Great Falls commemorates more than a century of military service

A public commemoration of the sacrifices made by U.S. military veterans, both active and retired, has been an essential component of Veterans Day since the celebration's inception as "Armistice Day" in 1919. This year's celebration carried with it the added significance of commemorating the 100th anniversary of creation of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arlington National Cemetery in Washington D.C.

"We seek to remember the countless faces of the unknown soldiers. They are fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, famous and loved," said US Air Force Chaplain, Sarah Bendele, during the invocation at Thursday's commemoration. "Today we remember the continued grit and determination of these soldiers. It speaks to an immeasurable love for us all to achieve a true peace in our nation and our world."

A century ago, only three years distant from the conclusion of World War I, the Tomb of the Unknown Solder was dedicated. The body of an unknown U.S. serviceman who had given his life on a battlefield in France was interred within a marble sarcophagus atop a hill overlooking Washington D.C.

In attendance at that ceremony on November 11, 1921, was the last traditional Chief of Montana's Crow Indian Nation, Chief Plenty Coups. Montana historian, Ken Robison, recounted the event.

"In a powerful action (he) placed his own war bonnet and coups stick on the tomb, tying forever the Crow Nation to the unknown warrior," Robison told the audience. "From the coup stick hung Plenty Coups first feather, earned in battle, symbolic of the start of his long and difficult trail as head Chief."

"I hope the Great Spirit will grant that all this Nation's warriors will have not given up their lives in vain," Plenty Coups told the assemblage of dignitaries and common citizens, "and that there will be peace to all men here after. That is the Indians' hope and prayer."

Two weeks later, the overarching commander of French forces during the first World War, Field Marshall Ferdinand Foch visited Plenty Coups in Montana at the Crow Nation, where the general was inducted as a member of the Crow Nation.

Spin forward to the beginning of the 21st century.

At that time, generations beyond when a French Commander and Chief and a Crow Indian Nation Chief met to commemorate the common sacrifices of their people, Great Falls still had no official, dedicated memorial to its veterans.

Montana Veterans Memorial Advisory board member, Bill Bronson, told the audience that, "as true form for Americans," those who wanted to see a true Veterans Memorial in Montana - formed a committee.

"This committee of earnest individuals always had a vision of what could be, and the passion to make it a reality," Bronson said. "In the end, all joined together with this committee to make this vision come true."

Today the Montana Veterans Memorial in Great Falls includes plaques, with the names and military division affiliation of more than 7,500 Montana service members.

David Murray is Natural Resources/Agriculture reporter for the Great Falls Tribune. To contact him with comments or story ideas; email dmurray@greatfallstribune.com or call (406) 403-3257. To preserve quality, in-depth journalism in northcentral Montana subscribe to the Great Falls Tribune.

This article originally appeared on Great Falls Tribune: Montana connection to military service runs deep. Veterans Day in Great Falls