Tommy Prince (First Nations)

Soldier, war veteran, hero

  • Born: October 25, 1915
  • Birthplace: Petersfield, Manitoba, Canada
  • Died: November 25, 1977
  • Place of death: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Also known as: Thomas George Prince

Significance: Tommy Prince was a First Nations Canadian soldier. He served during World War II (1939–1945) and the Korean War (1950–1953) and became a decorated war veteran. He is remembered for his bravery during combat.

Background

Thomas George Prince was born on October 25, 1915, in Petersfield, Manitoba, Canada, son of Harry and Elizabeth Desjarlais Prince. The family was of First Nations descent and included eleven children. Prince was a descendant of Peguis, a Saulteaux chief. When Prince was around five years old, the family moved to the Brokenhead Ojibway Nation reserve near Scanterbury, Manitoba.

Growing up, Prince was interested in hunting and fishing. He became a skilled shooter. Prince was part of the youth Royal Canadian Army Cadets. Although he wanted to continue his schooling, his family needed him to help support the family. At the time, Canada was in the midst of the Great Depression. Prince left school after eighth grade and worked odd jobs.

Prince later decided to enlist in the Canadian Military Engineers branch of the army. He was accepted in June of 1940. He began his training and was sent to England. He became bored and turned to sports for entertainment. He took up running, boxing, and football. In 1942, the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion called for volunteers, and Prince offered to join. He was accepted into the program and became part of the 1st Special Service Force (FSSF), a Canadian-American combined military force.

The unit's members received special training in parachute attacks, marine landings, mountain fighting, and desert warfare. They also trained with new weaponry and performed water operations. Prince trained hard and excelled at parachuting and during other military exercises. Prince wanted to be at the center of the action and longed to see combat.

Life's Work

Prince prepared for combat in the summer of 1943 against Japan near the Aleutian Island of Kiska; however, the Japanese had already departed before the arrival of the FSSF. In the fall, the squadron traveled to Italy, where it joined American allied troops. The soldiers participated in the Naples-Foggia campaign, which was fought in the mountains against the German troops. The special training gave the FSSF an advantage. However, this advantage waned into 1944, as the enemy began to advance, and the weather and terrain took a toll on the soldiers.

Prince became known for his strengths on the field and ability to find his way and avoid enemy gunfire. He was swift and silent, which helped him avoid being caught and relay information about the enemy to the FSSF. Prince eventually earned the rank of sergeant. During a mission near the Port of Anzio, he offered to dress as a farmer to hide his identity and spy on the Germans. He relayed information to his troops via telephone from an old farmhouse. When the telephone line was damaged, Prince went outside right in front of the enemy and repaired the telephone line. To do this, he pretended to weed a field and bent down to tie his shoe but was actually fixing the wire. These actions allowed the FSSF to successfully defeat the troops firing at the allies. For his service, Prince received the Military Medal in February of 1944.

In the fall of 1944, Prince once again demonstrated his bravery. The troops were in France by this time. Prince traveled with another solider for three days over forty miles (about seventy kilometers) on foot to L'Escarène to gain information about the enemy to relay back to his troops. On the way back, the pair encountered a skirmish between French and German troops. They intervened on behalf of the French and helped to fight off the Germans. For this brave act, Prince received the Silver Star Medal from the United States.

In December of 1944, the FSSF was inactivated, and Prince returned to England with the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion in early 1945. He was discharged from the Canadian military in the summer of 1945 and was honored for his military service by King George VI. He returned to civilian life, but he had trouble adjusting and finding employment.

In the summer of 1950, he reenlisted in the Canadian Army Special Force (CASF) to serve in the Korean War. Prince served as a sergeant with the 2nd Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (2 PPCLI). He saw combat action, displaying acts of bravery on the front lines. The unit fought in the Battle of Kapyong in April of 1951 against the Chinese troops. While some soldiers wanted to withdraw, Prince convinced them to stay and fight; the unit succeeded against the Chinese troops. The 2 PPCLI received the US Presidential Unit Citation.

Over the next few months, Prince struggled to interact with the commanders in his unit. He then experienced some health issues such as exhaustion and arthritis of the knee. He was sent home from service in October of 1951. The army tried to find him a job, but Prince had become difficult for many to get along with; he decided to return to combat in 1952. He again struggled to get along with his unit. After an incident that left one solider missing despite protests from Prince that the unit was accounted for, his days in combat were over. He was honorably discharged from the army in 1953.

Prince again struggled to adjust to civilian life. He worked odd jobs and began drinking heavily. His health declined. It was later determined that Prince suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Prince died on November 25, 1977, in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Impact

Prince was regarded as a First Nations Canadian hero for his acts of bravery during World War II and the Korean War. He was awarded more than a dozen medals and certificates for his services. In addition, he fought for the rights of his ancestors, lobbying the Canadian government to change the terms of the Indian Act. Prince was recognized for his efforts, and his name lived on after his death.

Personal Life

Prince was married, but he divorced after his first round of military service. He then married Verna Sinclair, and the couple had five children. He struggled after he left the military. It was difficult for him to find work, and he suffered from alcoholism. He and his second wife separated. Over time, Prince eventually quit drinking.

Bibliography

Fiddler, Meagan. "Decorated First Nations Vet Tommy Prince Embodied Triumph, Darkness of War." CBC News, 11 Nov. 2015, www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/decorated-first-nations-vet-tommy-prince-embodied-triumph-darkness-of-war-1.2730680. Accessed 4 Apr. 2017.

Lackenbauer, P. Whitney. "'A Hell of a Warrior': Remembering Sergeant Thomas George Prince." Journal of Historical Biography, www.ufv.ca/jhb/Volume‗1/Volume‗1‗Lackenbauer.pdf. Accessed 4 Apr. 2017.

"Tommy Prince." Canadian Encyclopedia, www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/tommy-prince. Accessed 4 Apr. 2017.

"Tommy Prince." Historica Canada, 2005, www.historicacanada.ca/content/heritage-minutes/tommy-prince. Accessed 4 Apr. 2017.

Watson, Galadriel. "Courage and Honour: The Life of Thomas Prince." Scholastic Canada, 2008, www.scholastic.ca/education/movingupwithliteracyplace/pdfs/grade5/selfmonstrategyguide/15-princewhiteboard.pdf. Accessed 4 Apr. 2017.