Sgt. Tommy Prince
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Article 1 - Native Hero Honoured |
Article 2 - Plaque Honours Sgt Tommy Prince |
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" SGT TOMMY PRINCE
One Of The Most Decorated Aboriginal War Veterans
Thomas George Prince was born 1915 at the Brokenhead First Nation and he was the great-great-grandson of Chief Peguis, who played a prominent role in the early history of the Red River Settlement.
As a young man, Prince earned a reputation as “a good, honest, hard worker” who helped support his family as a hunter-trapper and farm labourer. With the onset of the Second World War, Prince voluntarily embarked on what would become a distinguished military career. In 1940 he served in the Royal Canadian Engineers 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion and the 1st Canadian Special Service Battalion – part of the “Devils Brigade.” Prince’s courage and disregard for his own personal safety inspired his comrades and earned him the Military Medal for “exceptional bravery,” as well as the Silver Star (United States) for “gallantry in action.” King George awarded these to Prince at Buckingham Palace in London, England in 1945.
Prince also served with the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry during the Korean War, for which he received the Korea Medal, United Nations Medal and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal.
Tommy Prince has become an outstanding role model for the Aboriginal Community. He demonstrated that opportunity and good training can lead to success and he did so in an exemplary manner. He was a natural leader, educator, entrepreneur, lobbyist, politician and statesman.
Before Prince passed away in 1977, he received two more honours. In 1975, the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry gave him a special salute and citation on the Brokenhead Reserve, and in October 1976, the Manitoba Indian Brotherhood awarded Prince with a Certificate of Merit “for his years of dedicated service to the Indian people of Manitoba.”
Field of Honour Section Lot 7927 Dedicated June 15, 2003 "
Quoted from the plaque at the Brookside Cemetary which can be seen above
LINKS of interest |
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| Historica | |
| Wikipedia page on Prince | |
| Tommy Prince Memorial Fund | |
| Badassoftheweek.com (profanity warning) | |