Hello and welcome my friends. It's another beautiful mid Saturday and we're going to recognize and honor all our Veterans throughout the program today.  American Indins honor Vets who have carried the stars and stripes as well as our ancestors who fought against it.  Americans generally reserve their honor for this one day of respect, and though we will join them--Native peoples honor our Vets regularly throughout the year.
        Someone asked me why so many of America's Indigenous Peoples value their warrior traditions.   That Tradition is best exemplified by the following qualities a warrior tries to possess:  strength, honor, pride, devotion, and wisdom. Perhaps a Winnebago Elder said it best. "We honor our veterans for their bravery and because by seeing death on the battlefield, they truly know the greatness of life."
        American Indians first fought alongside Americans in the War of 1812.  We fought for both the Blue and the Gray in the Civil War, and-- as scouts against each other's Nations even into the early 1900's.  The scouts were finally deactivated in 1947.
        The next time American Indians fought as American Soldiers was in the Spanish American War of 1898.  Then, in the second decade of the twentieth century came the war to end all wars-WWI.  This was even before they were given citizenship!  More than 12,000 American Indians served in the United States military in World War I.  Approximately 600 Oklahoma Indians, mostly Choctaw and Cherokee,  saw action in France and its soldiers were widely recognized for their contributions in battle.  and Joseph FireCrow honoring and recognizing the important ones in our lives- our elders, our children, our loved ones and our warriors.
        More than 44,000 American Indians, out of a total Native American population of less than 350,000, that’s one of every ten--served with distinction between 1941 and 1945 in both European and Pacific theaters of war.  More than 40,000 Indian people left their reservations to work in ordnance depots, factories, and other war industries. American Indians, despite overwhelming poverty 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  during the Korean conflict.”
          More than 90 percent of the 42,000 plus Native Americans who fought in Vietnam were volunteers.  Among them, three of my brothers.  All were wounded in the line of duty. One made medical history surviving his wounds, and another had purple hearts for three different engagements.  Though many american’s vietnam vets returned unappreciated and unconsoled- many Indin Vietnam vets were not forgotten by their people.
"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
          Native American contributions in United States military combat continued in the 1980s and 1990s as our men and even some of our women saw duty in Grenada, Panama, Somalia, and the Persian Gulf.
          At the close of the 20th century there were nearly 190,00 Native American military veterans.  Historically, Native Americans have the highest record of service per capita when compared to other ethnic groups.
          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 has been a way to develop the inner strength that is valued in Native American society, indeed it is that very strength by which we survived the destruction of our world.  It must be remembered that to be a warrior does not necessarily mean a soldier or fighter.  Many of our Nations were not warlike, and some were even pacifistic.  The Hopi Nation resisted entering into combat and many of the California tribes did not share the warlike traditions of other Tribes across Turtle Island.   But no one should confuse their peaceful natures for cowardice.   Nevertheless, war, particularly the way it is fought by modern civilized nations is not the glorious demonstration of strength, bold courage and brave deeds that once held the imagination of our Tribes.  It is a dirty and demanding taskmaster, who deals in death and corrupts the souls of those who serve it.  Along with the values a Warrior learns from war, there is also the price that it exacts.  Our peoples have always known that the warrior must be clensed, purified and healed-before and after battle.  So many of our returning vets did not receive the traditional healing and purification they deserved.  The rest of this program is dedicated to their healing, and to the safe return of those now serving.

Indin Medal of Honor Winners

Jack C. Montgomery. A Cherokee from Oklahoma, and a First Lieutenant with the 45th Infantry Division Thunderbirds.
On 22 February 1944, near Padiglione, Italy, Montgomery's rifle platoon was under fire by three echelons of enemy forces, when he single-handedly attacked all three positions, taking prisoners in the process. As a result of his courage, Montgomery's actions demoralized the enemy and inspired his men to defeat the Axis troops.

Ernest Childers. A Creek from Oklahoma, and a First Lieutenant with the 45th Infantry Division. Childers received the Medal of Honor for heroic action in 1943 when, up against machine gun fire, he and eight men charged the enemy. Although suffering a broken foot in the assault, Childers ordered covering fire and advanced up the hill, single-handedly killing two snipers, silencing two machine gun nests, and capturing an enemy mortar observer.

Van Barfoot. A Choctaw from Mississippi, and a Second Lieutenant in the Thunderbirds. On 23 May 1944, during the breakout from Anzio to Rome, Barfoot knocked out two machine gun nests and captured 17 German soldiers. Later that same day, he repelled a German tank assault, destroyed a Nazi fieldpiece and while returning to camp carried two wounded commanders to safety.

Mitchell Red Cloud Jr. A Winnebago from Wisconsin, and a Corporal in Company E., 19th Infantry Regiment in Korea.
On 5 November 1950, Red Cloud was on a ridge guarding his company command post when he was surprised by Chinese communist forces. He sounded the alarm and stayed in his position firing his automatic rifle and point-blank to check the assault. This gave his company time to consolidate their defenses. After being severely wounded by enemy fire, he refused assistance and continued firing upon the enemy until he was fatally wounded. His heroic action prevented the enemy from overrunning his company's position and gained time for evacuation of the wounded.

Charles George. A Cherokee from North Carolina, and Private First Class in Korea when he was killed on 30 November 1952. During battle, George threw himself upon a grenade and smothered it with his body. In doing so, he sacrificed his own life but saved the lives of his comrades. For this brave and selfless act, George was posthumously award the Medal of Honor in 1954.