Cathy Wayne
Encyclopedia
Cathy Wayne was the stage name of Australian entertainer Catherine Anne Warnes (7 December 1949 – 20 July 1969) who was killed during the Vietnam War
by United States Marine
Sergeant James Wayne Killen. Wayne had just finished a song for US Marines at a non-commissioned officer's
club near Da Nang
in South Vietnam. Killen was convicted of the unpremeditated murder of Wayne; at his court-martial
it was alleged that he was aiming for his commanding officer, Major Roger E. Simmons. Wayne had intended to use money earned from her performances in Vietnam to revive her recording career; and to marry her fiancée, Clive Cavanagh, who was the drummer
for her performance troupe
, Sweethearts on Parade. Wayne was the first Australian woman killed during the Vietnam War.
, Australia. Wayne was the child of George Warnes and Nancy Starnes, née Buck. She went to Athelstane Public School where she began singing and dancing classes. Wayne later attended Arncliffe Girls' High School, and, before the age of 12, had performed in school concerts and local community stage shows. She took up a dancing spot on Sydney television, TCN-9
, programme Opportunity Knocks. She also appeared on an Australian TV special, A Night with Leslie, starring US entertainer Leslie Uggams
. At the age of 16, after winning a talent contest, Wayne was offered a regular role on television variety show, Bandstand
, alongside veteran Rock 'N' Roll performers Col Joye
and Little Pattie
. Wayne signed with Joye's agency ATA and was managed by his sister Carole Jacobsen.
Although under legal drinking age, Wayne performed in licensed clubs around Sydney, she also recorded advertising jingles and uncharted singles. Concert tours along the east coast of Australia, headlined by Joye, led to her first tour of South Vietnam
at the age of 17, in early 1967. This tour was sanctioned by the Australian Forces Advisory Committee on Entertainment. Wayne was presented as a modette version of fellow Bandstand regular Little Pattie. Upon return to Australia, Wayne continued her appearances on Bandstand and touring with Joye.
In mid-1969, Sweethearts on Parade, an Australian pop
group / performing troupe
, was established by Sydney promoter Les Maisler to tour Vietnam. Sweethearts on Parade consisted of Wayne on lead vocals, Clive Cavanagh on drums
, Jacqui Edwards as a Go-Go dancer, Rick Hoare on guitar
, Jeff Howison as MC
/ singer / comedian
, Jimmy Taylor on organ / bass guitar
and Natalia Woloch as a Go-Go dancer. Wayne, as lead singer of Sweethearts on Parade, returned to South Vietnam on an unsanctioned tour. Wayne's parents and Col Joye attempted to dissuade her from this second tour, but Wayne insisted and intended to use money earned from her performances in Vietnam to restart her recording career. Wayne wanted to marry her fiancée, Cavanagh, who was the drummer in Sweethearts on Parade. The group arrived in Vietnam on 26 June 1969, Wayne stayed in Saigon
between shows for Australian and US troops.
The tour agent was Ingrid Hart, who recalled that "[Wayne] wanted to be there with her boyfriend, they were going to get some money together and get married". On 20 July 1969, Sweethearts on Parade were performing for about 75 US Marines
at a non-commissioned officer's
club 7 km (4 mi) south-east of Da Nang
in South Vietnam. At about 9:15 p.m., Wayne had just finished a song and was still on stage to introduce her fellow performers when she was shot in the chest by a bullet fired by US Marine Sergeant James Wayne Killen. Wayne died almost instantly as the bullet severed her aorta. In Entertaining Vietnam, a 2003 documentary directed and produced by Mara Wallis, Taylor was interviewed on the events of Wayne's death, footage of a Sweethearts on Parade performance with Wayne singing was shown (see screenshot
at left). Taylor recalled that he was sitting about a metre (three feet) behind Wayne and that Cavanagh had stepped forward to cradle his fiancée when she slumped to the floor.
At his court-martial
, Killen was charged with premeditated murder
and was alleged to have been aiming for his commanding officer, Major Roger E. Simmons. Killen was convicted of the unpremeditated murder of Wayne; he was stripped of all service privileges, dishonourably discharged and sentenced to 20 years hard labour. Killen denied all murder claims but admitted to drinking heavily on the night. After the autopsy
in Saigon, Wayne's body was returned to Sydney and cremated according to Anglican
rites.
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
by United States Marine
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
Sergeant James Wayne Killen. Wayne had just finished a song for US Marines at a non-commissioned officer's
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
club near Da Nang
Da Nang
Đà Nẵng , occasionally Danang, is a major port city in the South Central Coast of Vietnam, on the coast of the South China Sea at the mouth of the Han River. It is the commercial and educational center of Central Vietnam; its well-sheltered, easily accessible port and its location on the path of...
in South Vietnam. Killen was convicted of the unpremeditated murder of Wayne; at his court-martial
Courts-martial in the United States
Courts-martial in the United States are criminal trials conducted by the U.S. military. Most commonly, courts-martial are convened to try members of the U.S. military for violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice , which is the U.S. military's criminal code...
it was alleged that he was aiming for his commanding officer, Major Roger E. Simmons. Wayne had intended to use money earned from her performances in Vietnam to revive her recording career; and to marry her fiancée, Clive Cavanagh, who was the drummer
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
for her performance troupe
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
, Sweethearts on Parade. Wayne was the first Australian woman killed during the Vietnam War.
Biography
Cathy Wayne was born as Catherine Anne Warnes on 7 December 1949 in Arncliffe, New South WalesArncliffe, New South Wales
Arncliffe is a suburb in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Arncliffe is located 11 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Rockdale. Arncliffe is part of the St George area.Arncliffe is located south of the...
