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Jack Huddleston accepts a recognition award from Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chad Smith and Deputy Principal Chief Joe Grayson.

TAHLEQUAH, OKLAHOMA – Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chad Smith, Deputy Principal Chief Joe Grayson and members of the Tribal Council recently recognized two Cherokee veterans, Jack Huddleston and Kyle Hill, during Smith’s monthly State of the Nation address to the council, held at the tribal complex in Tahlequah.

Jack Huddleston was born in 1926 in Pitcher, Oklahoma, and is the son of Victor and Pauline Huddleston. His mother Pauline was an original enrollee for the tribe, and he is a descendant of the Cherokee War Chief Oconostota. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1944 and served as an Army Scout in the Philippines, where he was honored with the Purple Heart. In 1951, Huddleston wanted to re-enlist in the military. Since his injuries kept him from the infantry, he joined the Air Force. After leaving military service, Huddleston became a quality analyst at NASA, worked at Rockwell in the Douglass Missile Program, and worked for Bowing.

Principal Chief Chad Smith, Deputy Principal Chief Joe Grayson, and Kyle Hill.

The group also welcomed home Kyle Hill. Hill joined the Oklahoma Army National Guard in 2000 and recently completed a tour of duty in Iraq with the 120th Engineer Battalion. He was born in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, and was raised in the Peavine community in Adair County. A graduate of Stilwell High School, Hill attended NSU in Tahlequah where he was a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity. He and his wife, Kashin, have one son, Elijah.

Smith also thanked the Council for their support of the Cherokee Warrior’s Memorial, located at the tribal complex south of Tahlequah. One of every four Native American males is a military veteran and Native Americans have the highest record of service per capita compared to other ethnic groups. The memorial is free and open to the public.

Smith stated that the tribe appreciates the invaluable service and sacrifice Cherokee servicemen have made to our country and the Cherokee Nation.

"The commitment and contributions of Native Americans in the United States military service is extraordinary," said Smith.

Related Cherokee Nation contact information:

Mike Miller, Cherokee Nation Director of Communications Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2210) Fax: 918-458-5580 E-mail: Communications@cherokee.org Larry Daugherty, Advertising Manager Cherokee Nation - Public Affairs Phone 918-456-0671 (Ex.2324) E-mail: ldaugherty@cherokee.org

Steven Swogger, Agriculture Liaison Natural Resources Department Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2546) FAX: 918-458-7673 E-mail: sswogger@cherokee.org Bradley D. Peak, Cherokee Nation Natural Resources Specialist Phone: 918-456-0671 (ex.2843) E-mail: bpeak@cherokee.org