An accident prevented Warren from making it home to spend Christmas with his mom.

Warren Roger Hayes was born in Illinois on September 28, 1926; his mother's name was Blanche. Information regarding his early family life is not available. His enlistment records indicate that his education was limited to grammar school. Following school Hayes worked on farms until he and his mother moved to Santa Cruz County, where they resided on 41st Avenue. It is likely that he found employment in one of the local farms prior to his entry into the service.

Warren Hayes was inducted into the US Army at Camp Beale at Marysville, California, on August 24, 1945. During World War II, Camp Beale was used as a training site for the 13th Armored, the 81st and 96th Infantry Divisions. Warren was assigned to an Army [Special] Service Force unit in an unspecified capacity.

At noon on December 20, 1945, Private Warren Roger Hayes was killed near Woodland in an automobile accident, while driving to Santa Cruz to spend Christmas with his mother. His body was returned to Santa Cruz for a funeral and he was buried at Oakwood Memorial Park.

(NARA2; CDR; Global Security.Com; Camp Beale, http://www. globalsecurity.org/military/facility/beale.htm, [16 September 2008] SCSn December 26, 1945 1:5)