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Ira Hayes: The Akimel O'odham Warrior, World War II, and the Price of Heroism
The gripping, forgotten tale of Ira Hayes—a Native American icon and World War II legend who famously helped raise the flag at Iwo Jima but spent the latter half of his life haunted by being a war hero.
IRA HAYES tells the story of Ira Hamilton Hayes from the perspective of a Native American combat veteran of the Vietnam generation. Hayes, along with five other Marines, was captured in Joe Rosenthal’s iconic photograph of raising the stars and stripes on Mount Suribachi during the battle for the Japanese Island of Iwo Jima. The photograph was the inspiration and model for the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington.
Between the time he helped raise that flag and his death—and beyond—he was the subject of more newspaper columns than any other Native person. He was hailed as a hero and maligned as a chronic alcoholic unable to take care of himself. IRA HAYES explores these fluctuating views of Ira Hayes. It reveals that they were primarily the product of American misconceptions about Native people, the nature of combat, and even alcoholism. Like most surviving veterans of combat, Ira did not think of himself as a heroic figure. There can be no doubt that Ira suffered from PTSD, which is a compound of survivor’s guilt, the shock of seeing death, especially of one’s friends, and the isolation brought on by feeling that no one could understand what he had been through. Ira’s life has been a subject of two motion pictures and a television drama. All these dramas sympathize with him, but ultimately fail to see his binge drinking as his way of temporarily escaping the melancholy, the rage he felt, his sense of betrayal, and the sheer boredom of peacetime.
IRA HAYES breaks apart the complexities of Ira’s short life in honor of all Native veterans who have been to war in the service of the United States. This is equally their story.
IRA HAYES tells the story of Ira Hamilton Hayes from the perspective of a Native American combat veteran of the Vietnam generation. Hayes, along with five other Marines, was captured in Joe Rosenthal’s iconic photograph of raising the stars and stripes on Mount Suribachi during the battle for the Japanese Island of Iwo Jima. The photograph was the inspiration and model for the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington.
Between the time he helped raise that flag and his death—and beyond—he was the subject of more newspaper columns than any other Native person. He was hailed as a hero and maligned as a chronic alcoholic unable to take care of himself. IRA HAYES explores these fluctuating views of Ira Hayes. It reveals that they were primarily the product of American misconceptions about Native people, the nature of combat, and even alcoholism. Like most surviving veterans of combat, Ira did not think of himself as a heroic figure. There can be no doubt that Ira suffered from PTSD, which is a compound of survivor’s guilt, the shock of seeing death, especially of one’s friends, and the isolation brought on by feeling that no one could understand what he had been through. Ira’s life has been a subject of two motion pictures and a television drama. All these dramas sympathize with him, but ultimately fail to see his binge drinking as his way of temporarily escaping the melancholy, the rage he felt, his sense of betrayal, and the sheer boredom of peacetime.
IRA HAYES breaks apart the complexities of Ira’s short life in honor of all Native veterans who have been to war in the service of the United States. This is equally their story.
320 pages, Hardcover
Published August 1, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
May 24, 2023
Sometimes, if you want to right a wrong, you need to write a book.
Tom Holm attempts to do so in his book, "Ira Hayes" about the American Indian Marine who was one of the six to raise the American flag at Iwo Jima. Holm tries to rescue Hayes from the popular portrayal of the "drunk Indian" stereotype and put him in the context of trauma, heroism, cultural trauma, and PTSD.
To properly give my two cents on this work, I actually have to jump to the end of the book in Holm's Afterword. As I read through the narrative, I felt like I was picking up on cues about Holm's own viewpoint. Generally, with authors who are detached from their subjects, you can't always tell what they are thinking. Holm does not write like that. You can actually feel every searing indictment as he expounds upon the treatment of American Indians and Veterans back from war. If you are looking for a dispassionate biography of Ira Hayes, then this book is probably not from you. Honestly, I don't think that's who Holm is writing for anyway. Holm himself in his Afterword calls out his own struggle to stay unprejudiced as he is an American Indian and Veteran himself who has his own journey with PTSD. (Full disclosure: I am an Iraq War Veteran with PTSD.) I believe it made this book better having an author who was invested in righting a wrong. Most importantly, I think he was successful in re-framing how we think about Ira Hayes.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and Twelve Books.)
