A Soldier's Story: Private First Class Ben Carterby




Private First Class Ben Carterby was born on December 11, 1891,  in Ida, Oklahoma, which is part of the Choctaw Nation. 

He attended Dwight Training School before he enlisted in the US Army in response to World War I.  Assigned to the 141st Infantry, Private First Class Ben Carterby became one of the Choctaw code talkers.  The unit was the first to use a Native American language to transmit messages.

It is important to note that Native Americans were not given U.S. Citizenship until 1924 and fought this war regardless.

Private First Class Ben Carterby returned to his native Oklahoma after the war, dying on February 6, 1953.



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a.d. elliott is a wanderer, writer, and photographer currently living in Salem, Virginia. 

In addition to the travel writings at www.takethebackroads.com, you can also read her book reviews at www.riteoffancy.com and US military biographies at www.everydaypatriot.com

Her online photography gallery can be found at shop.takethebackroads.com

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Location: Ada, OK, USA

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