John C. Hayes

Service # 6531430 / O-374853

Entered Service From: Washington

Rank: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army

Unit: Quartermaster Corps

Date of Death: 15 April 1942, shot by a Japanese guard on the road from Orani to Lubao on the Bataan Death March, Bataan Province, Central Luzon, Philippines

Status: Missing In Action. Body not recovered

Memorialized: Tablets of the Missing – United States Army and Army Air Forces at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.

Awards: Purple Heart

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John Clair Hayes was the first born child of Erbie Hayes and Daisy Estela Beegle.

1910 United States Federal Census (15 April 1910): North Vale, Malheur County, Oregon (sheet 1A, family 12, Main Street) – Clair Hayes (6 Oregon).

1920 United States Federal Census (02 January 1920): Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon (sheet 1B, family 23, 450 East 8th North) – Clair Hayes (15 Oregon).

John C. Hayes enlisted as a Private (S/N 6531430) in the U.S. Army in March 1925. He was assigned to the 7th Infantry and stationed at Vancouver Barracks, Washington.

Monthly Roster of Troops: 26 March 1925 to 27 May 1930

Headquarters Company, 7th Infantry, Vancouver Barracks, Washington

Private/Private First Class/Corporal/Private John C. Hayes (S/N 6531430). John C. Hayes enlisted and joined Headquarters Company on 26 March 1925. From June to September 1925 the 7th Infantry was stationed at at Fort Lewis, Washington. John was promoted to Private First Class in September 1926. He was given a furlough from 01 August to 14 September 1927. He was promoted to Corporal in March 1928. John was honorably discharged on 25 March 1928. He reenlisted the next day, 26 March 1928 at Vancouver Barracks, Washington. The 7th Infantry was stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington in September 1928. He was given a 90 days furlough from 18 September to 26 November 1928. In January 1930 he was reduced in grade from Corporal to Private.

John C. Hayes (26 Oregon) is found in the 1930 United States Federal Census (08 April 1930) for Post Hospital, Vancouver Barracks, Clark County, Washington (sheet 11A, line 11). He was a soldier with the 7th Infantry, U.S. Army.

On 27 May 1930 he was discharged "purchased."

John C. Hayes reenlisted in the U.S. Army and was assigned to the 63rd Coast Artillery (AA), Fort MacArthur, California.

Monthly Roster of Troops: 07 July 1930 to 01 March 1931

Headquarters Battery, 63rd Coast Artillery (AA), Fort MacArthur, California

Private/Private First Class John C. Hayes (S/N 6531430). He was assigned to and joined Headquarters Battery on 07 July 1930. In December 1930 he was promoted to Private First Class. On 01 March 1931 he was transferred to 4th Infantry, Fort George Wright, Washington.

Monthly Roster of Troops: 10 March 1931 to 25 September 1931

Headquarters Company, 4th Infantry, Fort George Wright, Washington

Private/Private First Class John C. Hayes (S/N 6531430). He joined Headquarters Company on 10 March 1931. In July 1931 John was promoted back to Private First Class. On 21 August 1931 he was discharged "Covn of the Gov't to reenlist for a special serv Sch." He reenlisted and joined Headquarters Company on 22 August 1931. PFC Hayes was DS to Fort Monmouth, New Jersey on 24 August 1931 thru 25 September 1931.

Private First Class John C. Hayes (S/N 6531430), Infantry (Sch), sailed from San Francisco, California on 01 September 1931 aboard the U. S. A. T. "SOMME" for Brooklyn, New York. He was traveling in Troop Class, East Coast Company No. 1 (Hold 7), (Manifest Line 8). The "SOMME" arrived at Brooklyn, New York (via Corinto, Nicaragua and Panama) on 18 September 1931.

Monthly Roster of Troops: 25 September 1931 to 16 June 1932

15th Signal Service Company, Monmouth, New Jersey

Private First Class/Corporal John C. Hayes (S/N 6531430). He was attached to the 15th on 25 September 1931 from 4th Infantry. He was a student in the Signal School. In October 1931 he was promoted to Corporal. John was "relieved from attached" and sent back to Headquarters Company, 4th Infantry on 16 June 1932.

Monthly Roster of Troops: 20 June 1932 to August 1933

Headquarters Company, 4th Infantry, Fort George Wright, Washington

Corporal/Technical Sergeant John C. Hayes (S/N 6531430). He rejoined from DS at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey on 20 June 1932. In February 1933 he was promoted to Technical Sergeant. From 19 May to 18 July 1933 he was DS to 951st Company, C.C.C. In August 1933 he was DS enroute to Tientsin, China.

