Crow Nation “codetalkers” honored in Congress. Pictured here: The great Crow Warrior Hó-ra-tó-a, with headdress, bison robe and hair reaching the ground. Painted by George Catlin, Fort Union 1832. He embodies the true spirit of the Crow Warrior which many say lives on today in the codetalkers…
On June 22, 2015 Senator Steve Daines of Montana asked for and was granted permission to address the United States Senate for the purposes of honoring the “code talkers” of the Crow Nation, who served with incredible bravery and distinction in the Pacific Theater in World War II:
“Mr. President, I wish to recognize four American heroes who exemplify the best Montana has to offer: 1) Samson Birdinground, 2) Cyril Not Afraid, 3) Barney Old Coyote and 4) Henry Old Coyote.
These men selflessly served our country during World War II by offering up the Apsaalooké Crow, language as part of a national “code-talk” program. This program used the unique style of several Native American languages to transmit and receive military intelligence, providing crucial communication to forces overseas.
These four brave gentlemen sacrificed much to defend their homeland during the war. Using skilled knowledge of the Apsaalooké; tongue, they worked closely with American defense forces. The beautiful complexity of the Crow language allowed it to be processed without fear of enemy breach, leading the program to successfully save countless lives.
See: Crow Language https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crow_language
All four heroes were recently awarded Congress’ most prestigious honor: the Congressional Gold Medal. Their families will ceremoniously accept the medals on behalf of their forefathers this week.
Apsaalooké, or Crow, Nation has a rich heritage of members going above and beyond the call of duty, and these men are decidedly no exception. We Montanans are proud of our diverse heritage, and it is truly an honor to celebrate individuals who so humbly embody the spirit of patriotism.”
Source: Congressional Record
See video: Crow Flag song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmuoSlDgBwA&index=7&list=RDTxNIJJaysVc
Note:
Today the Crow Indian Reservation is in south-central Montana is a large reservation covering approximately 2,300,000 acres (9,300 km2) of land area, the fifth-largest Indian reservation in the United States.
The reservation is primarily in Big Horn and Yellowstone counties with ceded lands in Rosebud, Carbon, and Treasure Counties. The Crow Indian Reservation’s eastern border is the 107th meridian line, except along the border line of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation.
The southern border is from the 107th meridian line west to the east bank of the Big Horn River. The line travels downstream to Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area and west to the Pryor Mountains and north-easterly to Billings. The northern border travels east and through Hardin, Montana, to the 107th meridian line. The 2000 census reported a total population of 6,894 on reservation lands. Its largest community is Crow Agency.