| |
| |
Native American Military Heroes
Many Native Americans have played a vital role in making America what it is today. For this reason, our country honors Native Americans during the month of November.
A presidential proclamation has set aside November as National American Indian Heritage Month every year since 1994.
Long before the first European settlers arrived, American Indians from numerous tribes throughout what is now known as North America inhabited the land. Free to practice their cultures and traditions, Native Americans lived off of the land and in harmony with nature. At that time, wildlife and enemy tribes posed the greatest dangers. However, the arrival of the first settlers brought a new danger.
As European settlements grew into colonies and colonies to states, many American Indians were forced west by Americans, and eventually onto reservations. Often they were stripped of their land, their culture, and individual ways of life as their new neighbors forbade them to practice their own form of government and religion.
Since European settlement, American Indians have distinguished themselves in numerous ways -- one of which is military service. In the 20th century, five American Indians have received the United States highest military honor: the Medal of Honor . Awarded for their military heroism above and beyond the call of duty, these warriors exhibited extraordinary bravery in the face of the enemy. They are; Jack C. Montgomery , a Cherokee from Oklahoma; Ernest Childers , a Creek from Oklahoma; Van Barfoot , a Chocktaw from Mississippi; Mitchel Red Cloud Jr. , a Winnebago from Wisconsin; and Charles George , a Cherokee from North Carolina.
Today, many Native Americans are prospering in government, education, business and healthcare as they strive to regain and maintain the culture and traditions of their ancestors. The five predominant identifiable American Indian tribes existing today are the Cherokee, Navajo, Chippewa, Sioux, and Choctaw tribes. There are American Indian tribes located in various parts of the country to include Alaska, Oklahoma, the Dakotas and North Carolina, to name just a few.
Fallen Warriors Remembered
"He died so we may live" is the epitaph on an unknown soldier's tombstone in Europe. No one knows his name or what he did. What is certain he was an American who died fighting a war on foreign soil. He lies, along with many others, in that beautiful Garden of Stone, as a reminder that war is the most terrible struggle mankind can endure. Somewhere, unknowingly, his memory lives because he made it so.
Veterans Day is observed on November 11. It was established in 1926 under the name of Armistice Day to commemorate the signing on November 11, 1918, of the armistice that ended the fighting in World War 1. It was named Veterans Day in 1954 to honor also the veterans of later wars. To commemorate this special day this article is so written.
The call to arms has come many times to the United States in the 1800's beginning with the China Relief Expedition in 1900. An Insurrection in the Philippines lasted from 1899-1913. The Mexican Expedition lasted from 1916-17. The war to end all wars, WWI, saw the United States involved from 1917 to 1918 with a loss of over 116,000 American dead. Then the greatest war of all, WWII, started in 1941 and ended in 1945. Our losses were over 291,000 American dead. The Korean War lasted from 1950 to 1953 and resulted in the loss of over 33,000 American dead. Our military is still in a hostile environment there. The Vietnam War started in 1962 and ended in 1973. Over 58,000 Americans died in Vietnam. The Grenada Campaign was in 1983. The Panama Campaign from 1989 to 1990. The Persian Gulf War started 1990 and was over in 1991. We still maintain a military presence there. Of course, there have been other missions, both peacekeeping and humanitarian, which the United States military is put in harm's way. In the 1900's, our military has fought in five wars, two expeditions, one insurrection, numerous campaigns and too many missions and operations to mention. The loss of American lives has been about 500,000. To put that in perspective, the population of Tulsa, OK is about 503,000. And now there is the Iraqi War .
The American Indian's role with the military began in January 1790 and lasted until January of 1891. Their role was as an enemy of the United States. They fought fourteen campaigns against the United States Military during the 101-year-old war called the Indian Wars . The Miami Campaign was the first; the Pine Ridge Campaign was the last. The second longest campaign in US military history was the Comanche Campaign that lasted from 1867 to 1875.
After the conclusion of the Comanche Campaign, the Kiowas, Comanches and Apaches (once known as Kiowa-Apaches), role with the military began in 1875 as Scouts, a detachment of Indian Scouts was maintained at Fort Sill. These scouts were used to carry messages from the post to detachments of troops at other outposts, they also helped to guard the paymaster, searched for outlaws and deserters and the like. In 1892 the United States War Department formed several Indian troops of Calvary, including one at Fort Sill. It was called Troop L, Seventh Cavalry. These scouts consisted of mostly Kiowas, however, the Comanches and Apaches also had tribal members enlisted with Troop L. In 1897 the War Department disbanded all the Indian troops. It was said that the Indians made good soldiers, within their limitations. Their average in marksmanship was high, their discipline good, and they were proud of the uniform.