Tom Holm attempts to do so in his book, "Ira Hayes" about the American Indian Marine who was one of the six to raise the American flag at Iwo Jima. Holm tries to rescue Hayes from the popular portrayal of the "drunk Indian" stereotype and put him in the context of trauma, heroism, cultural trauma, and PTSD.
To properly give my two cents on this work, I actually have to jump to the end of the book in Holm's Afterword. As I read through the narrative, I felt like I was picking up on cues about Holm's own viewpoint. Generally, with authors who are detached from their subjects, you can't always tell what they are thinking. Holm does not write like that. You can actually feel every searing indictment as he expounds upon the treatment of American Indians and Veterans back from war. If you are looking for a dispassionate biography of Ira Hayes, then this book is probably not from you. Honestly, I don't think that's who Holm is writing for anyway. Holm himself in his Afterword calls out his own struggle to stay unprejudiced as he is an American Indian and Veteran himself who has his own journey with PTSD. (Full disclosure: I am an Iraq War Veteran with PTSD.) I believe it made this book better having an author who was invested in righting a wrong. Most importantly, I think he was successful in re-framing how we think about Ira Hayes.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and Twelve Books.)
September 15, 2023
Tom Holm's book on Akimel O'odham war hero Ira Hayes is a sensitive and learned portrayal of a often misunderstood Indigenous historical figure. There is good reason why Hayes is regarded as a revered ancestor by his home community. Hayes embodied the quiet dignity, complete with a concern for others, be they his fellow Marines, his family in Sacaton, or other American Indians struggling for their rights in post-WWII America, that bespeaks someone raised in O'odham culture, both traditional and modern.
Most importantly, while Holm is not O'odham, he is Cherokee and Muscogee Creek, not to mention a Marine and Vietnam vet. As such, Holm is empathetic to Hayes's life on the battlefield, especially Bougainville and Iwo Jima, which are evoked with dramatic effect. It is clear to any reader that Holm understands what it is like to be in combat, and why combat veterans are reluctant to talk about it, let alone want anyone to publicize them as heroes.
Do not let the fact that just because 12 Books is not a university publisher that this book does not contribute anything to the field of Indigenous history. Holm makes a substantial contribution to both American Indian political history and to American Indian military history. Readers will likely feel moved, frustrated, and angry over how Hayes's alcohol addiction is trivialized by way too many as being just another example of the "drunken Indian." What Holm argues convincingly is that Hayes likely suffered from PTSD, a diagnosis that was still some thirty years away from being recognized when Hayes perished on a cold desert night at the age of thirty-two.
As an Akimel O'odham, who regards Hayes as a hero worthy of his legend because he battled the white man's America as bravely as he did Japanese Imperial forces, I highly recommend this book as a document of modern O'odham life and history. As a fellow American Indian scholar, I wholeheartedly endorse and appreciate what Tom, who once upon a time was one of my professors, has done for us all in the field of Indigenous historiography.
Most importantly, while Holm is not O'odham, he is Cherokee and Muscogee Creek, not to mention a Marine and Vietnam vet. As such, Holm is empathetic to Hayes's life on the battlefield, especially Bougainville and Iwo Jima, which are evoked with dramatic effect. It is clear to any reader that Holm understands what it is like to be in combat, and why combat veterans are reluctant to talk about it, let alone want anyone to publicize them as heroes.
Do not let the fact that just because 12 Books is not a university publisher that this book does not contribute anything to the field of Indigenous history. Holm makes a substantial contribution to both American Indian political history and to American Indian military history. Readers will likely feel moved, frustrated, and angry over how Hayes's alcohol addiction is trivialized by way too many as being just another example of the "drunken Indian." What Holm argues convincingly is that Hayes likely suffered from PTSD, a diagnosis that was still some thirty years away from being recognized when Hayes perished on a cold desert night at the age of thirty-two.
As an Akimel O'odham, who regards Hayes as a hero worthy of his legend because he battled the white man's America as bravely as he did Japanese Imperial forces, I highly recommend this book as a document of modern O'odham life and history. As a fellow American Indian scholar, I wholeheartedly endorse and appreciate what Tom, who once upon a time was one of my professors, has done for us all in the field of Indigenous historiography.
