Crow Indian Veterans Project Collection

Accession Number: 0430911
Donor Name: None (Housed at Little Big Horn College Archives)
Processor: Jon Ille
Access Restrictions on Use: None
Terms Governing Use and Reproduction: All publication rights are held by Little Big Horn College and use for publication must be approved by archivist.
Preferred Citation of Materials: The Crow Indian Veterans Project Collection, Little Big Horn College Archives, Crow Agency, MT 59022.

Collection Description

Linear Feet: 2
Scope: 1942-1993
Content: Release Forms, Interview Questions, Oral Interviews (audio and video cassettes), Interview Summaries, and Final Grant Report.

Provenance

The Crow Indian Veterans Project was funded with financial assistance from the Montana Historical Society. The project was created in two phases during the early 1990s with initial oral histories occurring in 1990-1991 and another set of interviews taking place in 1993. Carson Walks Over the Ice conducted the interviews with veterans who served in WWI, WWII, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the first Gulf War. Since the completion of the project, the original tapes and transcripts reside at the Little Big Horn College Archives. A duplicate of the collection resides at the Montana Historical Society in Helena.

Historical Note

The Crow Indian Veterans Project Collection documents an important historical trend during the reservation period, service by Crows in the United States military. Crows first served in the military in World War One, despite not yet gaining citizenship. Increasing numbers of young men and women joined the military in World War Two, a phenomenon that continued after the conclusion of the conflict. Crows served in each branch of the military during World War Two, Korea, Vietnam, and both Gulf Wars.

Administrative Note

The collection resides in two locations in the archives: textual materials are held in the storage area, while the audiocassettes are stored with other audio-visual holdings.

Inventory

Series One
- Contains textual material included in the collection including release forms, questions, the final project report, and interview summaries with notes attached.
- Box 1
  1. Release Forms, Montana Historical Society
  2. Release Forms, Little Big Horn College Archives
  3. Interview Questions, Crow Indian Veterans Project
  4. List of Crow Veterans by District and Conflict
  5. Final Project Report, Crow Indian Veterans Project
  Files six thru sixty seven are interview summaries and notes listed by name and file number below. The conflict or period of service is listed next to the name on each file.
  1. Frank Iron, Sr. (WWII)
  2. Michael Fitzpatrick, Sr. (WWII)
  3. Frank Backbone, Sr. (WWII)
  4. Isaac Shane, Sr. (WWII)
  5. Frederick Turns Back (1953-1955)
  6. Barney Old Coyote, Jr. (WWII)
  7. David J. Stewart (Korea)
  8. Hubert C. Dawes, Sr. (Korea)
  9. George Pease (1919-1922)
  10. Christine Stops Hill (1975-1977)
  11. John Bull Tail (WWII)
  12. Collena L. Caplett (Vietnam)
  13. Charles Brown, Jr. (WWII)
  14. William B. Medicine Tail (Korea)
  15. John W. Pease, Sr. (WWII)
  16. Gilbert W. Scott, Jr. (1954-1957)
  17. Samuel A. Plainfeather (WWII)
  18. Joseph H. Rawlins (WWII)
  19. William P “Butch” Gardner, Sr. (Vietnam)
  20. Calvin C. Jefferson, Sr. (1968-1970)
  21. Dallas M. Dust, Sr. (1966-1967)
  22. David Yarlott, Sr. (Korea)
  23. Arthur C. Alden (Vietnam)
  24. Isaac L. Birdinground (Vietnam)
  25. Lloyd G. “Mickey” Old Coyote (WWII)
  26. Wesley Crooked Arm (1969-1972)
  27. Leon S. Pretty Weasel (Vietnam)
- Box 2
  1. Alvin “Emil” Little Light (1962-1967)
  2. John P. Other Medicine (1969-1972)
  3. Kenneth P. Brien, Jr. (1973-1975)
  4. William Gros Ventre (WWII)
  5. Cedric J. Walks Over Ice (1945-1947)
  6. William C. Stewart (Korea)
  7. Leroy White (1955-1956)
  8. Frederick V. Lefthand (Vietnam)
  9. John J. “Sonny” Pretty on Top (WWII)
  10. Ellis “Rabbit” Knows His Gun (1967-1969)
  11. George W. Peters, Jr. (1957-1958)
  12. Jerome D. White Hip (1967-1970)
  13. Charles C. “Buzzard” Real Bird (1961-1963)
  14. Ronald C. Stewart (Korea)
  15. William Pease (1949)
  16. Walter H. Onion (1945-1947)
  17. Lawrence Stands (Korea)
  18. Peter P. Greybull (Vietnam)
  19. John T. Doyle, Jr. (1967-1968)
  20. Cyrus Gros Ventre (Vietnam)
  21. Eddie Little Light (Vietnam)
  22. Vincent K. Blackhawk (1953-1957)
  23. Benito Stewart (1956-1958)
  24. Thomas J. Big Lake (Korea)
  25. Arlene I. Whiteman (1955-1958)
  26. Sylvester C. “Cardi” Goes Ahead (1945-1947)
  27. Arlie Stops (Korea)
  28. Sampson Birdinground, Jr. (WWII)
  29. Woodrow H. Plainfeather (Vietnam)
  30. Charles E. DeCrane (WWII)
  31. Gordon W. Plainbull (1953-1956)
  32. Harry O. Moccasin Top (1972-1974)
  33. Kenneth Yellowtail (WWII)
  34. Glenn Fitzler (1945-1947)
  35. Cleo Medicine Horse (WWII)
Series Two
- This series contains audio recordings of oral history interviews conducted on audio and video cassettes as part of the Crow Indian Veterans Project.
- Box 3
  1. William Medicine Tail
  2. Frank Backbone
  3. Fred Turns Back
  4. Michael Fitzpatrick, Sr.
  5. Isaac Shane
  6. George Pease
  7. David Stewart
  8. John Bulltail
  9. Charles Brown, Jr.
  10. Barney Old Coyote, Jr.
  11. Hubert Dawes, Sr.
  12. John W. Pease, Sr.
  13. Frank Iron, Sr.
  14. Gilbert W. Scott
- Box 4
  1. Christine Stops Hill
  2. Ellis “Rabbit” Knows His Gun
  3. Frederick V. Lefthand
  4. Leroy White
  5. William Gros Ventre
  6. John P. Other Medicine
  7. William C. Stewart
  8. Cedric J. Walks Over the Ice
  9. Kenneth P. Brien
  10. Alvin “Emil” Little Light
  11. William P. Gardner
  12. John Hill, Sr.
  13. Joseph H. Rawlins
  14. Calvin C. Jefferson, Jr.
  15. Dallas M Dust, Sr.
  16. Arthur C. Alden
  17. Wesley Crooked Arm
  18. Leon Pretty Weasel
  19. Lloyd “Mickey” Old Coyote
  20. Isaac L. Birdinground
- Box 5
  1. David Yarlott, Sr.
  2. Charles Brown, Jr. (video recording)

Primary links

Library @ Little Big Horn College

Treaties Symposium