American Indians have participated with
distinction in United States military actions for more
than 200 years. Their courage, determination, and fighting
spirit were recognized by American military leaders as
early as the 18th century.
I
think they [Indians]
can be made of excellent use, as scouts and light troops.
— Gen. George Washington, 1778
 |
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. In
1866, the U.S. Army established its Indian Scouts to exploit
this aptitude. The Scouts were active in the American
West in the late 1800s and early 1900s, accompanying Gen.
John J. Pershing's expedition to Mexico in pursuit of
Pancho Villa in 1916. They were deactivated in 1947 when
their last member retired from the Army in ceremonies
at Ft. Huachuca, Arizona. Native Americans from Indian
Territory were also recruited by Teddy Roosevelt's Rough
Riders and saw action in Cuba in the Spanish-American
War in 1898. As the military entered the 20th century,
American Indians had already made a substantial contribution
through military service and were on the brink of playing
an even larger role.
Contributions In Combat
World
War I
William Eagle-Hawk, Sioux, 42nd Division, 1919.
|
It It is estimated that more than 12,000
American Indians served in the United States military
in World War I. Approximately 600 Oklahoma Indians, mostly
Chotaw and Cherokee, were assigned to the 142nd Infantry
of the 36th Texas-Oklahoma National Guard Division. The
142nd saw action in France and its soldiers were widely
recognized for their contributions in battle. Four men
from this unit were awarded the Croix de Guerre,
while others received the Church War Cross for gallantry.
 |
The outbreak of World War II brought American
Indians warriors back to the battlefield in defense of
their homeland. Although now eligible for the draft by
virtue of the Snyder Act, which gave citizenship to American
Indians in 1924, conscription alone does not account for
the disproportionate number of Indians who joined the
armed services. More than 44,000 American Indians, out
of a total Native American population of less than 350,000,
served with distinction between 1941 and 1945 in both
European and Pacific theaters of war. Native American
men and women on the home front also showed an intense
desire to serve their country, and were an integral part
of the war effort. More than 40,000 Indian people left
their reservations to work in ordnance depots, factories,
and other war industries. American Indians also invested
more than $50 million in war bonds, and contributed generously
to the Red Cross and the Army and Navy Relief societies.
Battle-experienced American Indian troops
from World War II were joined by newly recruited Native
Americans to fight Communist aggression during the Korean
conflict. The Native American's strong sense of patriotism
and courage emerged once again during the Vietnam era.
More than 42,000 Native Americans, more than 90 percent
of them volunteers, fought in Vietnam. Native American
contributions in United States military combat continued
in the 1980s and 1990s as they saw duty in Grenada, Panama,
Somalia, and the Persian Gulf.
Native Americans As Warriors
World
War I
CPL George Miner, Winnebago, 12th Infantry, in
Niederahran, Germany, 1919
World War II
PFC Carl Gorman, Navajo, U.S. Marine Corps, Island
of Saipan, 1944
|
As As the 20th century comes to a close,
there are nearly 190,00 Native American military veterans.
It is well recognized that, historically, Native Americans
have the highest record of service per capita when compared
to other ethnic groups. The reasons behind this disproportionate
contribution are complex and deeply rooted in traditional
American Indian culture. In many respects, Native Americans
are no different from others who volunteer for military
service. They do, however, have distinctive cultural values
which drive them to serve their country. One such value
is their proud warrior tradition.
In part, the warrior tradition is a willingness
to engage the enemy in battle. This characteristic has
been clearly demonstrated by the courageous deeds of Native
Americans in combat. However, the warrior tradition is
best exemplified by the following qualities said to be
inherent to most if not all Native American societies:
strength, honor, pride, devotion, and wisdom. These qualities
make a perfect fit with military tradition.
Strength
To be an American Indian warrior is to
have physical, mental, and spiritual strength. A warrior
must be prepared to overpower the enemy and face death
head-on.
We honor our
veterans for their bravery and because by seeing death
on the battlefield, they truly know the greatness of
life. — Winnebago Elder
American Indian soldiers, sailors, marines,
and airmen have fought heroically in all of this century's
wars and armed conflicts. They have not only been formally
recognized for their bravery through military decoration
but through anecdotal observation as well.
The
real secret which makes the Indian such an outstanding
soldier is his enthusiasm for the fight.
— U.S. Army Major, 1912
More important, however, is the warrior's
spiritual strength. Many traditional cultures recognize
that war disrupts the natural order of life and causes
a spiritual disharmony. To survive the chaos of war is
to gain a more intimate knowledge of life. Therefore,
military service is a unique way to develop an inner strength
that is valued in Native American society.
Having a strong sense of inner spirituality
is also a part of the Indian character. Many Native Americans
are raised on rural or remote reservations, an environment
that fosters self- reliance, introspection, and a meditative
way of thinking. These character traits can be very beneficial
when adapting to the occasional isolation of military
life in times of both peace and war.
