by: David Melmer
KYLE, S.D. - Ola Millie Rexroat, Oglala Sioux Tribal member, didn't know how to drive a car, but she thought she could fly an airplane.
During World War II, Rexroat flew planes that pulled targets for artillery practice and she was the only American Indian woman among the 1,700 women who flew those planes.
Rexroat was specially honored during the unveiling of the Oglala War Veterans memorial dedicated to the Oglala Lakota veterans June 23.
Veterans are honored at every pow wow and every official gathering on the Pine Ridge Reservation, but now a permanent memorial has been established that includes the names of veterans from all wars.
The Oglala Lakota College was instrumental in organizing and developing the memorial, which is located at the Piya Wiconi Administrative Headquarters for OLC.
''I stand in honor of veterans who couldn't come home, for those who went to the spirit world and for those who are not here today. I am not a veteran but I have the greatest respect for veterans,'' said Newton Cummings, president of the board of trustees for OLC.
''Without the akicita [warriors], where would we be today?'' he asked.
Cummings said the memorial is significant because the future generations will know who the warriors were and who it was that sacrificed to make them free and safe. The memorial contains more than 1,800 names from all wars in which Oglalas served in the defense of the United States.
Read more here: http://www.indiancountry.com/content.cfm?id=1096415311
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