Friday, January 11, 2008

January 12 Birthdays: Ira Hayes and Jack London

Ira Hayes, WWII hero
Jan. 12, 1923-Jan. 24, 1955

Quiet Hero: The Ira Hayes Story by S.D. Nelson (Charlesbridge, 2006)

Ira Hayes served in the United States Marine Corps during WWII. A photographer captured a picture of Hayes and five of his buddies raising an American flag on Iwo Jima. That photo made him and the others instantly famous. This is the story of his childhood on an Indian reservation, his time in the military and the effects of war on his life.

For a photo of the U.S.M.C. War Memorial and a brief history of it, visit the National Park Service site.


Jack London, author
Jan. 12, 1876- Nov. 22,1916

Lives of the Writers: Comedies, Tragedies (and What the Neighbors Thought) by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt (Harcourt, 1994)

London went to seek fame in the California gold rush and found it by writing about it. His most famous work: The Call of the Wild.

A bio, FAQs, photos, images, writings, resources for students and teachers can be accessed at The Jack London Online Collection hosted by Sonoma State University.