William G. Henry

FC2 (SW), United States Navy

January 1, 1962 – August 10, 1990
Age – 28
Detroit, MI

Passed away on August 10, 1990

He was born in Michigan on New Year’s Day 1962. A happy baby who walked at seven months and took off running from there. In school he was in school recitals and plays making the other kids laugh. He had a beautiful smile and twinkling brown eyes. At five years old he explained the meaning of the word “amblyopia” to me. He was my only child and Heaven’s gift to me. We shared a special bond. His grandparents were like parents to him and helped me raise

him with special values and lots of love along with his stepfather David Kincaid.  

Bill was a gifted child as I was told by school personnel having been tested in sixth grade with results that he had a high IQ with college level comprehension. Thus, he went into the Mentally Gifted program.

Bill liked sports, especially water sports which may have been one of the reasons he was drawn to the Navy. At age ten he wanted to spend a summer at Southern California Military Academy which also had an influence on his future. He took Judo lessons in the fourth grade, was in Cub Scouts, Little League, flag football, snow sports in Michigan and when we moved to

California. When he was eight years old and as a teen he enjoyed surfing in the Pacific Ocean at Seal Beach, California.

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While in the Navy as he was on deployments around the world where he went wind sailing in Seychelles, fished for baby sand sharks with buddies in Diego Garcia, He was on his ship’s Ship Guard Force as a Rover, an armed guard while ships are in foreign ports. His ship traveled to Australia, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore, Viet Nam and many ports and oceans over the years.  Bill enjoyed his surfboard, music, his ATV, motocross, his four-wheel drive souped up truck and motorcycles, and could fix anything mechanical. On his ship, the USS Buchanan, a naval Destroyer out of San Diego, he was a Missile Control Technician-Surface Warfare (Adams Class Missiles) where he received several commendations for keeping missiles maintained for exercises at sea and on two occasions he was commended for saving the ship’s missions.

He liked the music of the 80’s and taught himself to play the guitar. He liked Tom Petty and his song, “Free Falling” which was played at his funeral.  Bill could take on any challenge that came up. He was Guidon Bearer at his graduation from Boot Camp in San Diego and led his company onto the field. He had enlisted for six years and in 1990 had reenlisted for another six years when he was sent to his new assignment where he would be an instructor on

his missile system.

Bill had deployed to Iraq three times. He led an interesting life albeit a short life of 28 years with so much to give.  His death was a great loss for us all. There have been many well-deserved memorials to Bill around the country and commendations from the U.S. Navy so his life achievements go on and he will never be forgotten.

Barbara Kincaid   (aka Bill’s Mom)