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KEET program honors Northern California Indian Veterans of World War II

Humboldt Beacon
Article Launched: 11/06/2008 10:00:36 AM PST

KEET-TV will broadcast Original Patriots: Northern California Indian
Veterans of WW II on Sunday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. and Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 9
p.m. to commemorate Veterans Day.

When America joined the Allies in World War II in 1941, a generation of
Native American people from California joined the fight. They served
despite the fact that many were not born as citizens of the United States.
Native Americans were not granted U.S. citizenship until 1924. Although
their stories are rarely told, they are part of "The Greatest Generation.”

In 2007, KEET-TV producer Sam Greene partnered with Native American
educator and author of the book Original Patriots: Northern California
Indian Veterans of World War II, Chag Lowry (Yurok/Maidu/Pit River), to
create a one-hour documentary on North Coast Native American veterans of
World War II entitled ORIGINAL PATRIOTS: Northern California Indian
Veterans of WWII.

In this program, Lee Hover, (Karuk Tribe), Frank Richards, (Tolowa/Smith
River Rancheria), and Wally Scott (Yurok Tribe) recount their experiences
at Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima and D-Day, and share their views on the costs of
war.

As stated in Lowry's book, “A generation of Native American people from
California joined the fight and served despite the fact that many were not
born as citizens of the United States. Native Americans were not granted
U.S. citizenship until 1924. They fought despite decades of enforced
assimilation and cultural destruction in America.

Lee Hover, of Karuk descent, was raised in the town of Arcata. Lee enlisted
at age 17 in the Navy and served on the destroyer USS Dewey. He saw action
at Guadalcanal, Midway, the Aleutian Islands, Tarawa, Saipan, Iwo Jima,
Guam, and other islands in the Pacific Theater.

Frank Richards is of Tolowa ancestry, and was born and raised in the small
town of Smith River. Frank served in the Army Air Corps as the ball-turret
gunner aboard a B-24 " Liberator" bomber. He was based in southern Italy.

Wally Scott, of Yurok descent, was raised in the town of Blue Lake. Wally
served in the Army Air Corps as the radio operator on a B-17 bomber based
in England.

For information about the book ORIGINAL PATRIOTS: Northern California
Indian Veterans of WWII, go to http://www.originalpatriots.com or email
ova@....