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107TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 166

Recognizing the invaluable contribution of Native American Veterans and

honoring their service to the Nation.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JUNE 19, 2001

Mr. PALLONE (for himself, Mr. BACA, Mr. FROST, Mr. FILNER, Ms. MCKINNEY, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. CROWLEY, Ms. JACKSONLEE of Texas, Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California,

Mr. HAYWORTH, Ms. LEE, Mr. RANGEL, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, and Ms.

CARSON of Indiana) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which

was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Recognizing the invaluable contribution of Native American

Veterans and honoring their service to the Nation.

Whereas Native Americans from tribes across the Nation

have often been the first to respond to the call of duty

in service to the Nation and have fought, often as volunteers, in every major conflict in the 20th Century;

Whereas despite the fact that many Native Americans did not

even have full American citizenship until 1924, many

thousands of Native American men and women responded to the call of duty to serve in the Armed Forces;

Whereas 14 soldiers from the Choctaw tribe serving in the

36th Division of the United States Army during World
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War I used their native language to create an unbreakable code, enabling American forces to communicate securely, and thus helped turn the tide of the Meuse-Argonne offensive in favor of the Allied nations;

Whereas the use of Native American soldiers as ‘‘Code Talkers’’, as they came to be known, continued with unparalleled success during World War II, with over 500 members of the Navajo, Choctaw, Commanche, Onieda, Chippewa, Sac and Fox, and Hopi tribes helping to provide

this essential component of American military communications in both the Pacific and Europe;

Whereas Native Americans have consistently enlisted in the

Armed Forces at far greater rates than those of any

other ethnic groups in the United States, including more

than 12,000 serving during World War I, more than

25,000 during World War II, and more than 42,000 during Vietnam; and

Whereas 11 Native American servicemen in the 20th Century, namely, Van T. Barfoot, Ernest Childers, John R.

Crews, Ernest Edwin Evans, Jack C. Montgomery, John

N. Reese, Jr., Charles George, Raymond Harvey, Mitchell Red Cloud, J. Elliot Williams, and Michael E. Thornton, were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for

their valor above and beyond the call of duty in the battles of World War II, the Korean conflict, and Vietnam:

Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That the Congress—

3 (1) recognizes the outstanding contributions of

4 Native Americans who have served in the Armed

5 Forces of the United States, and especially honors
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1 those Native Americans who gave their lives to de2 fend freedom and democracy;

3 (2) encourages all Americans to study and ap4 preciate the enormous contributions of Native Amer5 icans serving in the Armed Forces; and

6 (3) thanks the members of all Native American

7 tribes whose men and women serve and have served

8 in the Armed Forces.

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