March 3, 2024
This is an interesting biography of the Akimel O'odham (Pima) warrior who participated in the famous flag raising at Iwo Jima. It puts to bed some of the myths and rumors surrounding the photograph and the death of Ira Hayes. Although I enjoyed the book, I did not give it a full five stars. I believe the author tried to put too much into the story. There are several facets to the book. These are the life of Ira Hayes, his war experience, his PTSD and alcoholism and a dissertation on the film portrayal of Hayes and other Native Americans. I do not believe the extensive review of the portrayal of Native Americans in the film added to the book. A little more detail about his struggles with alcohol and PTSD and a bit less discussion on Hollywood's past mistakes (termed 'redface') would have made a better biography. A detailed discussion on the treatment of Native Americans by the film industry would have made a good second book.
April 22, 2025
I’ve long enjoyed reading about westward expansion, mostly biographies and nonfiction, so I was excited when I came across this biography of Ira Hayes. There have been many movies, documentaries, over the years -- but all plying the same stereotype of the drunken Indian. Tom Holm made it his mission to explore Ira Hayes life and service in context, so the reader gets a clearer idea of what Ira’s demons were, the PTSD that he suffered in the Pacific, and how his tribal background and poverty contributed to his heartbreaking downfall.
There were several parts of the book I was fascinated by. Many of my previous reads (Kit Carson, Father Kino, immigrant diaries) describe a lush, well-watered valley in Arizona where travelers could stock up, feed their animals before the last push across the desert to California. They were aided by the friendly Pimas. What on earth happened to this Shangri La??? Currently it appears to be covered by concrete, subdivisions, and a dry desert landscape. For me, learning about the Akimel O’odham, their way of life and the terrible injustices done to them over the years was, indeed, eye opening. I found myself looking for visuals, maps, and references online as I was reading. Not too much there, sad to say, however Mr. Holm includes quite a few at the tail end I was happy to see.
Most of us who grew up in the 60’s and 70’s have seen all those WWII movies but getting a background on how they were made was fascinating as well. At the time I did not see them as “propaganda”. Mostly I found them silly, dated, and repetitive. There is a famous quote from John Wayne (I believe it was in Playboy) on his views on Native Americans. Pretty shocking actually. I expected to run across it in Holm’s book but it was not included.
The author is not dispassionate about his subject. He is Native American (Cherokee?), a war vet and probably knows a thing or two about alcoholism and PTSD. That might make some readers uncomfortable expecting a more scholarly view. Does that make this “woke”? Perhaps, but personally I don’t think that’s a bad thing. An updated point of view is much needed when it comes to Native Americans.
There were a few spots that dragged a bit or that I managed to speed read through, and a fair amount of repetitive info, so I’ll deduct a star. A very good read, but I did have to push myself through it. Description of the Pima tribe and the last half (movies) were the best parts.
There were several parts of the book I was fascinated by. Many of my previous reads (Kit Carson, Father Kino, immigrant diaries) describe a lush, well-watered valley in Arizona where travelers could stock up, feed their animals before the last push across the desert to California. They were aided by the friendly Pimas. What on earth happened to this Shangri La??? Currently it appears to be covered by concrete, subdivisions, and a dry desert landscape. For me, learning about the Akimel O’odham, their way of life and the terrible injustices done to them over the years was, indeed, eye opening. I found myself looking for visuals, maps, and references online as I was reading. Not too much there, sad to say, however Mr. Holm includes quite a few at the tail end I was happy to see.
Most of us who grew up in the 60’s and 70’s have seen all those WWII movies but getting a background on how they were made was fascinating as well. At the time I did not see them as “propaganda”. Mostly I found them silly, dated, and repetitive. There is a famous quote from John Wayne (I believe it was in Playboy) on his views on Native Americans. Pretty shocking actually. I expected to run across it in Holm’s book but it was not included.
The author is not dispassionate about his subject. He is Native American (Cherokee?), a war vet and probably knows a thing or two about alcoholism and PTSD. That might make some readers uncomfortable expecting a more scholarly view. Does that make this “woke”? Perhaps, but personally I don’t think that’s a bad thing. An updated point of view is much needed when it comes to Native Americans.
There were a few spots that dragged a bit or that I managed to speed read through, and a fair amount of repetitive info, so I’ll deduct a star. A very good read, but I did have to push myself through it. Description of the Pima tribe and the last half (movies) were the best parts.
