World War II Honoree

Ira Hamilton Hayes

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Sacaton, Arizona

Honored By

Friends of American Heroes

HE ENLISTED IN THE MARINE FORCES RESERVE ON AUGUST 24, 1942. HE HAD BEEN TRAINED AT MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, AND WENT ON TO BECOME A PARATROOPER AT MARINE CORPS BASE, SAN DIEGO AND HAD A CODE NAME OF CHIEF FALLING CLOUD. ON DECEMBER 2, 1942, HE JOINED COMPANY B, 3RD PARACHUTE BATTALION, DIVISIONAL SPECIAL TROOPS, U.S. 3RD MARINE DIVISION, AT CAMP ELLIOTT, CALIFORNIA. ON MARCH 14, 1943, HE SAILED FOR NEW CALEDONIA WITH THE 3RD PARACHUTE BATTALION. SERVED A TOUR OF DUTY THERE AND FIRST SAW COMBAT IN THE BOUGAINVILLE CAMPAIGN. THE MARINE CORPS PARACHUTE UNITS WERE DISBANDED IN FEBRUARY 1944, AND HE TRANSFERRED TO COMPANY E, 2ND BATTALION, 28TH MARINES, U.S. 5TH MARINE DIVISION AT CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA. HE AGREED TO SERVE A SECOND TOUR OF DUTY, AND SAILED TO HAWAII IN SEPTEMBER 1944. ON FEBRUARY 19, 1945, HE LANDED ON IWO JIMA. HE TOOK PART IN THE BATTLE FOR THE ISLAND AND WAS AMONG THE MARINES THAT TOOK MOUNT SURIBACHI FIVE DAYS LATER ON FEBRUARY 23, 1945. HE PARTICIPATED IN THE RAISING OF THE SECOND AMERICAN FLAG ON SURIBACHI, AND BECAME AN OVERNIGHT, NATIONAL HERO. WHEN IWO JIMA WAS SECURED BY U.S. FORCES, HE WAS ORDERED TO WASHINGTON, D.C. AND WAS ASSIGNED TO TEMPORARY DUTY WITH THE FINANCE DIVISION, U.S. TREASURY DEPARTMENT FOR APPEARANCES IN CONNECTION WITH THE SEVENTH WAR BOND DRIVE. HIS MILITARY AWARDS INCLUDE THE NAVY AND MARINE CORPS MEDAL WITH COMBAT 'V' DEVICE, COMBAT ACTION RIBBON, PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION (RIBBON ONLY) WITH ONE SILVER STAR, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH FOUR BRONZE STARS, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS OCCUPATION OF JAPAN MEDAL, PARACHUTIST BADGE, AND RIFLE SHARPSHOOTER BADGE.