By Richard L. Hayes

The affection that Europeans have for the Great American West is well known, so it shouldn’t be surprising that several traveling Wild West Shows happened to be in enemy territory when World War I broke out. One was in Berlin, another in Trieste. Both troupes contained a contingent of Native Americans and both were harassed by mobs caught up in patriotic fervor. So it was that the Onondaga and Oneida Indian tribes were insulted enough to exercise their autonomy as nations separate from, but enclosed within, the United States, to declare war on Germany in 1914. They were the first Americans to do so, but not the last.

Many Indian tribes still considered themselves warrior societies and their young men (like many others) were anxious to prove themselves in battle. Since the last fight against U.S. troops had occurred at Wounded Knee in 1890 and their traditional enemies had either been eliminated or rounded up, it seemed natural to take an interest in the war in Europe. In the Northwest some tribes even crossed the border to enlist in Canada, but like most Americans, they usually waited until the United States actually declared war. When it came, some 12,000 Native Americans eventually served, coming primarily from 14 different tribes. Proportionally, their enlistment was higher than any other ethnic groups. For instance, 40 percent of the Osage and Qwapaw tribes volunteered for service. This is particularly interesting considering that Native Americans were not granted official citizenship until 1924.

Indian Nations Volunteer for Service

Of particular interest was the large number of Native Americans who ended up in Oklahoma. Still sometimes referred to as “The Indian Nations,” Oklahoma Territory was the final depository for the remnants of many of the western tribes and most of the eastern, including what was left of the Choctaws, who originally lived in Tennessee and Mississippi. Six hundred Native Americans—primarily Choctaw, Cherokee, Osage, Comanche, Cheyenne, and Yankton Sioux—volunteered for service in World War I in local National Guard units. Most of them ended up in the 142nd Regiment of the Oklahoma National Guard, which became the 36th U.S. Infantry Division. Many of the officers of the 36th were also from the area and believed in the traditional view of Indians as natural hunters and trackers, with abilities superior to those of a white man. Thus, many Native Americans found themselves assigned to be scouts, snipers, and runners.

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