Tombstone Tuesday: Earnest C Hayes (1925-1945)

Earnest C Hayes

21 Sept 1925-3 Mar 1945

Copyright D. Radcliff 2010

Earnest C Hayes was a younger brother of my maternal great grandmother Alice Isabel Hayes Sweat. He was born 21 Sept 1925, the son of James Thomas Hayes and Minnie L Rice Hayes. His birthplace was most likely Cook County, Georgia as the family was living there in both the 1920 and 1930 censuses.

At present, I don't have the exact day he enlisted in the United State Marine Corp to serve in World War II. His division, the 5th, landed at Iwo Jima, Japan on 19 Feb 1945. Just a couple weeks later, on 3 Mar 1945, he stepped on a land mine, killing him instantly.

His body was shipped home to his father, who was living in Nashville, Georgia at the time. The family buried him at Brushy Creek Cemetery in Cook County, Georgia and a military marker was erected.


Sources:
1920 US Census, population schedule, Massee Dist 1664, Cook County, Georgia, ED 82, Sheet 3A, Dwelling 34, Family 34, Thomas Hays household; NARA microfilm publication T625, Roll 246; digital image, Heritage Quest Online (accessed 4 Jan 2011)


1930 US Census, population schedule, Sparks Militia District 1487, Cook County, Georgia, ED 9, Sheet 7A, Dwelling 126, Family 130, Thomas Hayes household, NARA microfilm publication T626, Roll 349; digital image, Heritage Quest Online (accessed 4 Jan 2011)

Department of Navy, Bureau of Naval Personnel, State Summary of War Casualties Georgia, Page 7, NARA (accessed 4 Jan 2011) <http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/ww2/navy-casualties/georgia.html>

C Peter Chen, Battle of Iwo Jima, World War II Database (accessed 4 Jan 2011) <http://ww2db.com/battle_spec.php?battle_id=12>

Interview with Thomas Walter Sweat (now deceased) by D Radcliff, 23 Dec 2009, interview notes in possession of D Radcliff


Earnest C Hayes headstone, Brushy Creek Cemetery, Cook County, Georgia. Photo taken 13 Oct 2010 and in possession of D Radcliff.