1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:00,000 2 00:00:07,840 --> 00:00:11,020 shipmates , Cno Gilda here with my wife 3 00:00:11,020 --> 00:00:13,500 linda during native american heritage 4 00:00:13,500 --> 00:00:15,667 month , We honor the service of native 5 00:00:15,667 --> 00:00:17,820 americans and pay homage to the 6 00:00:17,820 --> 00:00:20,250 important contributions they've made to 7 00:00:20,250 --> 00:00:24,000 our United States Navy This month . We 8 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:25,833 recognize their rich and diverse 9 00:00:25,833 --> 00:00:27,889 histories as well as celebrate their 10 00:00:27,889 --> 00:00:31,400 cultures and traditions . For 245 11 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:33,550 years , native Americans have fought 12 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:35,830 under the cloth of this nation and have 13 00:00:35,830 --> 00:00:37,997 had the highest per capita rate of any 14 00:00:37,997 --> 00:00:40,180 population serving in our military 15 00:00:40,180 --> 00:00:43,710 today . Approximately 15 0 active duty 16 00:00:43,710 --> 00:00:46,670 reserve And civilian sailors serve as 17 00:00:46,670 --> 00:00:49,740 part of our Navy and more than 160,000 18 00:00:49,740 --> 00:00:51,800 American Indians call themselves 19 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:54,760 veterans . Native americans have a 20 00:00:54,760 --> 00:00:56,890 proud tradition of service and have 21 00:00:56,890 --> 00:00:58,890 left an enduring mark on the navy . 22 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:02,140 Their stories exemplify our core values 23 00:01:02,150 --> 00:01:04,560 of honor , courage and commitment . 24 00:01:04,940 --> 00:01:07,107 There's sailors like bosons made first 25 00:01:07,107 --> 00:01:09,740 class James E Williams who was awarded 26 00:01:09,740 --> 00:01:11,684 the Medal of Honor for his actions 27 00:01:11,684 --> 00:01:13,851 during a three hour battle against the 28 00:01:13,851 --> 00:01:16,520 Viet Cong guerrillas in 1966 where he 29 00:01:16,520 --> 00:01:19,050 disrupted their logistics operation and 30 00:01:19,050 --> 00:01:23,010 destroyed 65 enemy vessels and sailors 31 00:01:23,010 --> 00:01:25,520 like Vice Admiral Geoff Trussell er Who 32 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:27,687 is a member of the Cherokee Nation and 33 00:01:27,687 --> 00:01:29,909 assumed duties as Deputy Chief of Naval 34 00:01:29,909 --> 00:01:32,040 Operations for Information Warfare in 35 00:01:32,040 --> 00:01:34,980 June of 2020 and he is the 68th 36 00:01:34,980 --> 00:01:37,850 director of naval intelligence . I 37 00:01:37,850 --> 00:01:39,930 would also like to mention retired 38 00:01:39,930 --> 00:01:42,650 Chief Petty Officer linda , Old Horn 39 00:01:42,650 --> 00:01:45,440 Purdy from the Crow tribe . She was one 40 00:01:45,440 --> 00:01:47,662 of the first to serve on a U . S . Navy 41 00:01:47,662 --> 00:01:50,660 combatant ship in 1985 . She said that 42 00:01:50,660 --> 00:01:52,827 native americans have defended America 43 00:01:52,827 --> 00:01:54,938 since its inception , which we know , 44 00:01:55,140 --> 00:01:57,360 and they have to protect America no 45 00:01:57,360 --> 00:01:59,360 matter what it's in our blood , She 46 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:02,490 said , amazing to all of our native 47 00:02:02,490 --> 00:02:04,720 american sailors , past , present and 48 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:07,290 future . Thank you and we'll see you in 49 00:02:07,290 --> 00:02:09,950 the fleet shipmates . Mhm .