Marine Creates Native American Powwow to Honor Veterans
The Amer War Lib'y
19 Nov 1998
Newsgroups
Marine Creates Native American Powwow to Honor Veterans
By Rudi Williams
American Forces Press Service
"I come to a powwow to be an Indian, to get a sense of myself. This is
part of Indian spirituality, to help each other and to celebrate with
each other. When I come to pow wows, I gain strength to carry on with
my life." Rachel Snow, Assiniboin Tribe
UPPER MARLBORO, Md. -- Representatives of nearly 100 tribes from more
than 30 states and Canada gathered here Nov. 7-8 to pay tribute to
military veterans during the second annual National Native American
Veterans Powwow. "We hold the powwow to pay tribute to Native
Americans who put their lives at risk to ensure the survival of future
generations," said Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Shawn Arnold, co-founder
of the year-old Native American Veteran's Pow Wow Committee, sponsor
of the event. Arnold, a Navajo Indian, said that upon arriving at
Quantico Marine Base, Va., in September 1996, he found little
information about Native American activities in the national capital
region. That prompted him and his wife, Shana, along with Sam Windy
Boy, a native of the Chippewa and Creek Rocky Boys Indian Reservation
in Montana, to establish the Native American Veteran's Powwow
Committee to honor active duty Native Americans and veterans.
"There are a lot of powwows that claim to honor veterans, but their
appearance is kept to a minimum," Arnold said. "We wanted to honor
veterans during November to coincide with DoD's American Indian and
Alaska Native Heritage Month and Veterans Day activities on the mall
in Washington." Arnold also pointed out the significance of the powwow
heritage and the connection between those ceremonies and traditional
Veterans Day observances.
"A long time ago," Arnold explained, 'powwows were spiritual
gatherings to cerebrate certain community events or to honor somebody
who had come back from war. Tribes would hold a dance and people would
sing songs that reflected deeds done in a battle or songs carried down
from their ancestors when they were fighting, such as in the American
Indian wars."
"People came here at their own expense because they want to honor
their veterans, just as Indians have honored their warriors throughout
history," said Arnold, noncommissioned officer in charge of operations
at the Officers Basic Course, Marine Corps Base, Quantico, Va.
Representatives from the military services, the House and Senate and
several veterans' organizations participated in the powwow.
Representing the Department of Defense, Navy Lt. Cmdr. Rod Hill told
the gathering that DoD' observance of Native American Heritage Month
reaffirms the country and armed forces' "commitment to acknowledging
Native American contributions and honoring the unique heritage of this
continent's first inhabitants."
"There's no question that many of you here today, as well as your
forefathers, helped build today's unparalleled military force," said
Hill, commander of the Navy element at the Defense Information School,
Fort Meade, Md. "You have served with honor and distinction in every
major conflict throughout our history."
The services have recognized Native American heroism in the past.
According to Hill, the War Department awarded two Medals of Honor, 51
Silver Stars, 34 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 47 Bronze Stars and 71
Air Medals to Native Americans during World War II.
Hill also said that the heritage month observance provides the
military the opportunity to remind service members about such heroes
as Billy Walkabout -- the most decorated American Indian soldier of
the Vietnam War -- who earned the Distinguished Service Cross, five
Silver Stars and five Bronze Stars.
Historically, Native Americans have the highest record of military
service per capita when compared to other ethnic groups. Today, there
are nearly 190,000 American Indians and Alaska Natives military
veterans, according to DoD statistics.
Citing that statistic, Hill noted that Native Americans today
represent 1 percent of the Navy's total strength, which equals about
4,700 men and women serving on active duty and in the Reserves.
Speaking on the second day of the powwow and providing an additional
historical perspective, Marine Corps Col. John D. LeHockey said,
"During the American Revolution, the Oneida and Tuscaroa nations, and
members of the Six Nations Confederacy, sided with the colonists.
During the Civil War, Indians fought on both sides, and, in 1898, they
joined Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders in the charge on San Juan Hill.
In World War I, 12,000 Indian men and women served, and that number
more than doubled in World War II to more than 44,000."
More than 10 percent of the Native American population, or one-third
of all able-bodied Indian men from 18 to 50 years of age saw service
during World War II, said LeHockey, commander of the Officer
Candidates School at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va. "In some tribes,
the percentage of men in the military reached nearly 70 per cent," he
said. "Several hundred Indian women also served with the Women's Army
Corps, the Navy's Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service and
Army Nurse Corps. Indian participation in World War II was so
extensive that it later became part of American folklore and popular
culture."
It also became part of Marine Corps legend, particularly the Navajo
code talkers, LeHockey said. For Marines, he said, the battle for Iwo
Jima was the "code talkers" finest performance. The entire invasion
was directed by orders communicated in the Navajo code. During the
first 48 hours, while American forces were landing and consolidating
their shore positions, six code-talker networks operated around the
clock, sending and receiving more than 800 critical messages without
error.
"The communications officer for the Fifth Marine Division said,
'without the Navajos, the Marines never would have taken Iwo Jima,'"
LeHockey said. "He could have just as easily said, 'without Native
American Indians, World War II might not have been won . . . ,'
because not incidentally, one of those flag raisers at Iwo was a Pima
Indian named Ira Hamilton Hayes."
It took more than 30 years for the Navajo code talkers to be
recognized for their contributions to victory during World War II. It
also took more than 30 years for Native Americans to be honored with a
national memorial, LeHockey noted.
On Nov. 1, 1986, "the first national memorial honoring Native American
veterans was dedicated at Arlington National Cemetery near the grave
of Ira Hayes," the colonel noted. "At the base of the memorial, a
cottonwood tree was planted as a living memorial to those who served.
A bronze plaque reads, "Dedicated to our Indian warriors and their
brothers who have served us so well . . . the Vietnam Era Veterans . .
. we are honored to remember you . . . ."
Arnold also noted that powwows are social gatherings were Native
Americans come together to renew old friendships and begin new ones.
"It's a time for people to move backwards and forward in time as old
ways are melded with new ways," he said. "It's a time for people to
build upon their rich heritage."
Related Story: <a
href=http://www.dtic.mil/afps/news/9811133.html>Pentagon Ceremony
Honors Native American Contributions</a>
-- Signature:
REFERENCES: (Hyperlinks below)
Veterans Day 1998 Resource Guide
http://members.aol.com/veterans/warlib69.htm
U.S. Marines Websites
http://members.aol.com/veterans/warlib6e.htm
The G.I. Photograph Museum and Registry
http://members.aol.com/veterans/warlib3.htm
Personnel Registry Application
http://members.aol.com/veterans/registry.htm
<a href="http://members.aol.com/veterans/warlib6e.htm">U.S. Marines Websites</a><br>
<a href="http://members.aol.com/veterans/warlib3.htm">The G.I. Photograph Museum and Registry</a><br>
<a href="http://members.aol.com/veterans/registry.htm">Registry Application</a><br>
<a href="http://members.aol.com/veterans/warlib46.htm">Registry Access Information</a><br>