, Australia. Wayne was the child of George Warnes and Nancy Starnes, née Buck. She went to Athelstane Public School where she began singing and dancing classes. Wayne later attended Arncliffe Girls' High School, and, before the age of 12, had performed in school concerts and local community stage shows. She took up a dancing spot on Sydney television, TCN-9
TCN-9
TCN is the Sydney flagship television station of the Nine Network in Australia and is located at Willoughby. The licence, issued to a company named Television Corporation Ltd headed by Frank Packer, was one of the first four licences to be issued for commercial television stations in...
, programme Opportunity Knocks. She also appeared on an Australian TV special, A Night with Leslie, starring US entertainer Leslie Uggams
Leslie Uggams
Leslie Uggams is an American actress and singer, perhaps best known for her work in Hallelujah, Baby! She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority.-Singing:...
. At the age of 16, after winning a talent contest, Wayne was offered a regular role on television variety show, Bandstand
Bandstand (Australia)
Bandstand was an Australian musical/variety television show which screened from November 1958 to 1972. It was produced at the studios of TCN-9 in Sydney and eventually became a national program as Nine Network expanded into other Australian cities in the early 1960s.Bandstand was created by Nine...
, alongside veteran Rock 'N' Roll performers Col Joye
Col Joye
Colin Frederick Jacobsen AM , better known by his stage name Col Joye, is an Australian popular entertainer and entrepreneur...
and Little Pattie
Little Pattie
Little Pattie is the stage name of Australian singer, Patricia Thelma Amphlett OAM later Patricia Thompson, who performed as a 1960s surf pop singer and then in adult contemporary music...
. Wayne signed with Joye's agency ATA and was managed by his sister Carole Jacobsen.
Although under legal drinking age, Wayne performed in licensed clubs around Sydney, she also recorded advertising jingles and uncharted singles. Concert tours along the east coast of Australia, headlined by Joye, led to her first tour of South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
at the age of 17, in early 1967. This tour was sanctioned by the Australian Forces Advisory Committee on Entertainment. Wayne was presented as a modette version of fellow Bandstand regular Little Pattie. Upon return to Australia, Wayne continued her appearances on Bandstand and touring with Joye.
In mid-1969, Sweethearts on Parade, an Australian pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
group / performing troupe
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
, was established by Sydney promoter Les Maisler to tour Vietnam. Sweethearts on Parade consisted of Wayne on lead vocals, Clive Cavanagh on drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, Jacqui Edwards as a Go-Go dancer, Rick Hoare on guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, Jeff Howison as MC
Master of Ceremonies
A Master of Ceremonies , or compere, is the host of a staged event or similar performance.An MC usually presents performers, speaks to the audience, and generally keeps the event moving....
/ singer / comedian
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
, Jimmy Taylor on organ / bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
and Natalia Woloch as a Go-Go dancer. Wayne, as lead singer of Sweethearts on Parade, returned to South Vietnam on an unsanctioned tour. Wayne's parents and Col Joye attempted to dissuade her from this second tour, but Wayne insisted and intended to use money earned from her performances in Vietnam to restart her recording career. Wayne wanted to marry her fiancée, Cavanagh, who was the drummer in Sweethearts on Parade. The group arrived in Vietnam on 26 June 1969, Wayne stayed in Saigon
Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City , formerly named Saigon is the largest city in Vietnam...
between shows for Australian and US troops.
The tour agent was Ingrid Hart, who recalled that "[Wayne] wanted to be there with her boyfriend, they were going to get some money together and get married". On 20 July 1969, Sweethearts on Parade were performing for about 75 US Marines
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
at a non-commissioned officer's
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
club 7 km (4 mi) south-east of Da Nang
Da Nang
Đà Nẵng , occasionally Danang, is a major port city in the South Central Coast of Vietnam, on the coast of the South China Sea at the mouth of the Han River. It is the commercial and educational center of Central Vietnam; its well-sheltered, easily accessible port and its location on the path of...
in South Vietnam. At about 9:15 p.m., Wayne had just finished a song and was still on stage to introduce her fellow performers when she was shot in the chest by a bullet fired by US Marine Sergeant James Wayne Killen. Wayne died almost instantly as the bullet severed her aorta. In Entertaining Vietnam, a 2003 documentary directed and produced by Mara Wallis, Taylor was interviewed on the events of Wayne's death, footage of a Sweethearts on Parade performance with Wayne singing was shown (see screenshot
Screenshot
A screenshot , screen capture , screen dump, screengrab , or print screen is an image taken by a computer to record the visible items displayed on the monitor, television, or another visual output device...
at left). Taylor recalled that he was sitting about a metre (three feet) behind Wayne and that Cavanagh had stepped forward to cradle his fiancée when she slumped to the floor.
At his court-martial
Courts-martial in the United States
Courts-martial in the United States are criminal trials conducted by the U.S. military. Most commonly, courts-martial are convened to try members of the U.S. military for violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice , which is the U.S. military's criminal code...
, Killen was charged with premeditated murder
Premeditated murder
Premeditated murder is the crime of wrongfully causing the death of another human being after rationally considering the timing or method of doing so, in order to either increase the likelihood of success, or to evade detection or apprehension.State laws in the United States vary as to definitions...
and was alleged to have been aiming for his commanding officer, Major Roger E. Simmons. Killen was convicted of the unpremeditated murder of Wayne; he was stripped of all service privileges, dishonourably discharged and sentenced to 20 years hard labour. Killen denied all murder claims but admitted to drinking heavily on the night. After the autopsy
Autopsy
An autopsy—also known as a post-mortem examination, necropsy , autopsia cadaverum, or obduction—is a highly specialized surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present...
in Saigon, Wayne's body was returned to Sydney and cremated according to Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
rites.