 Olympic Games where he finished seventh in the modern pentathlon. Hains was deployed into the European theatre of World War II in 1943 in England where he oversaw logistics relating to Operation Overlord and was then transferred to the front during the Battle of the Bulge where he saw active combat for the first time in 25 years. After returning home in 1945, Hains was deployed three more times, back to Europe in 1947, to the Korean War in 1951 and lastly to South Vietnam, as a military advisor to ARVN in 1964. Hains returned to the United States in 1965 after a bout of pneumonia and was discharged from duty in January 1966. Hains died peacefully in his sleep at age 100. Hains' family had a long legacy of military service, with his great grandfather, grandfather, and uncle all serving as high-ranking military officers.^[3] Hains' father Peter was involved in an infamous murder scandal in New York City in 1909.^[4] Hains was one of a select number of soldiers to have seen active duty from World War I through the Vietnam War.

See also

• Peter Conover Hains
• Peter Hains

References