Wiley C. Mingia joined the U.S. Marine Corps soon after graduating from Garner High School. Mingia, Jimmy Brown, Harold Till, Charles Haislip and Glenn Johnson all went to the Marine recruiting office together and enlisted at the same time. Mingia had been an outstanding football players and had been a team captain. Mingia died April 27, 2010 and is buried at Montlawn Cemetery in Raleigh.