Today, we honor the heroic contributions of Native Americans who gave their lives to the U.S. military. From the legendary Code Talkers to artists who capture their war experiences, we celebrate their legacy and sacrifice. 

  • Native Americans serve in the military at a higher rate than any other ethnicity in the U.S. Code Talkers were an integral part of the war effort, using their Indigenous languages as indecipherable codes against the enemy. More than 200 Code Talkers were from South Dakota tribes. Don Loudner, a veteran from Crow Creek, worked with U.S. Senator Mike Rounds to establish the American Indian Veterans Association. 
  • Native Americans have a long tradition of documenting their lives and heroics through art. From rock drawings on buffalo hide or ledger books, battlefield accounts have proven to be historically accurate. Brummett Echohawk documented his battles in World War II with sketches and paint. He fought in Italy with the 45th Infantry Division. Thousands of visitors saw his work at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. The exhibition has since closed, but there’s a book of the artist’s work from the University of Oklahoma Press. Brummett Echohawk’s work is in the collection of the Smithsonian and Gilcrease and others.
  • In 2023, Nisqually citizen and U.S. Marine Bill Frank Jr. and Tsimshian citizen and U.S. Navy Seal Sol Atkinson were given the honor of having their names on U.S. Navy ships. 
  • Last week, Navy officials announced that its next Navajo-class ship will be named after James D. Fairbanks. The White Earth Ojibwe citizen served in both the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. He was the first Native person to ever serve as force master chief petty officer, which is the highest enlisted Navy Seebee title. We spoke with Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan after she attended a Washington D.C. dedication ceremony in his honor. 

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Today’s newscast was created with work from:

Shirley Sneve, Ponca/Sicangu Lakota, is the senior producer for the ICT Newscast. Follow her on Twitter @rosebudshirley. She is based in Nebraska.

Aliyah Chavez, Kewa Pueblo, is the anchor of the ICT Newscast. On Twitter: @aliyahjchavez.

Paris Wise, Zia and Laguna Pueblo, is a producer for the ICT Newscast. Email: paris@ictnews.org.

Stewart Huntington is a producer for the ICT Newscast.

Quindrea Yazzie, Diné, is a video production editor for the ICT Newscast. Email: qyazzie@ictnews.org. Yazzie is based in Phoenix.

Daniel Herrera Carbajal is a video editor for the ICT Newscast. On Twitter: @daniulherrrera

Pauly Denetclaw, Diné, is a political correspondent for ICT. Email: pauly@ictnews.org

Pacey Smith-Garcia, Ute, is a production assistant for the ICT Newscast. On Twitter: @paceyjournalist.

Ebonye Delaney is the Executive Producer for the ICT Newscast. Email: ebonye@ictnews.org

Mark Trahant, Shoshone-Bannock, is ICT editor-at-large Email: marktrahant@ictnews.org

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