Sgt. Alan Two Crow
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Ceremony to honor Sgt. Alan Two Crow
The Redhawk Arts Council is having a pow-wow/Native
American Festival (that's what they call it on the
east coast) on Saturday and Sunday, September 20-21 at
FDR State Park in Yorktown Heights, New York. There
will be a ceremony to honor Sgt. Alan Two Crow on 9/21
(the anniversary of finding him) at 11 a.m. His
family will be coming along with several others from
the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe for the event. The
family would be honored by all those who are able to
attend.
For additional information the Redhawks Art Council's
phone number is (718) 686-9297, website is at
http://redhawkarts.home.mindspring.com/
From Maureen
14 July 2003
Today is the one-year anniversary of the death of Sgt.
Alan Two Crow. Charlie and I just came back from
visiting and laying a wreath at the site where the
body laid for 67 days until being found. We were
accompanied by Wayne Hall, the local newspaper
reporter who was so helpful in finally getting the
story out last September about Alan's disappearance as
well as one of his papers photographers. One year
later, the site and final resting spot of Alan's body
still offers no answers as to how he could possibly
have ended up where and in the position he was found.
While there we received a phone call from Alan's
father, Don Two Crow, who recited a prayer he had
written and asked that I share it with any who care to
read it:
Lakota Prayer for Sgt. Alan Two Crow
"Wakan Tanka,Great Spirit: We pray to you that my
son's
spirit Sgt Alan Two Crow is with his mother,Denise
Lavon Two Crow,that they are in a better place,with
all the relatives,and pray for the truth to come
out!For Wakan Tanka,Great Spirit to comfort the
family,the relatives,and all that where involved in
finding him.To pray for all the Akicitas, warriors,
soldiers,that are in war,and passed wars, To remember
all the ones that passed on in protecting our country.
May Wakan Tanka keep us, protect us,and guide us in
all that we do!Mita Kuye Oyasin!thank you for for
honoring my son's spirit,we, the Two Crow family are
very grateful,wopila tanka,....Don!"
In addition to laying the wreath, both Charlie and I
planted our flags from the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe
at the site in the small wooded area of West Point.
The Two Crow family also plans to come back to New
York for a special ceremony to which they were invited
by the Red Hawk Arts Council (out of Brooklyn, NY) on
September 21st, the anniversary date of finding Alan
and would welcome and appreciate any and all who would
like and be able to attend.
West Point Honors Sgt. Alan Two Crow
FROM: MJLaBurt AT aol.com
NDN-AIM
9 Oct 2002
Reprinted with permission
On Monday, October 7, 2002, at 2:00 pm a service was held at the West
Point chapel in memory of Sgt. Alan Two Crow. Finding a place to park
was difficult; upon arrival just minutes before the scheduled ceremony,
the chapel was already almost full to capacity--filled by young men and
women in uniform, many the same age and from the same battalion as Alan.
They were his comrades, co-workers and friends. In the first few rows in
the front of the chapel on one side was Alan's family--sisters, brother,
father, aunts and friends who had travelled non-stop in a van from South
Dakota to attend the service.
On the front pews on the other side were the officers who had attended
Alan's wake and funeral and held a meeting with Alan's family in South
Dakota the week before along with Superintendent William Lennox. Beside
him was South Dakota state rep. Tom Van Norman, who has been by the
family's side since the first call notifying them of Alan's
disappearance in mid-July. To the left of the alter was the traditional
Lakota drum.
I had rushed from work to attend the services, hoping I was dressed
appropriately but with no time to change. After spending a week on the
Cheyenne River reservation, it should have been no surprise to find that
the male family members of age, all proud warriors and veterans of the
US Military, were dressed in their respective uniforms from the branches
in which they served with their eagle feathers in their hats--feathers
they had earned in the tribe's tradition to honor their veterans for
their service. Keegan, Alan's 13-year-old brother, wore his ribbon shirt
proudly. Glancing to the drum, they too wore their uniforms with their
eagle feathers.
The ceremony began with LTC Jim Rice describing Alan's years of service,
his dedication, his commitment, and his pride in serving in the Army,
his cheerful and helpful attitude in all that he did. I never had the
chance to meet Alan, but I knew these things well already from having
come to know him through his family over many weeks who shared so much
of Alan, as well as his love for and from each member of his family.
Colonel Rice shared what he had come to learn from his trip to the
reservation about the high respect and honor bestowed upon servicemen
and veterans, about generosity and kindness and love. He was followed in
speaking by Captain Brian Locke, who had also traveled to the Cheyenne
River reservation the week before. Following Capt. Locke was one of
Alan's friends, a fellow MP, Sgt. Nicholas Stirrett, who spoke of Alan's
life, his friendship, in the military. You could see the pain in his
face as his words rushed forth finally telling the family of the life
Alan led away from the reservation, the part of his life that was also
dear to him and they so desperately wanted to know. West Point, the
Army, was also Alan's life and family that he dearly loved and for which
he had chosen to re-enlist. It was an honor for Alan to serve and he
took great pride and was given the highest honor by his family and tribe
for his dedicated service. Another friend and fellow MP, Sgt. Harold
Anderson then got up to speak about Alan and his friendship.
As he spoke of his friend, he choked back tears, giving the family and
friends answers to questions that haunted them over the dark and silent
months they suffered. Yes, they could finally see that Alan had friends
who cared in the Army, at West Point, who worried, loved, grieved and
cried for him. Through the months of countless sleepless nights they had
wondered and ached to hear these voices, any voice that could give a
glimpse of Alan's life there to let them know he had friends
that truly cared, and their own tears burned and flowed along with Sgt.
