Billy Haywood

Billy Haywood graduated from Enterprise High School in 1939. Billy is remembered as one of the Best Athletes to have ever roamed the halls of EHS and one of the finest football players to have ever worn the black and white. He was known to be a good natured guy who was easy to get along with, a man of great character.

In August of 1940 after his graduation, Billy joined the marines where he earned the rank of corporal in the 2nd marine division. After training in San Diego, he was sent to Pearl Harbor where he remained for 2 years. While there he survived the infamous Japanese attack on December 7, 1941 without a scratch, he was later quoted as saying “I was eating breakfast when the Jap bombs started falling and I got so busy that it was three days before I ate again”. On November 20, 1943 his division was deployed to and landed on the Japanese occupied island of Tarawa to establish a beach head. The battle lasted for 3 long grueling days and is known as one of the bloodiest battles in the history of the marines. On day 2 of the battle Billy lost his life. Billy was buried on the island of Tarawa. He was just 21 years old.

Some nine years later in 1952, Mr. James Skelton, a classmate of Billy, realizing that out of all the members of the 1938-1939 athletic team that went off to the war, Billy was the only one that lost his life. The classmates of 1938-1942 together decided to memorialize Billy Haywood by presenting an award in his honor each year at graduation to the most outstanding senior athlete.