Honor, Pride, Devotion
Persian
Gulf
SFC Ursula P. Roach, Hopi, veteran of Operation
Desert Storm, 1991. |
Warriors are honored - honored by their
family and their tribe. Before going into service and
upon their return, warriors are recognized by family and
community. Recognition takes place through private family
gatherings, or through such public ceremonies as tribal
dances or intertribal ceremonies.
My people honored
me as a warrior. We had a feast and my parents and grandparents
thanked everyone who prayed for my safe return. We had
a "special" [dance]
and I remembered as we circled the drum, I got a
feeling of pride. I felt good inside because that's
the way the Kiowa people tell you that you've done well.
— Kiowa Vietnam Veteran
Being a warrior in traditional American
Indian society gives one a sense of pride and a sense
of accomplishment at a time in life when self-esteem is
just developing. Becoming a warrior brings status to young
men and women in their culture. The ceremonies that honor
the warrior create a special place in the tribe's spiritual
world.
After I got home,
my uncles sat me down and had me tell them what it [the
war] was all about. One of them had been in the service
in World War II and knew what war was like. We talked
about what went on over there, about killing and the
waste, and one of my uncles said that God's laws are
against war. They never talked about those kinds of
things with me before. — Cherokee Vietnam Veteran
World
War II
CPL George Whitewater, Kickapoo, graduating from
parachute school, 1943 |
United States military service provides
an outlet for Native Americans to fulfill a cultural purpose
rooted in tradition — to fight and defend their homeland.
This purpose is particularly important since it comes
when young people of the tribe are normally not old enough
to assume a leadership role in their traditional culture.
The cultural expectation to be a warrior provides a purpose
in life and is an important step in gaining status in
Native America culture.
When I went to
Germany, I never thought about war honors, or the four
"coups" which an old-time Crow warrior had to earn in
battle....But afterwards, when I came back and went
through this telling of war deeds ceremony... lo and
behold I [had] completed
the four requirements to become a chief. —
Crow World War II Veteran
Native American warriors are devoted to
the survival of their people and their homeland. If necessary,
warriors will lay down their lives for the preservation
of their culture, for death to the American Indian warrior
is but another step in the advancement of life. It is
understood that the warrior's spirit lives on eternally.
So, warriors do not fear death, but rather regard it as
the ultimate sacrifice for their own and their people's
continued survival.
Wisdom
The warrior seeks wisdom. Wisdom, as used
in this context, means the sum total of formal learning
and worldly experiences. In wartime, those Native Americans
seeing heavy combat had to learn how to survive, often
using skills that may unit commanders thought were inherent
to the American Indian's cultural background. A Sac and
Fox/Creek Korean veteran remarked:
My
platoon commander always sent me out on patrols. He.
. . probably thought that I could track down the enemy.
I don't know for sure, but I guess he figured that Indians
were warriors and hunters by nature.
 |
Many American Indians (as well as non-Indian
volunteers) joined the military in World War I to satisfy
their sense of adventure. Most had never left the confines
of their hometown, much less marched on the battlefields
of Europe. These experiences provided a wisdom through
exposure to other people and cultures. This was sometimes
threatening to the elders of a tribe, who feared that
this newfound worldliness would cause unwanted change
to their culture. Over time, however, this wisdom of worldly
events and peoples was accepted by tribal leaders. Today,
Native Americans are increasingly exposed to the non-
Indian world through movies and television. Although the
military is still an avenue for seeing the world, it has,
in the latter half of the 20th century, also provided
other types of wisdom. Military service offers excellent
educational and job skill opportunities for Native American
me and women who frequently come from educationally disadvantaged
communities.
Wisdom can also be gained from interaction
with others. Military policy in the 20th century has preferred
assimilating the American Indian into regular units. Although
some divisions had more Native American troops than others,
there were never all-Indian units. This meant that Indians
and non-Indians were placed in close-knit groups, perhaps
each experiencing each other's culture up close for the
first time.
There
was a camaraderie [in
the Air Force] that transcends ethnicity when
you serve your country overseas in wartime. —
Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell, Cheyenne Korean veteran
Similarly, intertribal relationships were
developed, sometimes with a person who was a traditional
"enemy." Many times these intercultural and intertribal
contacts broke through stereotypes and resulted in lifelong
friendships, friendships that otherwise might never have
been cultivated.
Thanks to my
military service [in
the Navy], I now have friends in 500 tribes.
— Lakota Korean veteran
The Warrior Tradition Carries
On
World War II
Navajos at Amphibious Scout School,
Southwest Pacific, 1943 |
The requirements for successful military
service — strength, bravery, pride, and wisdom -
match those of the Indian warrior. Military service affords
an outlet for combat that fulfills a culturally determined
role for the warrior. Therefore, the military is an opportunity
for cultural self-fulfillment. By sending young tribal
members off to be warriors, they return with experiences
that make them valued members of their society. Finally,
the military provides educational opportunities, which
allow Native American veterans to return to their community
with productive job skills to improve their quality of
life.
With the 21st century on the horizon, the
United States military can be expected to provide continuing
opportunity for Native American men and women. For their
part, Native Americans can be expected to carry on their
centuries-old warrior tradition- serving with pride, courage,
and distinction. 
