Title: Study Notes: Native Americans and the US Military
Headings: 
Study Notes - Native Americans and the U.S. Military
Content: Spanish American War
Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders recruited Native Americans and they went to Cuba during the Spanish American War in 1898. When General John J. Pershing went to Mexico after Poncho Villa during the early 20 th century, he had Native American scouts as part of his troops. Four Native American Catholic Sisters from South Dakota worked as nurses for the War Department during the Spanish American War (1898). The sisters were originally assigned to a military hospital at Jacksonville, Florida, but were then transferred to Havana, Cuba. WWI
Although they were not yet citizens (Citizenship Act, 1924), more than 12,000 Native Americans volunteered to serve during WWI. Four men from the 142 nd Infantry of the 36 th Texas-Oklahoma National Guard were awarded France’s Croix de Guerre and others were awarded the Church War Cross for courage. Toward the end of WWI, eight Choctow Indians in the same unit took over field communications and, although surrounded by the German army, were able to send tactical messages in their native language. This is code-talking before the famous Navajo Code-Talkers. Fourteen Native American women served as members of the Army Nurse Corp, two of them overseas. WWII
After being granted citizenship, Native Americans were eligible for the draft but instead enlisted for military duty in record numbers.