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MCCAIN STATEMENT ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NATIONAL NATIVE AMERICAN VETERANS' MEMORIAL
August 7, 1992
Washington, D.C.- Today Senator John McCain spoke on the floor of the United States Senate in support of legislation to establish a National Native American Veterans’ Memorial. Follows are his remarks:Mr. President, I rise today on behalf of myself and Senators Inouye, Murkowskl, Gorton, Akaka, Dascble, and Simon to introduce legislation to establish a National Native American Veterans' Memorial.
From the Revolution through Desert Storm, Native Americans have served, suffered and died for the cause of American freedom. During World War 1I, military communications between allied forces were constantly intercepted by the enemy with tragic consequences for the success of allied missions and forces. The legendary Navajo Code Talkers used their language to devise an unbreakable code, and by so doing greatly hastened the day of allied victory. The Navajo Code was the only allied code that the enemy was never able to decipher.
Earlier, Choctaws provided the same service for the American Expeditionary Force in World War I. Like their Navajo successors, the Choctaw Code Talkers devised the only code that the Germans could not break. The strength of their great service, like the service of all Native Americans who have fought in their country's battles, rested on the conviction they shared with the rest of their countrymen. That conviction was best expressed by a great chief of the Choctaws, Puslmataha, who in 1811 appealed to his people not to join the British in their war with the Americans. "We do not take up the warpath," he told his people, "without a just cause and an honest purpose."
Native Americans have never served their country in war time without a just cause and an honest purpose. I believe that the tenacity with which Indians hold to their convictions is the source of their tenacity on the battlefield. I greatly admire those values as I admire the great courage and the exceptional fighting ability of Native Americans.
I would point out that our service academies still teach the military tactics of the great chiefs. The lessons taught to us by men like Geronimo and Chief Joseph are still employed by American armed forces whenever they are called upon to defend the interests of this nation. Professional soldiers can recognize superior fighting skills and bravery when they see it on the battlefield. And we recognize military genius when we study the exploits of these great Indian leaders.
Sadly, though we may acknowledge their military prowess and their contributions to our victories, we have not always acknowledged our debts to the Native American. When war has subsided, the Indian's prominent place in the battlefield has been replaced with second class citizenship at home. That sad truth is captured in the life of Ira Hayes. A Pima Indian who served in the Marine Corps in World War II, Ira Hayes was a genuine American hero. In a place very near here, he is depicted in the Iwo Jima Memorial planting his country's flag in the soil of a foreign land. His heroism has been enshrined for all time in that memorial, but the man was soon forgotten. He died a broken man, a victim of alcoholism.
I hope that we will not only acknowledge the service of Native American veterans by enacting this legislation, but we also will honor our debts to them in peacetime. In all tribes, the Native American bows to no one in the depth of his patriotism and in his love of country. They fought, more bravely than many, for the same values that all the sons and daughters of America have so nobly preserved when they have taken up arms to defend us. They are the values Chief Joseph described, much better than I can.
' Let me be a free man," he pleaded, "free to travel, free to stop, free to work, free to trade where I choose, free to choose my own teachers, frce to follow the religion of my fathers, free to think and talk and act for myself.”
Just last year, Michael Noline of the San Carlos Apache Tribe in Arizona, and Eric Benrtlen of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe in South Dakota did not return from the Persian Gulf. Like Native American Veterans in previous wars, they perished in service to this country and the values Chief Joseph spoke of so eloquently.
I view this National Memorial as only a small way in which we can honor the service and sacrifice of all Native American Veterans. Such sacrifice deserves to be memorialized in something more lasting, more meaningf than bronze. Let their memory be the spirit that guides us all as we seek means to redress the disservices done to the Native American. I promise you the memory of their valor will guide me, for 1, too, want to remain a free man, and I know that they died so that we all might be free to think and talk and act for ourselves.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a copy of the bill be printed in the Record immediately after my remarks.
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