The Kiowas, Comanches and Apaches role with the military, in the 1900's, started with them being drafted and volunteering into the Armed Forces of the United States during WWI despite not being citizens of the United States until passage of the Citizenship Act of 1924 . Since and after WWI they have fought in all military actions that the United States was involved with.
On June 14, 1944 the first Comanche Killed In Action wile serving in the Armed Forces of the United States was SGT Melvin "Hawkeye" Myers, of Apache. The first known Kiowa killed in action was CPL Lyndreth Leon Palmer, from the Redstone area, on December 5, 1944. The first Apache killed in Action was CPL Austin Lewis Klinelole. He was killed during the Korean War on September 18, 1951, he was also from Apache. There have been eighteen men of Kiowa, Comanche and Apache descent who have been killed in action, died of wounds or have been declared dead as a result of hostile action against the United States while serving in the Armed Forces.
In memory of and to honor these eighteen men this tribute is so written. Fourteen of these heroes are buried in the United States. Two are buried overseas and two of the bodies were never recovered. It didn't matter that their skin was a different color or that their ways weren't like others or that they wouldn't look you in the eye or that their handshake was gentle, what mattered was these magnificent warriors fought side by side with other Americans until they could fight no more.
On this day also remember and honor the memory of the many other Americans who have served, fought and died for this great country of ours. In a citation to the families of the men who died during World War II, then President Franklin D. Roosevelt wrote the following, "He stands in the unbroken line of patriots who have dared to die that freedom might live, and grow, and increase its blessings. Freedom lives, and through it, he lives - in a way that humbles the undertakings of most men."
That tribute is most fitting, even this day, to all who have made the supreme sacrifice: - PVT Eli Hosetosavit, Comanche US Army WWII 634th Tank Destroyer Bin Killed in Action on August 1, 1944
- PFC Thomas Chockpoyah Jr. , Comanche US Army WWII 329th Inf Regt, 83rd Inf Div Killed in Action on August 7, 1944
- CPL Lyndreth Leon Palmer, Kiowa Choctaw US Army, WWII 21st Tank Bin 10th Armored Div, 3rd Army Killed in Action on December 5, 1944
- PVT Mathew Hawzipta, Kiowa US Army WWII Co F, 333rd Inf Regt 84th Inf Div Killed in Action on April 10, 1945
- PFC Joe Guoladdle, Kiowa US Army WWII 8th Cav Regt, 1st Cav Div Killed in Action on April 12, 1945
- PVT Henry "Dutch" Kosechata, Comanche US Army WWII 138th Engr Bn Killed in Action on May 1, 1945
- PVT George Neconie, Kiowa US Army, WWII 161st Inf Regt, 25th Div Killed in Action on May 3, 1945
- PFC Henry William Conwoop, Comanche US Army WWII 161st Inf Regt, 25th Div Killed in Action on May 3, 1945
- SGT Luke "Buddy" Tainpeah, Kiowa US Army, WWII and Korean War 187th Abn Inf Regt, 11th Abn Div Killed in Action on March 28th, 1951
- CPL Austin Lewis Klinekole, Apache US Army, Korean War 32nd Inf Regt, 2nd Inf Div Killed in Action on September 18, 1951
- CPL Dennis King Karty, Kiowa/Comanche US Army, Korean War Co B, 38th Inf Regt, 2nd Inf Div Died of Wounds on September 8, 1953
- PVT Silsa W. (Poauty) Boyiddle, Kiowa/Apache US Army, Korean War Co L 21st Inf Regt, 24th Inf Div Declared Dead on February 18, 1954
- LTC Meech Tahsequah, Comanche US Army Air Corps WWII &Air Force in Korean War 3rd Maint Sqd Declared dead on February 28, 1954
- PFC Russell Eugene "Rusty" Pesewonit, Comanche/Mescalero Apache US Marine Corps, Vietnam War 9th Marine Amp Bde, FMF, 3rd Marine Div Killed in Action on July 22, 1966
- 1LT Pascal Cletus Poolaw, Kiowa US Army, WWII Korean War, Vietnam War Co C 1st Bn 26th Inf, 1st Inf Div Killed in Action on November 7, 1967
- SSG Donald E. Bear, Kiowa, U.S. Army, Vietnam War Co B, 187th Inf Bn, 101st Abn Div Killed in Action on July 7, 1968
- CPL Robert Carlos Pahcheka, Comanche US Marine Corps, Vietnam War H Company, 2nd Bn, 1st Marine Div Killed in Action on October 22, 1968
- Army PFC Lori Piestewa, (pronounced py-ESS-tuh-wah), Valiant Hero Of The 507th is believed to be the first American Indian Woman Killed in Combat Action in a foreign war, the Iraqi War . Piestewa, a Hopi Indian from Tuba City, Ariz., died in southern Iraq.
