An Iwo Jima Story You May Not Have Heard

An Iwo Jima Story You May Not Have Heard
By Jack McNeel November 7, 2011

The name is widely recognized. There are books, movies and even songs, including Johnny Cash’s hit, “The Ballad of Ira Hayes.” His image, as one of six U.S. Marines photographed raising the U.S. flag over Iwo Jima’s Mount Suribachi near the end of World War II has been reproduced millions of times. He was hailed as a hero.

Ira Hamilton Hayes was born in Sacaton, Arizona on January 12, 1923 on the Gila River Indian Reservation. Ira was a Pima, the son of Nancy and Jobe Hayes.

Nine months after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, Ira enlisted in the Marine Corps. He was 19. Before he left, his community held a traditional Pima ceremony for him. His parents wanted him to remain home, but he wanted to go, wanted to help defend the U.S. and protect his family.

He was proud to be a Marine and retained that pride throughout his life.

After completing boot camp he was accepted into parachute training, something reserved for only the best young Marines. He was proud to be the first Pima to receive Marine Paratrooper wings. His fellow Marines nicknamed him Chief Falling Cloud.

His first combat action was on Bougainville, Papua New Guinea. He was sharing a foxhole with another Marine. During the night a Japanese soldier crept to the foxhole and jumped in, hoping to kill them, but Hayes killed the attacker with his bayonet.
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