1. Native Americans in the Military
Prepared by Hem Rizal
INED 511
Black Hills State University

2. Native Americans in the Military
Did you know American Indians have the highest population per capita of any ethnic group serving in the military?
American Indians have participated with distinction in U.S. 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.

3. Natives in the military - by the number
1: Native Americans have served in their country’s armed forces in greater numbers per capita than any other ethnic group
22, 000: Number of Native Americans and Alaska Natives on active duty as of 2012
27: Number of Native Americans who have received the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military honor.
12, 000: estimated numbers of Native Americans who volunteered in the United States military in World War I.
25, 000: estimated numbers of Native Americans who served in the US military in World War II
190, 000 +: Number of Native American veterans

4. World War I
Native Americans were not drafted for World War I because they were not considered citizens until 1924
Still, about 10,000 volunteered to fight for their country

5. World War I: The original code talkers
In the autumn of 1918, US troops were involved in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive on the Western Front.
It was one of the largest frontline commitments of American soldiers in WW1, but communications in the field were compromised.
The Germans had successfully tapped telephone lines, were deciphering codes and repeatedly capturing runners sent out to deliver messages directly.
The solution was stumbled upon by chance, an overheard conversation between two Choctaw soldiers in the 142nd Infantry Regiment. The pair were chatting in camp when a captain walked by and asked what language they were speaking.
Realising the potential for communication, he then asked if there were other speakers among the troops. The men knew of Choctaw soldiers at company headquarters.
Using a field telephone the captain got the men to deliver a message in their native tongue which their colleagues quickly translated back into English. The Choctaw Telephone Squad was born and so was code talking.

6. Native Americans in world war ii
As listed on Pearl Harbor Day, there were 5,000 Natives in the military.
Due to their innate skills as warriors, their hard work, determination and a fighting spirit, or merely a reflection of the stereotype of the Native American warrior spirit in American popular culture, Native American men were generally regarded highly for their military service in World War II.
Over the course of the war, Native American men fought across the world on all fronts, and were involved in many of the most critical battles involving American troops.
Some of the most critical battles the Natives fought were the invasion of Normandy, the liberation of the Philippines, the Battle of the Bulge, the liberation of Paris, the liberation of Belgium, and the liberation of Berlin
By the end of this historic war, over 24,000 reservation Natives and another 20,000 off-reservation Natives had served.

7. The navajo code talkers
The most famous role of Native Americans in World War II was performed by the Navajo Indians.
They were “code talkers,” using their own complex native language to help the American troops keep their plans secret from the Japanese.
The Navajos worked around the clock with speed and accuracy, sending and receiving messages for the United States Military
Many codes were used during the war, but the Navajo code was the only one that the Japanese were never able to break.

8. Lakota veterans Ed McGaa
McGaa was born on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota
He was a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe
McGaa served in the Marines in Korea, and as a fighter pilot in the Vietnam War, flying 110 combat missions.
He received 8 Air Medals and 2 Crosses of Gallantry.
He was recommended for a Distinguished Flying Cross.

9. Lakota Veterans cont... Ola Mildred Rexroat
Ola Mildred Rexroat was the only Native American woman to serve in the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP)
She was an Oglala Sioux from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
Ola Mildred Rexroat joined after high school and had the dangerous job of towing
targets for aerial gunnery students.
After that she joined the Air Force, where she served for ten years as an
air traffic controller.
In 2007 she was inducted into the South Dakota Aviation Hall of Fame.
Rexroat died in June 2017 at the age of 99

10. Lakota freedom veterans cemetery
Also known as Akicita Owicahe Lakota Freedom Veterans Cemetery
Located: B.I.A. 2, Kyle, Oglala Lakota County, SD
The cemetery has 320 burials vaults, a traditional burial ground where graves will be dug by hand and a shelter for urns. It consists of 18 acres on a 63-acre site.
The site was made possible by a $6.5 million grant by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Groundbreaking for the cemetary took place in 2012 and was opened for business in 2014

11. Lakota freedom veterans cemetery

12. Assignment
After watching the movie ‘Windtalkers’, write a response paper on the contribution of Native Americans in the US military. Find at least two Lakota veterans from the community and interview them. Make sure to embed their personal stories and experiences into the response paper. Ask about their motivation/reason to enlist, where and how long they served, most important battles they fought in, and what they took away from their experiences.

13. Sources https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-26963624
military-world-war-ii/
mildred-millie-rexroat-mcdonald/article_8188dcd e affce9d91868.html