July 28, 2023
Johnny Cash Was (At Least Partly) Wrong! Admittedly, the title of this review is mostly click-bait. But it *is* an accurate summary of this text - and yes, the text does at least briefly examine the song itself as well. Holm does a remarkable job of showing the history that created Ira Hayes, one of the six men immortalized forever in "The Photograph" of the American flag raising at Mt. Suribachi on Iwo Jima during the WWII battle which became the basis of so many memorials... including a not-small one in Washington, DC. As with the better history books, Holm shows the relevant histories that lead into the famous events at hand- and the biography and histories of the fallout of the events, including the various impacts to both the man Ira Hayes and the cultural icon/ touchstone Ira Hayes. Yes, including the various movies, the various incarnations of The Ballad of Ira Hayes (including the Man in Black's), and even discussing the book The Flags of Our Fathers and its movie incarnation as well. At 22% documentation, it is reasonably well documented, and there are no overly startling revelations here - though there is perhaps much new knowledge, depending on one's own knowledge set when coming into this book. For example, the histories of the Akimel and Apache wars and interactions, and even how they waged war (both the weapons involved and the tactics and ceremonies) was new knowledge to me - and utterly fascinating.
Overall a well told and well examined history with no obvious flaws or even any overt political diatribes, this is a book that anyone interested in a more complete tale of Ira Hayes will enjoy. Very much recommended.
Overall a well told and well examined history with no obvious flaws or even any overt political diatribes, this is a book that anyone interested in a more complete tale of Ira Hayes will enjoy. Very much recommended.
April 26, 2025
A simple review does Author Tom Holm's Ira Hayes no justice.
The retired professor from the University of Arizona thoroughly showed his training for this book, dating to his childhood with his family on the Oklahoma Cherokee Reservation. Holm demonstrated a strong ability to research the various related newspaper articles, get what interviews he could, and write it all very well. These pages, words, paragraphs didn't want to let me go.
Fascinating hardly covers it. If you have any interest in this Pima-Marine warrior, Native Americans, and all the forces around them: read the book. Holm is a former Vietnam Marine, and that experience added further depth to this book.
Tony Curtis and Adam Beach played Ira Hayes in movie versions, and Johnny Cash's The Ballad of Ira Hayes caught the attention of young people, including me at the time, to feed an interest in learning about this man. Hayes was also one of the Marines helping to raise the flag atop Mt. Suribachi on Iwo Jima in WWII. He is the last one on the left, with empty hands that helped push the flag, and its pole, skyward. There was a lot of controversy in correctly naming those six for the famous photograph, and Hayes was right in the thick of all of that, too. That Rosenthal Associated Press photo is permanently enshrined in the Marines Memorial statue in Washington, D.C.
Sorry, but there's too many events, and not enough time or space here to nail it all down. You should seek out the book if any curiosity has a grip on you.
The retired professor from the University of Arizona thoroughly showed his training for this book, dating to his childhood with his family on the Oklahoma Cherokee Reservation. Holm demonstrated a strong ability to research the various related newspaper articles, get what interviews he could, and write it all very well. These pages, words, paragraphs didn't want to let me go.
Fascinating hardly covers it. If you have any interest in this Pima-Marine warrior, Native Americans, and all the forces around them: read the book. Holm is a former Vietnam Marine, and that experience added further depth to this book.
Tony Curtis and Adam Beach played Ira Hayes in movie versions, and Johnny Cash's The Ballad of Ira Hayes caught the attention of young people, including me at the time, to feed an interest in learning about this man. Hayes was also one of the Marines helping to raise the flag atop Mt. Suribachi on Iwo Jima in WWII. He is the last one on the left, with empty hands that helped push the flag, and its pole, skyward. There was a lot of controversy in correctly naming those six for the famous photograph, and Hayes was right in the thick of all of that, too. That Rosenthal Associated Press photo is permanently enshrined in the Marines Memorial statue in Washington, D.C.
Sorry, but there's too many events, and not enough time or space here to nail it all down. You should seek out the book if any curiosity has a grip on you.
May 22, 2025
I found this book very moving on many levels. Striking in this story is the integrity shown by Ira Hayes, and how our culture/society failed him, and so many others. And now, it seems reasonable to ask; have we really made much progress in the last 50 years?
For me there is a personal reason for my appreciation of this book. Like Hayes, my father was a Marine who fought on Bougainville and received the Marine Corps medal of commendation. And like Hayes, my dad never talked about his service. I didn’t know of his involvement until after he passed and I was going through his paperwork. This book gave me a small sense of what my father, and so many others endured.
