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From the Seminole Tribe of Florida |
The Seminole Tribe and When the draft was initiated in 1940, many Seminoles resisted. Living deep in the Everglades, they were isolated from white culture and, in addition to having spiritual misgivings about the war, did not consider themselves American citizens. Unbeknownst to them, the reservation superintendent, Dwight Gardin, in a misguided effort to "protect" them from government prosecution, registered the eligible Seminole men. He eventually admitted to this and revealed that some Seminoles were indeed resisting the draft. Rather than forcing them into compliance, the government reasoned that they would not be "fit" for service as they were "uneducated," could not speak English, and were in poorer health than whites. Subsequently, compulsory service for the Seminole was ended in 1943. They were encouraged instead to participate in volunteer services such as airplane spotting and search and rescue operations. Two men have been honored by the Seminole Tribe as heroes of World War II: Howard Tiger of the U.S. Marine Corps, and Moses Jumper, Sr. of the U.S. Navy. Jumper was to be the first full-blooded Seminole veteran of the United States military. |
