Martin Hayes was born in Ellis, KS and graduated from Ellis High School. He was commissioned into service at the age of 22 years. Martin served in the European African Middle Eastern Theatre. He was in the 47th Armored Medical Battalion as an ambulance driver. During his time in Africa he contacted malaria but recovered. His family was always very proud of his service but Martin himself was an unassuming man and did not talk about the war, therefore, there are none of his service experiences to pass on. Martin returned home in 1945 and married Helen Jezek the following year. He survived the war but not cancer in 1971 and died at the age of 51 years.