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Class of 1962, CHILOCCO INDIAN SCHOOL, Newkirk, Kay County, Oklahoma. A Navy Veteran, Leland served on minesweepers in the Mekong Delta during the Viet-Nam War. Lee served during five campaigns:
1966-1967 Vietnam War/Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase II Campaign
1967-1968 Vietnam War/Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase III Campaign
1968-1968 Vietnam War/Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase IV Campaign
1968-1968 Vietnam War/Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase V Campaign
1968-1969 Vietnam War/Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase VI Campaign
The Arapaho language consists of five distinct dialects: Arapaho proper, Besawunena, Gros Ventre (also known as Atsina), Nawathinehena and Ha'anahawunena. Arapaho proper is still spoken in western Oklahoma and on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming.
During my first six months in the Navy I met a Second Class Bo'sun named Leyland Friday while at Dam Neck VA. He'd been on a minesweeper in Vietnam. In his spare time he tailored my dress uniforms and we talked about the Navy, sometimes about Vietnam. It was my first real thoughts on the subject and one day I put in a chit for River Patrol in Vietnam. Ten days later I had orders for SERE school and Naval Ground Forces in Nam, where I ended up in a US Naval Advisory Unit.
Years later I tried to look him up, Leland "Lee" Friday, Northern Arapaho Silversmith in Oklahoma. Unfortunately he had already passed away so I made a Remembrance Profile for him here on TWS.
Along the way I was able to purchase two items Lee made from silver of units in Vietnam. I am very proud to wear the two I have. One is the NAVAL ADVISORY shield, the other NAVAL FORCES shield. Thank you Lee
