From the FIRST MATE's PHOTO ALBUM...

'
Don Counts sent me this very neat tombstone artwork:

See the buffalo? Made using the letters of the surname of this Native American of the Cherokee Nation.

Bartholomew "Bart" Gipson was born in Cherokee County, Oklahoma 25 July 1951. He died in Vanderburgh County, Indiana 26 March 2009 (burial in Evansville Lutheran Cemetery). Living in Evansville for 30 years, working as a Social Worker (according to his obituary, as posted in the Browning Database).

[Note: in his obituary some of the family members last name was spelled "Gibson" instead of "Gipson." - JGW]

- Photos taken & submitted by Donald Counts

From the FIRST MATE's PHOTO ALBUM...

'

The Manataka™ American Indian Council
in its Warrior Society News
http://www.manataka.org/page1028.html
features information about the Native American Medal of Honor Monument.

"The Medal of Honor was established by Congress in 1862 and has been awarded to 3,448 heroes to date. Almost half are Civil War soldiers. Since the beginning of World War II, only 850 Medals of Honor have been awarded. Over half that number died in their moment of heroism. There are no surviving World War I Medal of Honor recipients today. Only 328 soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen from World War II to date survived to wear the Medal in civilian life. Today, there are only 100 living recipients. There are only two surviving American Indian Medal of Honor recipients; Colonel Van Thomas Barfoot, US Army-retired (Choctaw) and Lieutenant Michael E Thornton, US Navy-retired (Cherokee)."

Learn more at their site from the link above.

- Link submitted by Don Counts.