November is National Veterans and Military Families Month, during which the Veterans Administration provides a list of events organized by state, with updates throughout the month.
On November 11, 2022, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian dedicated the National Native American Veterans Memorial.
This ceremony took place on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., as part of a three-day event honoring Native veterans.
The National Native American Veterans Memorial recognizes American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiian veterans who have served in the armed forces since the Revolutionary War.
It is situated on the grounds of the National Museum of the American Indian.
The Cherokee Nation recently announced on social media that it will host a Veterans Day ceremony at the Cherokee Nation Veterans Center on November 8, 2024, at 11 a.m.
According to the Defense Manpower Data Center, in 2021, there were 14,246 active-duty personnel identifying as American Indian, making up 1.1% of the total military force.
In November 2021, the U.S. Department of Defense published a report detailing service members of Native American heritage who have been awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest award for valor.
According to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, there are 32 Native American and American Indian soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, and Coast Guard members recognized by the society.
More recently, DOD News highlighted the Code Talkers, who played a significant role in helping the United States achieve victory in World War I and World War II.
While the Navajo Nation made immense contributions to the war effort, many other Native American tribes also had Code Talkers who served in both world wars.
World War I Code Talkers included members from the Choctaw, Cherokee, Comanche, Osage, Lakota, and Cheyenne Nations. In World War II, Navajo Code Talkers served as Marines in the Pacific Theater.
These Code Talkers were crucial to the war effort because enemy forces could not understand their languages, allowing them to transmit secret messages without interception.
Code Talkers from the Comanche, Lakota, Muscogee, Mohawk, Meskwaki, Tlingit, Hopi, Cree, Crow, and Choctaw Nations served in the European Theater with the Army, while Navajo Code Talkers operated in the Pacific Theater with the Marine Corps.
The Code Talker program remained classified until 1968 when it was declassified. President George W. Bush signed the Code Talker Recognition Act, also known as House Resolution 4544 of 2008, into law, officially recognizing approximately 50 Native American tribes that served as Code Talkers in both world wars.
As part of the nation’s bicentennial commemoration in 1976, President Gerald Ford proclaimed October 10-16, 1976, as “Native American Awareness Week.”
Later, in 1986, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed November 23-30 as American Indian Week.
On November 14, 1990, President George H. W. Bush declared November as National American Indian Heritage Month to honor the diverse Native American tribes and peoples in the United States, including Alaska but excluding Hawaii.
In 2009, President Obama also proclaimed November as National Native American Heritage Month.
Join us tomorrow, Nov. 8, at 11 a.m. as we celebrate our #veterans at a Veterans Day Ceremony! ❤️🤍💙 The ceremony will take place at the Cherokee Nation Veterans Center, next to the W.W. Keeler Tribal Complex in Tahlequah. pic.twitter.com/xLQzy1azgU
— Cherokee Nation (@CherokeeNation) November 7, 2024
Code talkers were vital in helping the U.S. secure victories in World Wars I and II. Learn more about the many Native American tribes who served and contributed immensely to the war effort. https://t.co/uHRXDlXZtT
— Department of Defense 🇺🇸 (@DeptofDefense) November 4, 2024
Today we honor the bravery & ingenuity of the Navajo Code Talkers, who used their native language to create an unbreakable code that helped secure Allied victories in WWII.
Their legacy is a testament to the power of diversity, resilience, and patriotism. #NavajoCodeTalkerDay pic.twitter.com/LQou5QDzWq
— Department of Defense 🇺🇸 (@DeptofDefense) August 14, 2024
An Unbreakable Code.
Peter MacDonald Sr. is one of the last remaining Navajo Code Talkers. On National Navajo Code Talker Day, we revisit his story about what made the “unbreakable” code so effective, and how it helped save lives and secure victory in the Pacific. pic.twitter.com/reitjEJSdp— Veterans Affairs (@DeptVetAffairs) August 14, 2022
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