Technical Sergeant John C. Hayes (S/N 6531430), Infantry, sailed from San Francisco, California on 04 August 1933 aboard the United States Army Transport "U. S. GRANT". He was traveling in Second Class (Manifest Line 1). The "GRANT" arrived at Chinwangtao, China (via Honolulu, Guam and Manila) on 12 September 1933.

Monthly Roster of Troops: 12 September 1933 to 08 July 1935

Headquarters Company, 15th Infantry, Tientsin, China

Technical Sergeant John C. Hayes (S/N 6531430). He transferred in grade from 4th Infantry Fort George Wright, Washington, assigned and joined the 15th Infantry, Tientsin, China on 12 September 1933. From 06-08 March 1934 he was DS to Peiping, China. On 22 August 1934 he reenlisted. On 08 July 1935 John was transferred to the 38th Infantry, Fort Douglas, Utah.

Technical Sergeant John C. Hayes (S/N 6531430), Infantry, sailed from Chinwangtao, China on 08 July 1935 aboard the United States Army Transport "U. S. GRANT" (Voyage #53, Incoming). He was traveling in Second Class, War Department Expense – Orders (Manifest Line 3). The "GRANT" arrived at San Francisco, California (via Honolulu, T. H., 22 July) on 30 July 1935.

He was DS to join the 38th Infantry, Fort Douglas, Utah on 08 August 1935.

Monthly Roster of Troops: September 1935 to 12 February 1938

Headquarters Company, 38th Infantry, Fort Douglas, Utah

Technical Sergeant John C. Hayes (S/N 6531430). John was given a 45 days furlough from 10 September to 25 October 1935. He was given another furlough from 23 December 1935 to 02 January 1936. John was honorably discharged on 24 September 1936 "Convn of gov't Sect X AR 615-360." He reenlisted on 25 September 1936. He was DS to Fort Benning, Georgia on 26 September 1936.

Technical Sergeant John C. Hayes (S/N 6531430), Infantry, sailed from San Francisco, California on 29 September 1936 aboard the United States Army Transport "REPUBLIC" bound for Brooklyn, New York (via Panama – 10 October). He was traveling in Second Class – Non–Commissioned Officers (Manifest Line 15). The "REPUBLIC" arrived at Pier 2, N.Y.P.E., Brooklyn, New York on 17 October 1936.

He was DS to Fort Benning, Georgia from 26 September 1936 to 13 April 1937.

From 25 May to 10 June 1937 he was given a furlough. John was given another furlough from 30 August to 14 September 1937. He was transferred to the 6th Infantry on 12 February 1938.

Monthly Roster of Troops: 15 February 1938 to 31 December 1939

Headquarters Company, 6th Infantry, Jefferson Barracks, Missouri

Technical Sergeant John C. Hayes (S/N 6531430). He was transferred from Headquarters Company, 38th Infantry to Headquarters Company, 6th Infantry. Joined 15 February 1938. John was given a furlough from 24-29 March 1938.

While he was on furlough John got married.

John Clair Hayes (34, 24 February 1904, Heppner, Morrow County, Oregon, USA (Heppner, Oregon), a resident of Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, married Virginia Louise Hanson (17, 16 September 1920, Fort Riley, Kansas), a resident of Fort Benning, Georgia, on 25 March 1938 at Phenix City, Alabama. They were married by Rev. W. A. Johnson. Her mother consented to the marriage since she was under the age of 18 years. This was the first marriage for both. John was the son of Erbie Hayes and Daisy Beegle; Virginia was the daughter of Roy C. Hanson and Bertha Waltz. He was a soldier in the U.S. Army.

John was honorably discharged on 24 September 1939. *He reenlisted, was assigned and joined his old unit in grade on 25 September 1939. He was given a 45 days furlough from 26 September to 07 November 1939. In December 1939, 6th Infantry was stationed at Camp Jos. T. Robinson, Arkansas. He was given a furlough from 23 to 30 December 1939.

*U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records show John C. Hayes (Oregon), a resident of Spokane, Washington reenlisting in the U.S. Army (S/N 6531430) on 25 September 1939. His enlistment was for another three years. John was listed as divorced, without dependents, had completed post-graduate education and in civilian life was in the "skilled occupations in manufacture of electrical machinery and accessories, n.e.c."

His marriage didn't last very long. John was listed as divorced by September 1939.

There are no more Monthly Roster of Troops records online after 1939.

At some point in 1940-41, John C. Hayes was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army (S/N O-374853). By 1941 he was a Second Lieutenant assigned to Headquarters Company, 31st Infantry Regiment, stationed in Manila, Philippine Islands. Source: Col. Steel's 31st Infantry Roster.

