Comanche County, Oklahoma – Comanche War Scout Circle of Honor Memorial

The memorial is located at the end of a pebbled concrete walk, on a pebbled concrete patio, and consists of 1 upright reddish granite entry pillar, and a series of 18 upright reddish granite pillars arranged in a circle, with inscribed inserts. Each of the 18 pillars honor a Comanche warrior who was Killed in Action (KIA), died in captivity, was a Prisoner of War (POW), or was listed as Missing in Action (MIA). A total of 11 were KIA, 1 died in captivity while a POW, 5 were POW, and 1 is MIA. Two flagpoles are centered on the patio and fly the American Flag on the taller flagpole, and the Comanche Nation Flag on the shorter pole. Along the rear (west) periphery of the patio are a series of 6 shorter flagpoles that fly the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Coast Guard, and Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Flags. Two benches are also located on the patio. The display is lighted by a floodlight located on the east side adjacent to the entry walk. The entry pillar is inscribed: “OUR PRIDE SHALL NEVER DIMINISH. OUR LOVE SHALL BE SHARED TO HONOR AND RESPECT THESE MEN WHO GAVE US FREEDOM TO ENJOY. WE NOW COMPLETE A CIRCLE FOR THEM TO ENJOY WITH US. THEIR COURAGE AND SACRIFICE SHALL ALWAYS BE KNOWN TO ALL OF US AND GOD.” There follows a listing of 43 “Loving Donors” who made the Memorial possible. The 18 individual pillars identify a warrior of the Tribe by name, and includes information such as rank, branch of service, war era, and a short biography of their military service. They are sequenced clockwise from the entry pillar and inscribed as follows: BRUCE WAYNE KLINEKOLE SSG USA WWII Captured on Apr 9, 1942 Liberated in Japan on Aug 15, 1945. Survivor of the Bataan Death March, held prisoner for 1222 days. Awarded BSM (Bronze Star Medal), PH (Purple Heart), POW Medal, & CIB (Combat Infantryman Badge). MYERS WAHNEE CPT AAC (Army Air Corps) WWII Captured on Mar 20, 1944 Liberated on Apr 29, 1945 Named his plane “Comanche” Shot down on 34th bombing mission over Germany Captured in France Liberated in Germany JOHNNIE M. RIVAS CPL USA WWII KIA on June 6, 1944. He is the first known Comanche killed while serving in the US Armed Forces. Airborne Infantryman who parachuted behind enemy lines during the early hours of D-Day. Killed near the city of St. Lo, France Age 22. Buried at the Normandy American Cemetery in France. MELVIN “HAWKEYE” MYERS SGT USA WWII KIA June 8, 1944 First Comanche killed in combat while serving in US Armed Forces Participated in the D-Day invasion. Killed at St. Mere Eglise, France after rescuing a fellow wounded soldier. ELI HOSETOSAVIT PVT USA WWII KIA on Aug 1, 1944 during Allied push off Normandy beaches. BEN TREVINO PVT USA WWII KIA on Aug 3, 1944. Served as a medic with an infantry regiment, landed on Utah Beach on Jun 10, 1944 Killed while his unit was closing the Falaise Gap in France. Buried at the Brittany American Cemetery in France. 22 years old. THOMAS CHOCKPOYAH JR. PFC USA WWII KIA on Aug 7, 1944 during Allied push off Normandy beaches “We shall always remember the warrior you were” INMAN CLOYDE GOODAY SSG AAC Shot down Sep 10, 1944 while serving as a ball turret gunner over Baden-Baden, Germany on his 7th combat mission. Liberated Apr 26, 1945 from Stalag Luft GILBERT VIDANA PFC USA WWII KIA Sep 16, 1944. An infantryman with an infantry regiment that spearheaded the amphibious assault on Utah Beach in Normandy, France on D-Day. Killed while fighting on the Siegfried Line in Germany. Buried at Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery in Belgium. SAMUEL TREVINO CPL USA WWII Captured on Dec 16, 1944 Liberated on Apr 4, 1945. Served as a Field Arty gun crewman. Arrived Le Havre, France from England in Oct 1944. Captured during the Battle of the Bulge near St. Vith, France. Liberated at Stalag 9B Bad Ord Hessen-Nassau-Prussia. Held captive 108 days. SAMUEL DOC PEWEWARDY JR. PFC USA WWII. Captured Dec 19, 1944 Liberated Apr 8, 1945 Captured during the Battle of the Bulge “I pray the Lord my soul to take” HENRY “DUTCH” KOSECHATA PVT USA WWII KIA May 1, 1945 Served with a combat engineer battalion Killed by a German sniper at Aachen, Germany. Buried at Magratten, Holland. HENRY WILLIAM CONWOOP PFC USA WWII KIA May 3, 1945 Served with an infantry regiment. Killed by Japanese forces on Luzon in Philippine Islands. “Your son fought valiantly in a supreme hour of his country’s need. His memory will live in the heart of our nation.” – GEN Marshall MEECH TAHSEQUAH LTC USAF KOREAN WAR Served with a maintenance squadron. MIA on Dec 6, 1950. Declared dead on Feb 28, 1954 Flew over 300 combat hours and 31 bombing missions during WWII. Awarded the DFC (Distinguished Flying Cross), AM (Air Medal) w/2 OLC (Oak Leaf Clusters), and PH w/OLC. DENNIS KING KARTY CPL USA KOREAN WAR Served with an infantry battalion. Captured on May 18, 1951 Died in captivity on Sep 8, 1953 Wounded several times resisting capture in North Korea by Chinese Red Army forces. “Our loving son, brother, uncle, grandson” RUSSELL EUGENE “RUSTY” PESEWONIT PFC USMC VIETNAM Served with an amphibious Marine brigade KIA Jul 22, 1966 In country only 6 days when killed during a firefight with North Vietnamese Army forces in Quang Tri Province “Russell’s cheerful disposition and devotion to duty gained the respect of all who knew him.” – E.J. Broner LTC USMC ROBERT CARLOS PAHCHEKA CPL USMC VIETNAM KIA Oct 22, 1968 Killed by North Vietnamese Army forces in Quang Nam Province Was of outstanding and courageous character Awarded PH Posthumously. Served with a Marine battalion. JOSHUA J. WARE CPL USMC OPN IRAQI FREEDOM KIA Nov 16, 2005. Served as a rifleman during his 2nd tour in Iraq. Fought in the 2nd bloody Battle of Fallujah – during his first tour During Operation Steel Curtain in the city of Ubaydi near the Syrian border, he and 4 other Marines were killed in a gun battle with insurgents while clearing a farmhouse. Age 20.