This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Sgt Jason Barbosa (Barbo)
to remember
Marine Cpl Ira Hamilton Hayes (Chief Falling Cloud).
If you knew or served with this Marine and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.
Contact Info
Home Town Sacaton
Last Address Pime Indian Reservation in Sacaton
Date of Passing Jan 24, 1955
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
Ira Hamilton Hayes (January 12, 1923 – January 24, 1955) was a PimaNative American and a United States Marine who was one of the six flag raisers immortalized in the iconic photograph of the flag raising on Iwo Jima during World War II. Hayes was an enrolled member of the Gila River Pima Indian Reservation located in the Pinal and Maricopa counties in Arizona. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve on August 26, 1942, and after recruit training, volunteered to become a Paramarine. He fought in the Bougainville and Iwo Jimacampaigns in the Pacific Theatre of Operations. On February 23, 1945, he helped to raise an American flag over Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima, an event photographed by Joe Rosenthal of the Associated Press. Hayes and the other five flag-raisers became national heroes as a result. In 1946, he was instrumental in revealing the true identity of one of the other pictured Marines, who was killed in action on Iwo Jima. However, Hayes was never comfortable with his fame, and after his service in the Marine Corps, he descended into alcoholism. He died of exposure to cold and alcohol poisoning after a night of drinking on January 23–24, 1955. He was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery on February 2, 1955. Hayes was often commemorated in art and film, before and after his death. In 1949, he portrayed himself raising the flag in the motion picture movie, Sands of Iwo Jima. A giant Marine figure of Hayes raising the flag on Iwo Jima with the other five participants is included on the 1954 Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia. In 1961, his life story was the subject of the movie The Outsider, starring Tony Curtis as Hayes. The movie inspired songwriter Peter La Farge to write "The Ballad of Ira Hayes", which became popular nationwide in 1964 after being recorded by Johnny Cash. In 2006, Hayes was portrayed by Adam Beach in the World War II movie Flags of Our Fathers.
Other Comments:
One of the finest fighting men in the Corps. Ira would have made Chesty proud. Visit: http://www.slide.co/r/1WWaG1515TipuJHevNs7D7aCzcKODy?previous_view=lt_embedded_url to see a great slideshow on Ira created by one of our own members here at tws. Semper Fi
Northern Solomon Islands Campaign (1943-44)/Battle of Vella Lavella
From Month/Year
August / 1943
To Month/Year
October / 1943
Description The Battle of Vella Lavella was fought from 15 August – 9 October 1943 between Japan and the Allied forces from New Zealand and the United States. Vella Lavella is an island located in the Solomon Islands that had been occupied by Japanese forces. The Allies successfully recaptured the island. Barakoma Airfield on Vella Lavella was later the homebase of VMF-214 "Blacksheep" and its CO Major Gregory "Pappy" Boyington.
