Cathy Wayne

Cathy Wayne
Cathy Wayne publicity shot
Background information
Birth name	Catherine Anne Warnes
Born	(1949-12-07)7 December 1949 Arncliffe, New South Wales, Australia
Died	20 July 1969(1969-07-20) (aged 19) Da Nang, Vietnam
Genres	pop, rock
Occupation(s)	singer, dancer
Years active	1965–1969
Associated acts	Col Joye, Sweethearts on Parade

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 at a United States Marine base. Wayne had just finished a song at a Non-commissioned officer's club near Da Nang in South Vietnam. She was shot by a bullet fired from a .22 pistol, fitted with a silencer, which had been stolen at the base. Wayne was the first Australian woman killed during the Vietnam War.

Sergeant James Wayne Killen was originally convicted of the unpremeditated murder of Wayne; at his first 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 fiancé, Clive Cavanagh, who was the drummer for her performance troupe, Sweethearts on Parade. Killen served two years of his sentence in the US, before a second court-martial cleared him of the charge and he was released.

Cathy Wayne was born as Catherine Anne Warnes on 7 December 1949 in Arncliffe, New South Wales, 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.