Aboriginal War VeteransWWI 1914 – 1918WWII 1939 - 1945

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Aboriginal War VeteransWWII

• At least 3,000 status (treaty) Indians—including 72 women—enlisted, as well as an unknown number of Inuit, Métis, and other Natives.

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They Came From Across Canada

• Aboriginal peoples from every region of Canada served in the armed forces during the Second World War, fighting in every major battle and campaign of the conflict

They Volunteered

• "We're proud of the word volunteer. Nobody forced us. We were good Canadians—patriots—we fought for our country."

• Syd Moore, Second World War Veteran

Tommy Prince

• Born in Manitoba, Canada, Tommy Prince was a member of the Ojibway Nation at the Brokenhead reservation in Scanterbury Manitoba.

Tommy Prince

• He was accepted into the Canadian Army on 3 June 1940. First as a Field Engineer and then with the Canadian Parachute Battalion. He then was chosen for the 1st Special Service Force. They became known to the enemy as the Devil’s Brigade. *Historica Online

Tommy Prince

• In the summer of 1944, he walked across miles of mountainous terrain deep behind German lines, going days without food or water, to locate an enemy camp. He returned with his unit and they captured more than 1000 German soldiers.

*Historica Online

Medals for Bravery

• When the fighting ended, King George VI decorated Prince with both the Military Medal and the Silver Star, an American decoration for gallantry in action. He was honorably discharged on 15 June.

*Historica Online

Pride

• He said "All my life I had wanted to do something to help my people recover their good name." He dedicated himself to attaining increased educational and economic opportunities for Aboriginal peoples.*Historica Online

Home to Canada

• Prince returned from the wars to a country that denied him the right to vote in federal elections and refused him the same benefits as other Canadian veterans.

• Native land, expropriated during the war for military use, was not returned.

• Native land was sold to White veterans under the Soldiers' Settlement Act, and Aboriginals did not have the right to buy land or obtain other benefits because of Indian Act restrictions.

Canada Denied Benefits

• Veterans Land Act – Gave veterans a low-interest loan of $6, 000 to purchase agricultural property or to invest in the fishing industry

• This was revised in 1942 to deal with Status Indians…

Since reserve land could not be sold, Status Indians Were not eligible for the loan.

Instead of $6, 000 they got $2, 320

Korean War1950 - 1953

Service in Korea

• Facing unemployment, Prince re-enlisted and served with the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry.

More Medals

• During two tours of duty during the Korean War he won the Korean, Canadian Volunteer Service and United Nations Service medals.

• He was wounded in the knee, and was honourably discharged on 28 October 1953.

War Hero

• Tommy Prince is Canada’s most-decorated Aboriginal war veteran.