Home >
John Raymond Rice... Native American war hero...
John Raymond Rice... Native American war hero...
Item # 720209
August 30, 1951
THE SPRINGFIELD UNION, Mass., Aug. 30, 1951
* John Raymond Rice military honors
* Ho-Chunk (Winnebago) Nation
* Native American - Indian
* Korean & World War II hero
* Arlington Cemetery interment
The front page is a one column heading: "HERO'S BURIAL FOR GI DENIED IOWA CEMETERY'" with subhead. (see images)
Complete with all 38 pages, light toning and very minor wear at the margins, nice condition.
background: Sergeant First Class John Raymond Rice, a member of the Ho-Chunk (Winnebago) Nation, was a decorated World War II and Korean War veteran whose bravery and sacrifice became a powerful symbol of both Native American military service and the fight against racial discrimination. After earning a Bronze Star in the Pacific during WWII, Rice returned to serve in the Korean War, where he led his unit with distinction until he was killed in action near Tabu-dong in 1950. Despite his heroism, a cemetery in Sioux City, Iowa, refused to bury him upon discovering he was Native American—prompting national outrage. President Harry S. Truman personally intervened, ensuring that Rice received full military honors and was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery, where he became one of the first Native Americans buried there. His story remains a poignant reminder of the valor of Indigenous soldiers and the prejudice they often endured, even in death.
Category: The 20th Century
Available Now
$48.00
