HAYS, Andrew - Putnam

This is my first cousin, once removed. He enlisted in WWI in Dec. 1916. Andrew Hays was wounded in Aug. 1918 and sent his mother a letter assuring her he was fine. Shortly after getting the letter, she was notified of his death and thought it was a mistake, but it was not.

His entry in the Indiana Gold Star Honor Roll gives his date of birth as Nov. 12, 1898. He died Aug. 22, 1918. Look at his face. According to the birth date he gave, he was 18 years, 1 months, and 19 days old on the day he enlisted.

Does he look 18? He had just turned 17 and he lied to join up. He was almost 19 when he died. He would have turned 19 the day after the war ended.

His mother was one of the first in the country to request that her loved ones remains be repatriated. His name is on the Doughboy monument on the square and he is buried in Forest Hill Cemetery.