World War II Honoree

Richard Avery Hayes

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Quincy, Michigan

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Private First Class. On February 2, 1942, he was inducted into the United States Marine Corps from Michigan. His boot camp training took place with the Fifth Recruit Battalion Training Regiment, Marine Corps Base in San Diego, California. Later he completed his Marine Combat Training at Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, California. Served as a Rifleman with the Third Marine Division in the Central Pacific Theater of Operation, assigned to Headquarters Company, First Battalion and Twenty-Fourth Marine Regiment. His division participated in the amphibious assault against the Imperial Japanese Army and Naval forces on the Island of Guam (Dates of Battles: July 21-August 10, 1944) Code Name: Operation Forager. Killed in Action Tuesday, July 25, 1944 on the Fourth day of the invasion, and buried in a battlefield cemetery on Guam. After the cessation of hostilities with Japan, the family of this Marine received his remains for burial. He was laid to rest at the Lake View Cemetery in Quincy, Michigan. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.