Anderson's. Next to speak with Major Carlos Huerta, the
Battalion Chaplain who had already so endeared himself to all of us who
were in South Dakota during the difficult week of Alan's wake
and funeral. Major Huerta had been Alan's Chaplain and came to
know him when he first enlisted in Fort Sills, Oklahoma, and was his
Chaplain again for what was to be Alan's last post at West
Point, New York. He again shared words of compassion, kindness and
understanding in the same manner in which he had given so much comfort
back on the Cheyenne River reservation.
Next, much to my own astonishment even after all that I had seen and
learned on the Cheyenne River reservation, Don Two Crow stood to speak,
speaking words about the honor and respect for all soldiers and veterans
and his and the reservations pride in Alan's service and having
been honored as Soldier of the Month. The father spoke of his son
without faltering in his own grief about Alan's having been a
son, a brother, a friend, a role model and, so proudly, a soldier in the
US Army. He then presented West Point with gifts. One was a staff with a
dream catcher on it decorated with the eagle feathers Alan had earned
from his tribe, another, Alan's star quilt. The West Point
officials then presented the father with gifts, though I was too
bewildered by the incredible generosity of the father who had already
given his son to note what was given. Don later showed me a cap that he
had received that Alan had worn under his helmet, but what else I
didn't even think to ask.
We were told that in Lakota there is no word for
"goodbye." Instead, they depart by saying what
translates to "til we meet again." We were not saying
goodbye, but seeing Sgt. Alan Two Crow off on his journey with the
respect due him until it is our own time to meet up with him. The
Cheyenne River Lakota Akicita prayer was offered by Wakiyan Maza and
followed by a moment of silence.
Then there was roll call, familiar to those who have attended funerals
of soldiers or veterans, but which I had never heard before
Alan's wake, bringing chills as the names of fellow soldiers and
veterans are called and they respond until coming to the name of the
deceased, calling Sgt. Alan Two Crow several times with only silence
responding to the call.
The silence was broken by the firing of volleys, then immediately
followed by the sorrowful and familiar bugle playing Taps.
The Lakota drum played in the chapel and warrior songs of honor were
sung. As we filed out to the parking lot, the drum played again. In the
formal atmosphere of West Point with its cobblestone buildings and high
walls, the echo of Lakota drums sounded as the final songs were sung in
the Lakota tradition, it was right and fitting. Alan's spirit
can now go on his journey with straight eyes in the ancient way of the
Lakota.
USMA's Two-Crow laid to rest4 Oct 2002
By Wayne A. Hall
The Times Herald-Record waynehall@th-record.com
http://www.recordonline.com/archive/2002/10/04/whtwocro.htm
Army Sgt. Alan Two-Crow was buried yesterday at the reservation where he grew
up, 13 days after his body was found in rugged woods at West Point.
The recent "Soldier of the Month" at West Point, a military police officer
well liked by his post friends and valued by academy officials as "one of our
own," died from a broken neck, a recent Army autopsy found.
Results haven't been released of a second autopsy demanded by his family. Two
civilians discovered his remains after an extensive military and state police
search of academy grounds failed to turn up his body. The second autopsy was
done at a civilian hospital in South Dakota.
Two-Crow, a Lakota, was buried at the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation in
South Dakota. He was laid to rest next to his mother, who died in May.
He was a source of pride, said his father, Don Two-Crow.
"The tribe [before his death] gave him an eagle feather," said the father, an
honor for doing so well in the military. The eagle is sacred because it, like
his son, flies so high, his father said.
Hundreds of Indians from surrounding tribes trooped to the huge reservation
to pay their respects to Two-Crow in the tribe's cultural center. He was
given a traditional ceremony as well as a Christian one. His father said
mourners prayed for his spirit to have a safe journey.
A Fort Carson, Colo., Army honor guard fired salutes, while West Point brass,
including the garrison commander, Two-Crow's battalion and company
commanders, and his battalion chaplain, paid their respects.
"Sgt. Two-Crow was part of our family here so we sent a contingent to South
Dakota at the family's invitation to meet with them," said West Point
spokesman Maj. Kent Cassella. "Our purpose was to help them through their
time of loss."
Cassella said a private West Point memorial service will be held next week.
Family members are expected to attend.
Maureen
Two-Crow's death haunts family
One year later, a memorial
(15 July 2003)
Lakota family unsatisfied with Army probe of death Argus Leader and Indiannewz.com (4 April 2003)
Army: Death a result of fall Argus Leader (3 April 2003)
DID SOMEONE KILL SGT. TWO CROW? Argus News (9 March 2003)
Report ahead on soldier's death Times Herald Record (4 March 2003)
REQUEST FOR INVESTIGATION: Death of Sgt Alan Two Crow by
Thomas J. Van Norman, South Dakota State Representative Native News Online (31 Oct 2002)
REQUEST FOR INVESTIGATION: Death of Sgt Alan Two-Information Brief Native News Online (31 Oct 2002)
A supplement to the above.
SD, West Point Officials Answer Questions on Death of Sgt Two Crow (2 Oct 2002)
Finding Sgt. Two Crow (Carter Camp -- 25 Sept 2002)
CHRONOLOGY: MISSING WEST POINT SERGEANT..NO DISCERNIBLE
INVESTIGATION (24 Sept 2002)
Missing U.S. Army soldier located by civilians (24 Sept 2002)
Missing West Point
sarge's body found (24 Sept 2002)
ID confirms Two-Crow's body found (24 Sept 2002)
West Point Death Furor (24 Sept 2002)
Civilians find missing MP's body (23 Sept 2002)
West Point MP vanished without a trace (13 Sept 2002)
Lakota tribal member missing from West Point:
Angry family members seek help from public
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