Clifford Suthern Hayes was born in February 1926 in Manhattan, New York. His stepfather worked as a manger in a grocery store and had an injury that eventually caused him to be committed into an asylum. Hayes moved around New York throughout his childhood. While in school, he was a patrol boy, guiding cars as they drove by the school. During the Great Depression, he would mow lawns for money, and he hung out with a retired captain. Hayes graduated in June 1943 and volunteered for the service soon after. He was bussed to Utica, New York and was sworn in.

After a short leave before going to basic training, Clifford Suthern Hayes visited his family. On his way to the induction station, he and seven other guys hurried there way onto a train that brought them to Camp Upton [Annotator's Notes: Long Island, New York]. He was required to take several written tests where he was eventually placed as a radio operator. He was put on another train and sent Camp Gruber [Annotator's Notes: Camp Gruber, Oklahoma] for basic training. He was assigned to Headquarters, 3rd battalion, 222nd infantry Regiment [Annotator's Note: Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 222nd Infantry Regiment, 42nd Infantry Division]. Hayes thought his training was thorough. For fun, Hayes played poker with his fellow soldiers. Hayes went on furlough after he graduated and was rated as a Private First Class. He recalled the radio that he carried was very heavy.

Clifford Suthern Hayes applied for officer candidate school but was sent overseas with his regiment [Annotator's Note: Hayes was a radio operator in Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 222nd Infantry Regiment, 42nd Infantry Division] before he could start school. He would get his news from the radio. Hayes was put on typing duties along with his radio duties. He recalled when he was 15 years old, reading comics when the announcement over the radio said the Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor [Annotator's Note: the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on 7 December 1941]. Hayes hoped he would not be sent to fight the Japanese. He was sent to Camp Kilmer, New Jersey and put on a ship on Thanksgiving Day [Annotator's Note: 23 November 1944] to be sent to Europe. He slept on the fourth bunk up. He recalled many of the troops were seasick and there was vomit everywhere. They landed in France on 9 December 1943. Hayes and his regiment took a train to Strasburg [Annotator's Notes: Strasburg, France].

Clifford Suthern Hayes was with the 222nd infantry Regiment [Annotator's Note: Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 222nd Infantry Regiment, 42nd Infantry Division] in Strasburg [Annotator's Note: Strasburg, France]. Hayes recalled that they were ordered to fire across the river to scare the Germans. He recalled a time when he could not figure out if he were experiencing friendly fire or enemy fire but decided to not counterattack because he did not want to possibly hurt allied troops. In January, while in Strasburg, they were told to go up to Bastogne [Annotator's Notes: Bastogne, Belgium] to help in the Battle of the Bulge [Annotator's Note: Battle of the Bulge or German Ardennes Counter Offensive, 16 December 1944 to 25 January 1945]. They relieved a regiment and took over their foxholes. Hayes recalled all the troops began abandoning their equipment because they became too tired to carry everything as they marched backed to the rear to be picked up in Keffenach [Annotator's Note: Keffenach, France]. He also recalled the terrible freezing cold weather, with snow and hale. He and some of his friends, stayed at an old couple's home for a few days and became acquainted with the couple. [Annotator's Note: The interviewer pauses the interview to change tapes at 0:58.15.000.] Eventually, around 21 January 1945, Hayes and his regiment had to pull back even further into France because the Germans were gaining ground. They had to hold their ranks for three days so the Germans would not break the line.

[Annotator's Notes: Clifford Suthern Hayes was with Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 222nd Infantry Regiment, 42nd Infantry Division attempting to hold the line against a German attack in a small French town during the last days of the Battle of the Bulge.] Clifford Suthern Hayes recalled around 25 January [Annotator's Note: 25 January 1945] the military was able to supply equipment and trucks; an endless procession of military weapons. He also remembered seeing a black soldier part of the procession. He never received the proper clothing for the cold weather. He was asked to help with overseeing enemy prisoners and almost shot one. Hayes held no animosity to the average German soldier, but hated Hitler [Annotator's Note: German dictator Adolf Hitler] and other high-ranking officials. In the early part of March, Hayes became ill and was sent to the hospital. He would listen to the radio to hear about the updates of the war's progression.

[Annotator's Note: Clifford Suthern Hayes fell ill and was sent to a hospital to recover.] Clifford Suthern Hayes was sent to repo depot [Annotator's Note: replacement depot] after he recovered from his illness, which was around April 1945, and soon began preparing for the planned invasion of Japan after Germany surrendered. He recalled a lot of celebrating when the war in Europe ended. There was a lot of drinking. Hayes remembered when allied forces discovered the various concentration camps. Hayes feels that if President Truman [Annotator's Note: Harry S. Truman, 33rd President of the United States] did not use the atomic bombs, he would not be alive today. He was able to join up with his unit [Annotator's Note: Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 222nd Infantry Regiment, 42nd Infantry Division] and visit the Eagle's Nest [Annotator's Notes: Kehlsteinhaus; German dictator Adolf Hitler's residence in Berchtesgaden, Germany]. After the war, Hayes was responsible for writing up the awards. He wrote himself his own awards. [Annotator's Notes: A telephone rings at 1:30:30.000.] Hayes was able to go to several operas while he was in Vienna, Austria for occupation duty. During his occupation duty, he was also given the assignment to guard the V1 and V2 rockets.

[Annotator's Note: Clifford Suthern Hayes served on occupation duty in Austria after the war ended.] Clifford Suthern Hayes was Linz, Austria when he found out the war in Japan ended. Hayes was able to go to school while he was in Europe and visited London [Annotator's Note: London, England]. He finally received orders to go home, but no one ever came to get him, so Hayes and a few of his friends got on a train and headed for Paris [Annotator's Note: Paris, France]. He stayed there for 24 hours and then returned home. He was discharged in March 1946. He then hitchhiked home.

[Annotator's Note: Clifford Suthern Hayes returned home after completing occupation duty in Europe]. Clifford Suthern Hayes was discharged at Fort Dix, New Jersey in April 1946 as a Technician 5th Grade. He used the G.I. Bill for school and then went into the phone business. He took some time off when he returned from Europe to visit his friend. [Annotator's Note: The interviewer pauses the interview to change tapes at 1:56:03.000.] Hayes fought in World War 2 because the whole world was in the fighting mode. It changes his life because the G.I. Bill allowed him to get a college education which he would not have had that opportunity without it. He joined the Reserves and was eventually commissioned in 1951. To Hayes, World War 2 was long ago history when he was a young man.