After the war the trajectories of Hayes and my father couldn’t be more different. My father, who dropped out of high school to enlist, went to college on the GI Bill. He was one of the lucky ones. He survived, but not unscathed.
For me there is a personal reason for my appreciation of this book. Like Hayes, my father was a Marine who fought on Bougainville and received the Marine Corps medal of commendation. And like Hayes, my dad never talked about his service. I didn’t know of his involvement until after he passed and I was going through his paperwork. This book gave me a small sense of what my father, and so many others endured.
After the war the trajectories of Hayes and my father couldn’t be more different. My father, who dropped out of high school to enlist, went to college on the GI Bill. He was one of the lucky ones. He survived, but not unscathed.
October 28, 2023
To the degree this is biographical, it's at the edge of 4 stars. Problem is, as you'll see if you type "Ira Hayes" in the search bar here, there's not much in the way of biographies about him, because there's not much recorded information to be biographical about. So, Holm backgrounds the Akimel O'odham (Pima) history since Spanish contact, then expands this with the period since Anglo American contact, then talks about "drunken Indian" myths and more.
None of these is "wrong," but the tribal history expansion is cursory while with the modern troubles and myths, we're hit over the head with them more than once.
None of these is "wrong," but the tribal history expansion is cursory while with the modern troubles and myths, we're hit over the head with them more than once.
June 23, 2023
Sometimes PTSD, survivor's guilt, and alcoholism win.
It's hard to hear that you're a hero when your self-esteem keeps plummeting, the nightmares don't get any better, the alcohol has a firm hold on you, and people call you nasty names. That's what happened to one (of far too many) combat veterans the world over and from time immemorial. This story of this one man in his time is needed and should be appreciated, and this author does a remarkable job of it.
Thank you for your Service, Marine.
I requested and received an EARC from Twelve Books via NetGalley. Thank you
It's hard to hear that you're a hero when your self-esteem keeps plummeting, the nightmares don't get any better, the alcohol has a firm hold on you, and people call you nasty names. That's what happened to one (of far too many) combat veterans the world over and from time immemorial. This story of this one man in his time is needed and should be appreciated, and this author does a remarkable job of it.
Thank you for your Service, Marine.
I requested and received an EARC from Twelve Books via NetGalley. Thank you
December 1, 2023
A moving story, a sad story, Tom Holm writes it with passion. The books impact skyrocketed with Tom being Native American and Vietnam veteran. The downside to his work was the last chapter, Hollywood Calls Again. Found it meaningless with the name dropping. Ira Hayes is and forever will be a true hero to his people, the Arimel O'oodam and every American who reads this profound work.
America must learn of the atrocities not only to the original founders our Native Americans, Afro Americans, Hispanic Americans and Japanese Americans. It is a severe black mark on the USA.
America must learn of the atrocities not only to the original founders our Native Americans, Afro Americans, Hispanic Americans and Japanese Americans. It is a severe black mark on the USA.
June 2, 2023
A truly heartbreaking story about a true hero and Medal of Honor winner from WW2. The book does an excellent job of telling his life story and downfall after the war. His life story should be an example to all. A great story.
Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
October 7, 2023
Racism and mistreatment of Native Americans and the misdiagnosis and lack of treatment for PTSD post WWII is important and overlooked. This book though was tough for me to read. Felt like it did not have a solid outline and should have been much shorter.
November 5, 2023
This is a terrific new biography of Ira Hayes with a deep focus on PTSD from his horrible war experience and the tragic history of his tribe through the mistreatment by the colonists and the USA government.
June 8, 2024
Heartbreaking. Raw. Real.
I applaud this book, the authors research and authenticity in helping readers know the story of Ira Hayes. After all that the media & Hollywood does to downplay Iras entire life. It was a hard read but one worth hearing to really bring to light all that Ira suffered.
I applaud this book, the authors research and authenticity in helping readers know the story of Ira Hayes. After all that the media & Hollywood does to downplay Iras entire life. It was a hard read but one worth hearing to really bring to light all that Ira suffered.
January 21, 2024
An excellent book! I found it very interesting to about the man and the Akumal O'odham native Americans. Well written and a smooth, easy read!
January 16, 2025
I have to preface and say Ira Hayes is a hero, a legend in the Marine Corps. This book was awful though. It seems most of the book is the author crying “racism” at every turn.
April 14, 2025
Holm, himself a native veteran, provides an excellent overview of Hayes's life and struggles with PTSD and hero worship.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews