Sergeant Major Charles John Hayes, A Marine's Story
Sergeant Major Charles John Hayes, A Marine's Story
Sergeant Major Charles John Hayes was born on December 23, 1878, in St. Mary’s, Pennsylvania, at a time when the United States was emerging as an expanding global power.
In 1897, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, just months before the outbreak of the Spanish-American War. He deployed to Cuba during the conflict, serving in one of the first overseas wars that marked America’s transition onto the world stage.
Following his return to the United States, Hayes continued his Marine Corps career during a period defined by expeditionary operations throughout the Caribbean and Central America. He deployed to Nicaragua during the early twentieth-century interventions and later to Mexico during the 1914 Occupation of Veracruz, part of the broader instability tied to the Mexican Revolution.
When the United States entered World War I in 1917, Sergeant Major Hayes again answered the call. He deployed to France and participated in major operations, including the Aisne-Marne Campaign and the Saint-Mihiel Offensive, two significant engagements that helped break German defensive lines on the Western Front.
After the war, his final overseas deployment came in 1920 to Haiti, where U.S. Marines were engaged in stabilization efforts during the long American occupation.
By the time he retired from the Marine Corps in 1930, Sergeant Major Hayes had served across three decades of American military history, from the age of coal-powered ships and Caribbean expeditions to trench warfare in France.
Retirement did not end his commitment to service. He remained active in his community, participating in the Elks Lodge, the Moose Club, and the American Legion, continuing the fellowship common among veterans of his generation.
Sergeant Major Charles John Hayes died on January 5, 1938. He is buried at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Wellsville, New York.
His career reflects a particular kind of military life, steady, repeated, and resolute. Not one war, but many. Not one campaign, but decades.
Some men serve in moments. Others serve in eras.
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About the Author
a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller traveling through life
She shares her journeys at Take the Back Roads, explores new reads at Rite of Fancy, and highlights U.S. military biographies at Everyday Patriot.
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