Major Charles Kever Hayes was among the 2024 inductees into NOAA National Florida Keys Marine Sanctuary Memorial Garden. He grew up in Latta and was valedictorian of his 1952 class at Latta Hight School.
NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries Memorial Garden is to honor their colleagues, volunteers, and federal partners who have passed.
“These honorees are nominated and selected by peers, and are recognized for their outstanding and honorable service to the National Marine Sanctuary System. They represent the many faces, professions, and talents needed to carry out the mission and goals of national marine sanctuaries. The inscriptions on this memorial are a reflection of each honoree’s significance, contributions, and sacrifices, which will be remembered forever.”
Major Charles Kever Hayes is a volunteer of NOAA’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
“Mr. Charles ‘Chuck’ Hayes, the first volunteer of the FKNMS Submerged Resource Inventory team, provided unwavering dedication and groundbreaking discoveries which have been instrumental in shaping the course of FKNMS maritime heritage initiatives.

Chuck’s journey with the agency began as a simple offer of volunteer service, motivated by his deep fascination with maritime history. However, he soon embarked on an exploratory mission in the Florida Keys which led to the remarkable discoveries of submerged historical resources. Recognizing the importance of his findings, Chuck created a comprehensive five-volume catalog of the submerged historical resources that he encountered in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, which now serves as foundational documents about historical resources in sanctuary waters and has influenced the development of our maritime heritage program.”