Merle D. Hay was born and raised in Glidden, and was the first American soldier to be killed in the trenches of France during World War 1.
The State of Iowa erected the Merle Hay Memorial in 1930, inscribed with a drawing by famous Iowa newspaper cartoonist Ding Darling, showing Uncle Sam carrying the lifeless body of a young soldier. In 1921, the major road to Camp Dodge in Des Moines was named Merle Hay Road in memory of this brave young Iowan’s sacrifice for his country.
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Carroll County, IA
Visit our county page and you will find information about our town and county's points of interest, festivals/events and faith community. You also will find stories about the contributions made by farmers/ranchers located throughout our county and of course you will learn about the community organizations that have built and continue to build strong communities (chambers, community groups, and departments, etc) and much more when you visit the Carroll County, IA page.