Private First Class Hayes was a member of the 2nd Platoon, Company C, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division. He was Killed in Action while defending "Horseshoe Ridge", four miles north of the 38th Parallel against a Chinese assault on 24 April 1951.

Hayes was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.