The Wakan Circle

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TRIBUTE TO A HERO
By Karen Shade World Staff Writer
2/25/2004

The Tulsa Library Trust and Tulsa City-County Library American Indian Resource Library will start a new tradition March 6 with the last of the Comanche code talkers.

The resource center's American Indian Festival of Words will inaugurate the Circle of Honor. World War II Comanche code talker, champion powwow dancer and Tulsa resident Charles Chibitty will be the first inductee.

"You don't know how it makes you feel when somebody wants to honor you," Chibitty said. "They really made me feel good."

The festival is sponsored by the Tulsa City-County Library American Indian Resource Center, the Tulsa Library Trust, the Maxine and Jack Zarrow Family Foundation, Cherokee Builders, Vickie Summers Mason and the Oklahoma Arts Council.

Indian writers have been honored during the festival since 2001 with the American Indian Author Award, said Johnna Girod, coordinator of American Indian Resource Center.

The Circle of Honor award was created to recognize individuals who have performed acts in the face of adversity and who have maintained the American Indian culture for future generations.

"The community wanted to honor an elder, too (in addition to writers)," Girod said.

Sixteen members of the Tulsa City-County Library American Indian Resource Center Advisory Committee (which gives the library input on collection development) select Circle inductees.

The committee includes community volunteers, members of several Indian tribes, people active in American Indian affairs and library trust personnel, Girod said.

Chibitty, 82, was a natural choice for the first inductee, she said.

"It's very well-known in the Tulsa Community that he goes as far back as helping to start ... the powwow at Mohawk Park, and it's well-known that he was a World War II Comanche Code talker," Girod said.

"I'm the last one living out of 17 (code talkers)," Chibitty said.

He is an elder of his tribe with many stories to share about his time as an infantry soldier and code talker speaking in his native language.

"They could not break the Navajo (language) in the Pacific, and they could not break the Comanche in Europe," he said.

Code talkers used their tribes' languages to translate communications between military units in battle. Enemies who had intercepted and cracked military codes for years could not decipher the Comanche or Navajo languages.

Born in 1921 in Lawton, Chibitty attended Haskell Indian School in Lawrence, Kan., before he joined the U.S. Army. He was in the army from 1941-45, he said.

Chibitty was named a Knight of the National Order of Merit by the French government in 1989, and in 1999, was honored at the Pentagon for his military contribution. The Washington, D.C., ceremony was bittersweet.

"It makes me feel good even though it took so long. My only regret is that they couldn't have done it early enough while my comrades were living so they could enjoy it," Chibitty said.

When he gives public addresses, Chibitty always names the other Comanche code talkers.

Chibitty also helped start an annual powwow event in Mohawk Park in the mid-1960s. He used to dance competitively as a fancy and straight dancer, but these days he is more likely to be found in the gourd dancers' circle.

Chibitty will receive a bronze medallion for his induction into the festival Circle of Honor along with a $5,000 honorarium.

The honor will be given in even-numbered years while the festival will present the American Indian Author Award during odd-numbered years, Girod said.

**Charles Chibitty, the last surviving Comanche Code Talker Died July 20, 2005.

American Indian Medal of Honor Winners

Nineteenth Century

In the 20th century, five American Indians have been among those soldiers to be distinguished by receiving the United States' highest military honor: the Medal of Honor. Given for military heroism "above and beyond the call of duty," these warriors exhibited extraordinary bravery in the face of the enemy and, in two cases, made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

Jack C. Montgomery. A Cherokee from Oklahoma, and a First Lieutenant with the 45th Infantry Division Thunderbirds. On 22 February 1944, near Padiglione, Italy, Montgomery's rifle platoon was under fire by three echelons of enemy forces, when he single-handedly attacked all three positions, taking prisoners in the process. As a result of his courage, Montgomery's actions demoralized the enemy and inspired his men to defeat the Axis troops.

Ernest Childers. A Creek from Oklahoma, and a First Lieutenant with the 45th Infantry Division. Childers received the Medal of Honor for heroic action in 1943 when, up against machine gun fire, he and eight men charged the enemy. Although suffering a broken foot in the assault, Childers ordered covering fire and advanced up the hill, single-handedly killing two snipers, silencing two machine gun nests, and capturing an enemy mortar observer.

