Memorial Day has long been celebrated as the unofficial beginning of summer, when family and friends look forward to a weekend of barbeques and outdoor activities.
However, Memorial Day is also a time for Americans to remember and honor veterans who gave so much for their country, as well as those currently serving in the military to defend our freedom. As an American Indian, I am mindful of the contributions native people have made historically to protect our country. As with many Indian families, my own family has served with distinction in every war since the American Revolution, including the present conflicts.
The history of American Indians’ valiant efforts while serving in the armed forces is long and impressive. It is a history filled with honor and pride. American Indians have served in every major United States military conflict in the last 200 years, but unfortunately, several of these occasions are overlooked or given little notice by the public. For example, in the winter of 1777–78, a group of Oneidas walked more than 400 miles from Oneida Territory (in what is now central New York) to Valley Forge, Pa., carrying corn to feed George Washington’s starving soldiers.
According to materials produced for the United States Department of Defense (DOD), many tribes were involved in the War of 1812, and Indians fought for both sides as auxiliary troops in the Civil War: “Scouting the enemy was recognized as a particular skill of the Native American soldier.” As the military entered the 20th century, American Indians had already made substantial contributions through service and were poised to play an even larger role.
During World Wars I and II, American Indians served the United States military as code talkers. In the closing days of World War I, 14 Choctaw Indian men in the Army’s 36th Division were trained to use their language to send messages within the American Expeditionary Force. Choctaws conversed in their language over field radios to coordinate military positions, giving exact details and locations without fear of German interception. The coded messages helped win several key battles of the Meuse-Argonne Campaign in France. Comanche and Navajo Indians, like the Choctaws before them, translated and passed coded messages during service in World War II. These brave and skilled soldiers saved thousands of lives and have become legends in our history.
In 2001, President George W. Bush honored 21 of those American Indian code talkers with gold and silver medals for “giving their country a service only they could give.” According to a speech President Bush gave during the medal presentation ceremony, “In war, using their native language, they relayed secret messages that turned the course of battle.”
In the 20th century, five Native Americans received the United States’ highest military honor, the Congressional Medal of Honor, for their service to their country. Jack C. Montgomery, a Cherokee from Oklahoma; Ernest Childers, a Creek from Oklahoma; Van Barfoot, a Choctaw from Mississippi; Mitchell Red Cloud Jr., a Winnebago from Wisconsin; and Charles George, a Cherokee from North Carolina, have made all of Indian Country proud of their contributions.
Our tribal citizens from across the country served in Korea, Vietnam and the Middle East. One of those warriors, Master Sergeant Woodrow (Woody) Wilson Keeble, a citizen of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe, was recently awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor by President Bush for his heroic actions during the Korean War. During a ceremony at the White House this spring, attended by Woody’s family members, members of Congress, fellow veterans and leaders from Indian Country, the president noted Woody’s acts of heroism in 1951 that saved many of his fellow soldiers’ lives and earned him legendary status within the 24th Infantry Division.
Sadly, the first Dakota Sioux ever to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor will never know it. The medal was awarded to Woody 60 years after his valiant efforts on the battlefield, and he passed away in 1982. Thankfully, many fought passionately for his rightly deserved recognition, especially his family.
At the end of the 20th century, nearly 190,000 American Indians had served in the military, according to DOD statistics. The numbers are astounding. Historically, American Indians have the highest record of service per capita as compared to other ethnic groups and the general population. Today, thousands of American Indians are serving around the world, carrying on strong American Indian traditions in Iraq, Afghanistan and other locations. I commend them for their service and pray for their safe return home to their families and their people.
In my role as chairman of the National Indian Gaming Association, I have the great honor of attending tribal events all around the country. I’ve participated in a wide variety of occasions, from sporting competitions to grand openings, from powwows to tradeshows. Tribal veterans are always present and recognized at these events. I commend Indian Country for its constant dedication to honoring our veterans.
Within the Indian Gaming industry, the same holds true. The Great Plains Indian Gaming Association (GPIGA) is just one example of a group that has made the recognition of our veterans a priority. For the past four years at the annual GPIGA tradeshow, organizers include a traditional opening ceremony followed by an honoring of our troops currently serving in the military in Iraq and Afghanistan.
During the opening ceremony, a live eagle leads the way in for the color guard and other veterans present. The eagle watches over the meeting and those present. This year, GPIGA will recognize Master Sergeant Woodrow Keeble and the family of Tyler O’Leary from the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, along with other Native American servicemembers who have died since May 2007 in the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns.
In addition, GPIGA owns a traveling statue with the names of American Indian servicemen and women who have died or were killed while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. This statue travels to other parts of the country so fellow Indian citizens can see and appreciate its meaning.
As we approach the Memorial Day holiday, please join me in honoring the fallen and injured servicemen and women of wars past, as well as the thousands of uniformed personnel serving all branches of the military to protect our freedoms and way of life.
Ernie Stevens Jr. is the Chair of the National Indian Gaming Association and a member of the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin. He can be reached at (202) 546-7711.
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