Samuel Pewewardy, Jr.
Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army

Samuel Pewewardy, Jr. was born on 8 September 1925, in the Richard Spur area, to Samuel and Mollie Tahhahwah Pewewardy. He grew up in Comanche County and graduated from Fort Sill Indian School, where he was involved in athletics. He attended Cameron State Agricultural College on a boxing scholarship and was later selected as a Golden Gloves boxer while serving in the U.S. Army.

Military Career

During World War II, as a Private First Class Pewewardy served with Company G, 423rd Infantry Regiment, 106th Infantry Division, as a Light Weapons Infantryman. On 19 December 1944, three days after the start of the the Battle of the Bulge, the largest land battle of World War II, he and other soldiers of the 422nd and 423rd Infantry Regiments were forced to surrender. They were out of ammunition, had no rations and had taken heavy casualties; they had little chance of survival. They were surrounded and trapped in a valley near Schnee Eifel, Germany, by German artillery, tanks and infantry. More than 7,000 American Soldiers surrendered near Schonberg, Belgium. He was held prisoner at Stalag IX B near Bad Ord Hessen-Nessau, Prussia, until liberated by elements of the 44th Infantry Division on 2 April 1945. He was in captivity for 104 days.

Pewewardy served in the U.S. Army from 1942-45 and from 1949-67 and retired as a Staff Sergeant.

Medals, Awards and Badges

Bronze Star Medal
Prisoner of War Medal
Good Conduct Medal with 1 Silver Loop
American Theater Campaign Medal
European, African, Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 2 Bronze Service Stars
World War II Victory Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Presidential Unit Citation
Combat Infantryman Badge

Post-Military Service

Pewewardy remained in Lawton, OK, after his retirement from the Army. During his lifetime, he coached football, baseball, and basketball at Fort Sill Sports Activities and Whittier Elementary in Lawton. He also sponsored a local men's softball team called "Doc's Cleaners."

He was nationally recognized for his leadership and advocacy for responsible tribal government. He received the Mayor Wayne Gilley Award for humanitarian contributions to the City of Lawton; an Oklahoma State Humanitarian Award and was a City Council Representative.

The Comanche Nation selected Pewewardy to testify before the subcommittee in Washington, DC, on a bill pertaining to HUD. He later received a national HUD award for significant improvement in tribal housing. He was also an advisor to three Oklahoma governors and to former Senator David Boren.

He served as President of the Fort Sill Indian School Board, Director of the Comanche Housing Authority, Manager of the Comanche Tribal Bingo, Youth Activities Director at Fort Sill, Director of the Fort Sill Teen Club, KCA Executive Member, and was elected Vice-Chairman of the Comanche Nation. He coordinated the Chief Wild Horse Descendant Powwows for many years and served as head gourd dancer for many local and national powwows.

In the early 1990s he was selected as Head Southern Judge of the Gathering of Nations Powwow in Albuquerque, NM. He was a member of Comanche Indian Veteran's Association, Comanche Little Ponies and Comanche Nation of Oklahoma. He and Mary were lifelong members of Lawton Memorial Indian Baptist Church, where he served as song leader and deacon.

Family

In 1950, he married Mary Lee Kaulaity of Mountain View, OK, and they had six sons.

Death and Burial

Staff Sergeant Samuel Pewewardy died on Monday, 23 February 2009, in Lawton, OK. He is buried at Rainy Mountain Cemetery in Mountain View, Kiowa County, OK.