The Story of Marine Corporal Ira Hayes

The people of the United States will remember our veterans in a few days as we observe Veterans Day.   Some will take a holiday from work, and some will pause and reflect on those who wore the uniform of our nation’s military.     While Memorial Day is a time when we remember those who  made the  ultimate sacrifice as they gave their lives, Veterans Day is a day and time when we remember those men and women who served in the military and came home.

Many of you have seen the iconic picture found above.   The picture was taken during World War II and shows our nation’s military raising the American flag on the island of Iwo Jima.   Among the folks who fought on Iwo Jima and raised that flag was a man named Ira Hayes.  He was a native American by birth, and lived in the state of Arizona.   He served our nation not only in the U.S. Marines, but he also came home and was a part of a team of “flag raisers” that toured the country after that photo was taken raising monies for the war effort of World War II.   Thanks to Ira Hayes and his associates, millions of dollars were raised for the war effort.    Unfortunately, the war left scars upon the heart and soul of Ira Hayes.   He suffered post traumatic stress disorder and he dealt with the scars of the war by drinking alcohol.   Ira Hayes died in January 1955 at 32 years of age.   The coroner maintained that Ira Hayes died from alcohol poisoning.   What a sad death for this man that truly was an American hero.

In I Samuel 7:11-13, we hear this story where Samuel puts up a memorial to remember how God has helped them:

¹¹ The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Kar.  ¹² Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer,^[a] saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.”   ¹³ So the Philistines were subdued and they stopped invading Israel’s territory. Throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines.

Let us raise our Ebenezer and remember those who wore our nation’s uniform and served on this Veterans Day.   The greatest way we can remember them is to make sure that each of these men and women who served us have the help they need after they leave the battlefront and come back home.   Have a joy-filled week.-   Pastor Randy Wall

 

PRAYER --   Living and loving God, we thank you for those who served our nation as they served in the military. As they gave liberally to take care of us, let us give liberally to help take care of them; through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.