World War 1
It is estimated that more than 12,000 Native American/American Indian soldiers served in World War I, although the exact number is difficult to determine because of incomplete records and inconsistent racial classifications at the time.
The percentage of Native American soldiers who returned home from World War I is also difficult to determine with accuracy, as some sources report varying numbers due to the lack of consistent and reliable data. However, according to the National Museum of the American Indian, approximately 25% of Native American soldiers who served in World War I did not return home.
It is worth noting that Native American soldiers faced significant challenges and discrimination both during and after the war, including being forced to give up their traditional clothing and haircuts and being denied access to certain benefits and opportunities available to non-Native soldiers.
World War 2
During World War II, an estimated 44,000 Native American soldiers served in the United States military. This number represents more than 10% of the eligible Native American population at the time.
It is difficult to determine with certainty how many Native American soldiers returned home from World War II, but it is estimated that approximately 85-90% did so.
Native Americans from various nations across the United States served in World War II, including but not limited to: Navajo, Cherokee, Choctaw, Lakota, Chippewa, Creek, and Seminole.
Approximately 400-500 Native American soldiers served as Code Talkers during World War II, primarily in the Pacific theater. These soldiers used their native languages, which were unwritten and largely unknown outside of their communities, to develop codes that were never broken by the enemy. The Navajo Code Talkers are the most well-known and numerous group of Native American Code Talkers, but soldiers from other tribes also served in this role.
