[Vision2020] Ira Hayes' Story: remember all who fought

[Mark Solomon]

An update on the story in the lyrics: in 1988 the Pima's settled 
their water rights claim and are now receiving their share of water 
via the Salt River and Central Arizona Projects.

Mark

At 11:26 AM -0700 5/27/07, Tom Hansen wrote:
>Thanks, TL.
>
>Although Ira Hayes was not afforded the same recognition as Audie 
>Murphy, he is no less a hero.
>
>"Ballad of Ira Hayes" By Johnny Cash
><http://www.tomandrodna.com/Songs/Ballad_of_Ira_Hayes.mp3>http://www.tomandrodna.com/Songs/Ballad_of_Ira_Hayes.mp3
>
>"Ballad of Ira Hayes"
>written by Peter LaFarge
>
>Ira Hayes, Ira Hayes
>
>CHORUS:
>"Call him drunken Ira Hayes
>He won't answer anymore
>Not the whiskey drinkin' Indian
>Nor the Marine that went to war
>
>Gather round me people there's a story I would tell
>About a brave young Indian you should remember well
>From the land of the Pima Indian
>A proud and noble band
>Who farmed the Phoenix valley in Arizona land
>
>Down the ditches for a thousand years
>The water grew Ira's peoples' crops
>'Till the white man stole the water rights
>And the sparklin' water stopped
>
>Now Ira's folks were hungry
>And their land grew crops of weeds
>When war came, Ira volunteered
>And forgot the white man's greed
>
>CHORUS:
>Call him drunken Ira Hayes
>He won't answer anymore
>Not the whiskey drinkin' Indian
>Nor the Marine that went to war
>
>There they battled up Iwo Jima's hill,
>Two hundred and fifty men
>But only twenty-seven lived
>To walk back down again
>
>And when the fight was over
>And when Old Glory raised
>Among the men who held it high
>Was the Indian, Ira Hayes
>
>CHORUS:
>Call him drunken Ira Hayes
>He won't answer anymore
>Not the whiskey drinkin' Indian
>Nor the Marine that went to war
>
>Ira returned a hero
>Celebrated through the land
>He was wined and speeched and honored;
>Everybody shook his hand
>
>But he was just a Pima Indian
>No water, no crops, no chance
>At home nobody cared what Ira'd done
>And when did the Indians dance
>
>CHORUS:
>Call him drunken Ira Hayes
>He won't answer anymore
>Not the whiskey drinkin' Indian
>Nor the Marine that went to war
>
>Then Ira started drinkin' hard;
>Jail was often his home
>They'd let him raise the flag and lower it
>like you'd throw a dog a bone!
>
>He died drunk one mornin'
>Alone in the land he fought to save
>Two inches of water in a lonely ditch
>Was a grave for Ira Hayes
>
>CHORUS:
>Call him drunken Ira Hayes
>He won't answer anymore
>Not the whiskey drinkin' Indian
>Nor the Marine that went to war
>
>Yeah, call him drunken Ira Hayes
>But his land is just as dry
>And his ghost is lyin' thirsty
>In the ditch where Ira died."
>
>------------
>
>Seeya round town, Moscow.
>
>Tom Hansen
>Moscow, Idaho
>
>From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com 
>[mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com] On Behalf Of Tim Lohrmann
>Sent: Sunday, May 27, 2007 11:08 AM
>To: vision2020 at moscow.com
>Subject: [Vision2020] Ira Hayes' Story: remember all who fought
>
>
><http://thegoldweb.com/voices/irahayes.htm>http://thegoldweb.com/voices/irahayes.htm
>
>The link above does a pretty good job of telling the story of Ira 
>Hayes, one of the marines raising the flag on Iwo Jima in one of the 
>most memorable photographs of WWII.
>
>Although Hayes wasn't actually killed in action, his story seems 
>well worth remembering on Memorial Day.
>His story is just one of thousands of stories of veterans who were 
>praised as heroes, but then forgotten and ignored---with tragic 
>consequences---when the fighting was over.
>
>We should never forget those who died in combat.
>
>Neither should we forget those who come home with the scars of war.
>They deserve much better than the neglect Hayes, and millions of 
>others, have received when they returned.
>
>TL
>
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>
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>
>"Those 'technicalities' have a name, Bobby. They're called the Bill of Rights.
> 
>----Hank Hill
>
>
>Fussy? Opinionated? Impossible to please? Perfect. 
><http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=48516/*http:/surveylink.yahoo.com/gmrs/yahoo_panel_invite.asp?a=7%20>Join 
>Yahoo!'s user panel and lay it on us.
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