First Lieutenant John C. Hayes was then assigned to the Quartermaster Corps, specify to the Quartermaster Depot and attached to Company A, 31st Infantry Regiment. The 22 QMC men in his unit from the Depot were garrisoned at Cuartel de España, located in the southernmost portion of the Intramuros District of Manila.

"The principal Quartermaster function was to supply items commonly required by all Army troops – food, clothing, petroleum products, and other supplies of a general character – regardless of their duties. Quartermaster supply responsibilities included the determination of requirements, the procurement of the items needed both from the United States and from local producers, and the storage and distribution of items after they had been received." Source: United States Army in World War II – The Technical Services – The Quartermaster Corps: Operations in the War Against Japan by Alvin P. Stauffer (Center of Military History, United States Army, Washington, D. C., 1956), in the forward.

"HAWAII BOMBED–WAR!" On 07 December 1941 (in the United States) and 08 December 1941 (in the Philippines), the Japanese launched attacks on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and concurrently in the Philippine Islands.

First Lieutenant John C. Hayes is found on the 08 December 1941, Cuartel de España Roster, Quartermaster Depot, Company A, 31st Infantry Regiment.

Japanese forces (14th Army under Lieutenant General Masaharu Homma) began a full-scale invasion of Luzon on 22 December. In response, General Douglas MacArthur activated War Plan Orange. This plan called for the withdrawal of American and Philippine forces to the Bataan Peninsula. There they would attempt at least to slow the Japanese advance and hold out as long as possible, while they await reinforcements from Hawaii and the U.S.... reinforcements that never came. "The Quartermaster Corps (QMC) in the Philippines was ill equipped to shoulder the heavy burdens suddenly thrust upon it." Source: United States Army in World War II – The Technical Services – The Quartermaster Corps: Operations in the War Against Japan by Alvin P. Stauffer (Center of Military History, United States Army, Washington, D. C., 1956), page 1.

The men from the Quartermaster Depot at Cuartel de España helped set up the Quartermaster Depot in Lamao, Bataan.

On 09 January 1942, the Japanese forces launched their attacked on Bataan. Over the next three and a half months American and Filipino troops "continued digging in on Bataan and neighboring Corregidor. Completely cut off from the outside world, Quartermasters...fought like heroes to the bitter end – in a losing battle to keep their meager supplies from running out....They fed our troops from hopelessly inadequate food supplies. They slaughtered water buffaloes for meat, and in the last desperate days resorted to killing horses and pack mules. Built fish traps and distilled sea water from salt. And in coffee pots made from oil drums they boiled and reboiled the tiny coffee supply until the grounds were white. So long as an ounce of food existed, it was used. More important, they delivered right to the foxholes, if necessary – fighting and dying as they went." Source: Honor Preserved; compiled by the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps Historian, Fort Lee, Virginia

From the very beginning, Bataan men were cut to 1/2 rations, and very soon, to 1/4 rations. About four weeks later, they were living on 1/8 rations, that is, when food was available to them. Towards the end, it was changed to 1/16th of their rations...Quite often, they would go several days with no food, unless they could catch something in the jungle." Source: Federico Baldassarre letter

In the wake of starvation came diseases, such as malaria, dengue, scurvy, beriberi and amebic dysentery. The average American soldier lost 15-25 pounds and malaria was as high as 35 percent among front line units.

On Good Friday, 03 April 1942, General Homma, with the addition of fresh troops, began an all-out offensive on Bataan. By the evening of 08 April, the situation was clearly hopeless. With ammunition, rations and supplies practically exhausted and most of his best units destroyed, Major General Edward P. King, commander of the forces on Bataan, was convinced his troops could not physically resist any more and decided to surrender to prevent further loss of life. On 09 April 1942, Maj. Gen. King surrendered the Luzon Force to the Japanese.

First Lieutenant John C. Hayes along with 75,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war captured by the Japanese, were subjected to the infamous Bataan Death March.

He was badly beaten and then shot by a Japanese guard on 15 April 1942, while on the road from Orani to Lubao, during the death march. John was likely left where he fell. He could have been buried by Filipinos. Efforts to locate 1st Lt. Hayes's remains or his possible grave after the war have been unsuccessful. He remains unaccounted for today.

It is estimated that some 2,500 Filipinos and 500 Americans may have died during the march.

First Lieutenant John Clair Hayes is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.

Of the 22 members of the Quartermaster Depot for Company A, 31st Infantry in Manila. 17 of the 22 did not survive the war. A 77% death rate.

• Two died on the Bataan Death March
• Two died in Camp O'Donnell Prison
• Eight died in Cabanatuan Prison Camp
• Four died on the Japanese Hellships
• One died in Camp Hotem, Mukden, Manchuria

Source: Robert Hudson https://bataanson.blogspot.com/2008/04/my-fathers-unit-at-cuartel-de-espana.html