Researching Native Americans in the Military

Spring and Summer Museum programming highlights the new Mashantucket Gallery exhibit titled, Pequot Lives in the Lost Century (opening May 16), and further explores the theme of “Indians in Unexpected Places.” Both reveal the various important yet little known societal roles played by Native people during the years 1870-1970. Not least among these is service to the United States armed forces.

Subject headings
The Library of Congress has assigned a variety of different subject headings on this topic, depending on the focus of the work. Following is a list of essential subject headings to explore in our Online Catalog.

United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Participation, Indian
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Participation, Indian
United States -- History -- War of 1812 -- Participation, Indian
Vietnamese Conflict, 1961-1975 -- Participation, Indian
World War, 1914-1918 -- Participation, Indian
World War, 1939-1945 -- Participation, Indian

Indian code talkers
Navajo code talkers
World War, 1939-1945 -- Cryptography

Indian scouts
Indian veterans

United States -- Armed Forces -- Indians
United States. Army -- Indian troops
United States. Marine Corps -- Indian troops

Bibliographies
We have also prepared the following bibliographies as guides to our resources.
For a bibliography of Research Library materials (books, articles, videos), please see
Native Americans in Foreign and Domestic Wars

For a bibliography of archival materials from our Archives & Special Collections, please see Bibliography of Native Americans in the U.S. Military