Van Barfoot. A Choctaw from Mississippi, and a Second Lieutenant in the Thunderbirds. On 23 May 1944, during the breakout from Anzio to Rome, Barfoot knocked out two machine gun nests and captured 17 German soldiers. Later that same day, he repelled a German tank assault, destroyed a Nazi fieldpiece and while returning to camp carried two wounded commanders to safety.

Mitchell Red Cloud Jr. A Winnebago from Wisconsin, and a Corporal in Company E., 19th Infantry Regiment in Korea. On 5 November 1950, Red Cloud was on a ridge guarding his company command post when he was surprised by Chinese communist forces. He sounded the alarm and stayed in his position firing his automatic rifle and point-blank to check the assault. This gave his company time to consolidate their defenses. After being severely wounded by enemy fire, he refused assistance and continued firing upon the enemy until he was fatally wounded. His heroic action prevented the enemy from overrunning his company's position and gained time for evacuation of the wounded.

Charles George. A Cherokee from North Carolina, and Private First Class in Korea when he was killed on 30 November 1952. During battle, George threw himself upon a grenade and smothered it with his body. In doing so, he sacrificed his own life but saved the lives of his comrades. For this brave and selfless act, George was posthumously award the Medal of Honor in 1954.

Nineteenth Century

Alchesay. Sergeant, Indian Scouts. Place and date: Winter of 1872-73. Entry of service date unknown. Entered service at: Camp Verde, Arizona. Born: 1853, Arizona Territory. Date of issue: 12 April 1875. Citation: Gallant conduct during campaigns and engagements with Apaches.

Blanquet. Indian Scout. Place and date: Winter of 1872-73. Entry of service date unknown. Arizona. Date of issue: 12 April 1875. Citation: Gallant conduct during campaigns and engagements with Apaches.

Chiquito. Indian Scout. Place and date: Winter of 1871-73. Entry of service date unknown. Birth: Arizona. Date of issue: 12 April 1875. Citation: Gallant conduct during campaigns and engagements with Apaches.

Co-Rux-Te-Chod-Ish (Mad Bear). Sergeant, Pawnee Scouts, U.S. Army. Place and date: At Republican River, Kansas, 8 July 1869. Entry of service date unknown. Birth: Nebraska. Date of issue: 24 August 1869. Citation: Ran out from the command in pursuit of a dismounted Indian; was shot down and badly wounded by a bullet from his own command.

Elsatsoosu. Corporal, Indian Scouts. Place and date: Winter of 1872-73. Entry of service date unknown. Birth: Arizona. Date of issue: 12 April 1875. Citation: Gallant conduct during campaigns and engagements with Apaches.

Jim. Sergeant, Indian Scouts. Place and date: Winter of 1871-73. Entry of service date unknown. Birth: Arizona Territory. Date of issue: 12 April 1875. Citation: Gallant conduct during campaigns and engagements with Apaches.

Kelsay. Indian Scout. Place and date: Winter of 1872-73. Entry of service date unknown. Birth: Arizona. Date of issue: 12 April 1875. Citation: Gallant conduct during campaigns and engagements with Apaches.

Kosoha. Indian Scout. Place and date: Winter of 1872-73. Entry of service date unknown. Birth: Arizona. Date of issue: 12 April 1875. Citation: Gallant conduct during campaigns and engagements with Apaches.

Machol. Private, Indian Scouts. Place and date: Arizona, 1872-73. Entry of service date unknown. Birth: Arizona. Date of issue: 12 April 1875. Citation: Gallant conduct during campaign and engagements with Apaches.

Nannasaddie. Indian Scout. Place and date: 1872-73. Entry of service date unknown. Birth: Arizona. Date of issue: 12 April 1875. Citation: Gallant conduct during campaigns and engagements with Apaches.

Nantaje (Nantahe). Indian Scout. Place and date: 1872-73. Entry of service date unknown. Birth: Arizona. Date of issue: 12 April 1875. Citation: Gallant conduct during campaigns and engagements with Apaches.

Rowdy. Sergeant, Company A, Indian Scouts. Place and date: Arizona, 7 March 1890. Entry of service date unknown. Birth: Arizona. Date of issue: 15 May 1890. Citation: Bravery in action with Apache Indians.

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