Ira Hayes

Ira Hayes was a Pima Indian. He was born in Sacaton, Arizona in 1923. He joined the Marines early in World War II. Ira and six other men raised the American flag over the battle of Iwo Jima. It was important these men risked their lives to raise this flag and save the battle. When they raised the flag it gave other marines the morale to keep fighting and not lose the battle. Ira Hayes is a hero to me because he risked his life to save many others, and because even though he was a hero, he didn't see himself as one.

One reason Ira Hayes is my hero is the things he did during the battle of Iwo Jima. He risked his life. He valued others lives more than his own. During this horrific battle the U.S. Marines actually were losing this battle. So Ira and six others decided to run into enemy territory and raise the American flag. When he and the others did this it made the American soldiers think they were winning the battle so it lifted their morale. Out of the six men to run up that hill and raise that flag, 2 survived. He could have easily lost his life that day, but he valued others lives more than his own.

Ira Hayes was told to be an honorable warrior. He wanted to be the best he could be. After the battle he returned to the states. Everyone kept calling him a hero and he would just say the real heroes are the men that died out there for you and for me. To me, this shows a lot of character. He could have been the type of guy to say yes I was a hero and I did raise that flag . No, Ira was the type of guy who said yes I was one of those men, but I`m no hero. This caused Ira misery. He died in 1955. When Ira died, he was mumbling words about his good buddies he lost in the war. Even though he did not accept it, he was an American hero and my hero.