Ira Hayes was born on this day in 1923. Ira Hayes is the most famous of the Marines who were in the iconic photograph raising the American flag at Iwo Jima on February 23, 1945. The photograph was taken by Joe Rosenthal.

Ira Hayes was born in Arizona. A Native-American, a member of the Pima tribe. He joined the Marines in 1942. Because of the photograph at Iwo Jima, Hayes and the other men in the photograph became national heroes. Hayes was never comfortable with his fame and after his honorable discharge from the Marines he drifted into alcoholism. He was arrested 52 times for public drunkeness. He died on January 24, 1955 of exposure and alcohol poisoning. He was buried with full honors at Arlington National Cemetery.

Ira Hayes is depicted on the Marines Corps War Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery, which is based on the iconic photograph.

Folksinger Peter La Farge wrote a song “The Ballad of Ira Hayes” which was famously done by the great Johnny Cash. His story is told in the 2006 movie “The Flags of Our Fathers”