Facebook Twitter Youtube CAREERS NEWS MEDIA CONTACT Oneidas in the U.S. Military: The World Wars Home/History Profiles/Oneidas in the U.S. Military: The World Wars Previous Next View Larger Image Oneidas in the U.S. Military: The World Wars Oneidas have a long and storied history of military service, but perhaps none more critical to the continuity of the Western world than those that enlisted during the World Wars. “The War to End All Wars,” as the first World War has been known colloquially, saw new technologies that made serving more than just courageous or patriotic. From the barbaric conditions on the warfront to the addition of biological weaponry, it was clear this was a new era in battle. The Great War was also the first war where the Oneida Indian Nation, along with the other Haudenosaunee Nations, declared war on a common enemy of the United States: Germany. Read about this historic occasion here. As a sovereign nation, the Oneidas wanted to show their support and stand in unity with their American allies. Several members soon enlisted and saw battle in the European theatre. First Lieutenant John Powless (Turtle Clan) was a full-blooded member of the Oneida Indian Nation. He served in World War I as a commissioned officer. After returning home from the war, he decided to re-enlist and served as machine-gun instructor at Fort Hancock in Georgia and later transferred to Fort Slocum in New York. Other Oneidas followed in his footsteps, including a large contingent in World War II. Read their stories below. From the New York State Archives: “Members of American Indian tribal nations were considered citizens of a separate nation. In order to become U.S. citizens, American Indians needed to marry a U.S. citizen or voluntarily join the military. The naturalization process used by foreign immigrants was not open to American Indians. In 1924, the Indian Citizenship Act was passed which made all non-citizen American Indians born within the United States full citizens. The service of American Indian soldiers in World War I served as a major contributing factor to the passage of this act. Tribal leaders argued that if their people were willing to die for U.S. causes then they should be permitted to become full citizens.” Click below to learn more about Oneida Veterans in WWI and WWII: Raphael Gonyea Oliver Hill Sr. Martin Johns Exandine Shenandoah Partial Listing of Other Members Who Served Categories: History Profiles Share This Story, Choose Your Platform! Facebook Twitter Linkedin Reddit Google+ Pinterest Vk Related Posts From the pages of The Oneida – Member Profiles October 26th, 2021 | 0 Comments A Gift for the Ages Inspired by Oneida Regalia September 7th, 2021 | 0 Comments Oneidas in the U.S. Military: Others Who Served July 7th, 2021 | 0 Comments Select a Category Beliefs & Traditions (26) Employee News (35) Events (1) History Profiles (77) Latest News (136) Legends & Lore (17) News (48) Oneida Indian Nation Member News (45) Press Releases (150) Regional News (64) The Great Law (5) Uncategorized (9) Videos (3) GET TO KNOW US CONNECT 2037 Dream Catcher Plaza Oneida, NY 13421 Phone: (315) 829-8900 Fax: (315) 829-8958 Toll-free Phone: (800) 685-6115 RESOURCES Oneida Indian Nation Police Enterprises Turning Stone Properties Ordinances & Codes Nation Department of Taxation Terms of Use NEWSLETTER SIGNUP Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date on the latest news. SIGN UP HERE © Copyright Oneida Indian Nation 2020. All rights reserved. Facebook Twitter Youtube We use cookies for best experience on website. By using our site you agree to Cookies PolicyAgree & Proceed