[calex59]

"Call him Drunken Ira Hayes he won't answer any more, not that wiskey drinking Indian or the GI that went to war", What does this have to do with this post? It has to do with another American hero that went downhill fast after WWII was over. Indian, I am white, but had many Indians(not native Americans)for friends, most of them died of alcohol related incidents.

In case you don't know, Ira Hayes was one of the Flag Raisers on Iwo Jima. Everyone is familiar with the picture that shows the raising of the flag, but few know the names of the men who actually raised it. Ira Hayes was one of them and died of alcoholism at an early age. The ballad of Ira Hayes is almost forgotten now but his actions live on.

[quikdrw]

Rene Gagnon, Franklin Sousley, John Bradley, Mike Strank, Harlon Block and Ira Hayes. My spelling of their names may not be right, but those are the six men who raised the scond flag over Mt. Suribachi. John Bradley was in on the first flag raising over Mt. Suribachi, too.