William S Hayes

Spc. William S. Hayes

Company C 1-22 Infantry

KIA February 5, 2006

Age: 23

Hometown: St. Tammany, LA (Slidell)

Date of Death: 2/5/2006

Incident Location: Baghdad

Branch of Military: Army

Rank: Spc.

Unit: 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division (Mech)

Unit's Base: Fort Hood, Texas

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Soldier from Slidell dies in Iraq

By Matthew Penix

St. Tammany News

SLIDELL - A 23-year-old soldier from Slidell whose father said had a passion for life
died in Iraq from a "non-combat" injury, his family said Tuesday.

Spc. William S. Hayes III, a Slidell High School graduate, died Sunday in Baghdad during Operation Iraq Freedom,
according to the Department of Defense.

The death is under investigation, but a DOD spokeswoman could not confirm reports Hayes died in a car accident.
She said non-combat deaths are classified as illness, accidental, foul play, suicide or an act of God,
such as being struck by lightning.

"He was the most wonderful kid you've ever met," said his father, William Hayes,
during a brief phone conversation Tuesday morning.

Hayes' funeral is expected to take place in Slidell in the next week to 10 days when his body is returned, Hayes' father said.

Hayes started his initial training at Fort Knox, Ky., as an M-1 armor crewman.
He was then assigned to the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team
and 4th Infantry division at Fort Hood, Texas.

Covington News Banner http://www.newsbanner.com/

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This month we lost an influential member of our ranks.
SPC William Hayes passed away in the early morning hours of February 5^th, 2006.
William Hayes was an important member of C Company, 1-22 Infantry.
His willingness to perform any task distinguished him as one of the most reliable Soldiers in the Company.
Just one week prior, SPC Hayes found a large, hidden IED on a dismounted patrol –
his actions saved the lives of many of his platoon members.
SPC Hayes’s dedication to his platoon and his mission played a key role in the overall success
of our Company and the Battalion.

—Captain John Robertson February 15, 2006

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