US Army General. Remembered as a "soldier's soldier," he rose in rank to become the Vice Chief of Staff of the US Army, the Commander of US Army Pacific, and Commanding General, U.S. Continental Army Command. The son of a career military officer who retired as a brigadier general, he attended the Texas Military Academy in San Antonio, Texas for a year following his high school graduation because he was too young to enter the US Military Academy at West Point, New York. After graduating from the Texas Military Academy in 1930, he received his appointment to attend the US Military Academy and graduated in 1935 with a commission as a 2nd lieutenant of Infantry. His first assignment was at Fort Bliss, Texas and then he served in the Philippine Scouts prior to World War II. During World War II he served in Italy as an operations office with the 88th Infantry Division. His military education included the Armed Forces Staff College at Norfolk, Virginia, the US Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, and the National War College at Fort MeNair, Washington DC. His major commands held included Commanding General of the 1st Armored Division at Fort Hood, Texas from 1962 to 1963, Commander of the US Army 3rd Corps there from 1965 to 1967, US Army Vice Chief of Staff from 1967 until July 1968, Commander, US Army Pacific at Fort Schafter, Hawaii from August 1968 until October 1970. He then became the Commanding General of the US Continental Army Command, at Fort Monroe, Virginia and he retired in this position in January 1973 with 38 years of continuous military service. Among his military awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with 2 oak leaf clusters, the Bronze Star, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, the American Defense Service Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal. He was the founder of the US Army's non-commissioned officer education system. He died of congestive heart failure at the age of 98. At the time of his death, he was the longest living US Army 4-star general. The Ralph E. Haines, Jr. Award, presented to the US Army Reserve Drill Sergeant of the Year, is named in his honor.