Military Service

November 22, 2008

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Profile America — Saturday, November 22nd. Many of those taking part in the Veterans Day observance last week were also celebrating National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage month. Members of this diverse population group have long been associated with the country’s military, from the War of 1812 right up to current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Five American Indians were awarded the Medal of Honor during World War II. Their service in that war was dramatized in the movie “Windtalkers,” about the Navajo communicators who took part in every assault the U.S. Marines conducted in the Pacific Island-hopping campaign. There are just over 168,000 American Indian and Alaska Native veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces. You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau online at <www.census.gov>.

Sources: Chase's Calendar of Events 2008, p. 538
U.S. Census Bureau, Facts for Features, CB07-FF.18
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/010849.html