World War II Honoree

Daniel Vernon Hayes

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

College Park, Georgia

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK. 2ND LIEUTENANT. HE WAS A UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS PILOT, WHO SERVED ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER, USS WASP, CV-18 IN THE PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS. HE FLEW THE F4U-1D CORSAIR FIGHTER-BOMBER ASSIGNED TO THE MARINE ATTACK SQUADRON VMF-217 ATTACHED TO THE MARINE AIRCRAFT GROUP-81. ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1945 HE WAS KILLED IN ACTION DURING A LOW LEVEL AIR STRIKE RAID OVER THE ISLAND OF HONSHU, JAPAN. REPORTED AS MISSING IN ACTION, LOST AT SEA SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1946 AND HE IS MEMORIALIZED AT THE HONOLULU MEMORIAL OF THE PACIFIC, ‘PUNCHBOWL’ HAWAII. IN HIS MEMORY AND HONOR, A HEADSTONE WAS PLACED IN THE MARIETTA NATIONAL CEMETERY, MARIETTA, GEORGIA. DECORATIONS AND CITATIONS: AIR MEDAL, PURPLE HEART, NAVY UNIT COMMENDATION, NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL WITH 1 BRONZE STAR, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL AND THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL. THE AIR MEDAL WAS AWARDED TO THE LIEUTENANT FOR MERITORIOUS ACHIEVEMENT WHILE PARTICIPATING IN AERIAL FLIGHT AND THE PURPLE HEART FOR HIS ULTIMATE SACRIFICE IN DEFENSE OF HIS COUNTRY.