Ira Hayes

Ira Hayes (January 12, 1923 ? January 24, 1955) was a Native American hero of World War II's Battle of Iwo Jima.

Related Topics:
January 12 - 1923 - January 24 - 1955 - Native American - World War II - Battle of Iwo Jima

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Born on the Gila River Indian Reservation in the U.S. state of Arizona, a full-blooded member of the Pima nation, Hayes left school in 1942 to enlist in the Marines. Trained as a paratrooper, he was nicknamed Chief Falling Cloud. After bootcamp, Hayes was sent to the Pacific. He participated in the battle for the island of Iwo Jima, beginning on February 19, 1945, and was among the group of Marines that took Mount Suribachi four days later, on February 23, 1945. The raising of the American flag on the mountain by five Marines and a Navy Corpsman was immortalized by photographer Joe Rosenthal and became an icon of the war. Overnight, Hayes (who appears on the far left of the photograph) became a national hero, along with the two other survivors of the famous photograph, Rene Gagnon and John Bradley. Hayes's story drew particular attention because of his Native American background.

Related Topics:
Gila River Indian Reservation - U.S. state - Arizona - Pima - 1942 - Marines - Paratrooper - Iwo Jima - February 19 - 1945 - Mount Suribachi - February 23 - Joe Rosenthal - Rene Gagnon - John Bradley - Native American

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