This tribute was researched and written by Lanny Asepermy, Kiowa/Comanche Sergeant Major (Retired), US Army, 1966-90 HHC (Scouts), 1st Bn, 77th Armor, 1st Bde, 5th Inf Div Vietnam War, 1969-70.
Native Americans Receive The Congressional Gold Medal on Behalf of a Proud America!
An Act to award to each of the original 29 Navajo Code Talkers, or a surviving family member, on behalf of the Congress, a gold medal of appropriate design, honoring the Navajo Code Talkers, the United States Government called upon the Navajo Nation to support the military effort by recruiting and enlisting 29 Navajo men to serve as Marine Corps Radio Operators. to the enemy's frustration, the code developed by these Native Americans proved to be unbreakable, and was used extensively throughout the Pacific theater.
The use of the Navajo Code was so successful, that military commanders credited it in saving the lives of countless American soldiers and in the success of the engagements of the United States in the battles of Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa and some Code Talkers were guarded by fellow marines, whose role was to kill them in case of imminent capture by the enemy; and the Navajo Code was kept secret for 23 years after the end of World War II.
Following the conclusion of World War II, the Department of Defense maintained the secrecy of the Navajo code until it was declassified in 1968; and only then did a realization of the sacrifice and valor of these brave Native Americans emerge from history.
Floor Statement Tribute to Private First Class Lori Piestewa
And Native American Soldiers, Past and Present
April 14, 2003
by Senator Tom Daschle
Mr. President, throughout America, especially in Native American communities Americans are grieving the loss in combat of Army Private First Class Lori Piestewa . But we are also feeling pride for Lori Piestewas remarkable life.
Private First Class Piestewa was a member of the Army mechanics unit that was ambushed by Iraqi soldiers on March 23. Her body, and the remains of 8 other soldiers, were recovered last week from a hospital in southern Iraq when special forces stormed the hospital to rescue another member of the 507th maintenance company, Private First Class Jessica Lynch.
Private Piestewa is the first Native American woman in the U.S. armed forces ever to die as a result of combat. She was 23 years old. She leaves behind two small children, a 4-year-old son and a 3-year-old daughter. She also leaves behind a broken-hearted but proud family and countless friends.
There are more than 12,000 Native Americans serving in our military today including many from my state of South Dakota. They, and Private Piestewa, are part of a noble tradition that too few Americans know much about. It is a tradition that includes heroes like the Code Talkers of World War II, the service members from the Lakota and Navajo and other Indian nations who developed the only military code that was never broken by the Japanese.
The Code Talkers were key to U.S. victories throughout the Pacific theater. Their service helped turn the tide of the war and saved untold numbers of American lives. Today, Private Piestewa takes her place alongside them as an American who risked everything to protect her land and her people.
Over the weekend, memorials began to appear all over the reservation near Tuba City, Arizona, where Private Piestewa grew up, and where her family still lives. At one of the memorials, someone left a group of red, white and blue balloons. Included in the bunch was one green balloon, the team color for Tuba City High School, where Lori Piestewa had been a softball star and a junior ROTC commander.
On May 24, Private Piestewa will be honored at another memorial. Red rose petals will be placed in her honor in the reflecting pool of the Women in Military Service for American Memorial, at Arlington National Cemetery.
When I heard about the memorials to Private Piestewa, I thought of another cemetery at Wounded Knee, on the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota. I remember the first time I visited it. As I walked toward the cemetery, I was surprised to see little American flags dotting many of the graves. When I got close enough to read the headstones, I could see that many of the people there were veterans. Some like Private Piestewa had died in the service. Others had died years after they took off the uniform. But they wanted it recorded on their graves: This person loved this nation. I have never seen a more profound expression of American patriotism.
The thoughts and prayers of our nation are with the family and friends of Private First Class Lori Piestewa. She was an American hero. We are deeply grateful to her for her service and sacrifice and to all Native Americans who are serving, and have served, our nation in uniform.
Pfcs. Lori Piestewa, right, and Jessica Lynch pose at Fort Bliss, Texas, the day before their deployment to the Middle East in February 2003. Associated Press
|
|
|
|
|
Articles & Briefings
