THE VIRTUAL Museum: ON THE BATTLEFRONT

Little is known about the approximately 50 South Asians believed to have served in the U.S. Armed Forces during the Civil War.

The U.S. Colored Troops Military Service Record for John Johnson, the dark complexioned porter in the 11th Regiment, U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery who was born in “Hindoostan, India” tantalizes researchers with unanswered questions.

When and how did he come to the United States? Why did he leave India? What was life like for him as one of a handful of Indians here?

Complicating the search for Indians who served in the U.S. military in the early years of their presence on American soil is the fact that most of these individuals had adopted European names.

Nonetheless, it is reasonably assumed that those who listed India as their birthplace and were identified as “colored” or “swarthy” or “mulatto” were of Indian origin and not Europeans who had been born in India.

(Courtesy of Shila Tantra)

Among the soldiers of Indian origin during World War I was Chandra Lachman Singh who came to the U.S. in 1911 from Guyana and was working in Chicago when he was inducted into the army in 1918. Returning to Chicago after the war, he purchased and managed residential properties in Lincoln Park and Hyde Park. He and his wife, Nerissa, a physicIan, were active in the Indian independence movement and worked in India with Gandhi and the Indian National Congress from 1929 to 1932.

Sergeant Uday Singh, the first Indian military casualty of Operation Iraqi Freedom, lost his life on December 1, 2003 when his convoy was ambushed in Habbaniyah, west of Baghdad. He had been awarded the Army Achievement Medal in 2001 and received a Purple Heart in this operation. As the son, grandson and nephew of officers in the Indian army, the U.S. military had been a natural choice of career options for him, and he had looked forward to becoming a citizen of the country for which he was fighting.

(Courtesy of Meenakshi and Peter Iyer)

Dr. Rajiv Iyer, a major in the United States Air Force, was on active duty from late May to September 2006. He was stationed at the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, a combat support hospital located in Balad, Iraq, roughly 50 km from Baghdad, at the northern end of the Sunni triangle—the heart of the fighting during this time. The 332nd is the busiest wartime hospital since the Vietnam war, with 12,000 procedures performed every year, and with each surgeon, including Dr. Iyer, handling 200-300 cases.

"War is always horrible but what really inspired me was the good seen in mankind: soldiers giving selflessly to preserve what we have here; acts of courage that surprise you, inspire you; the smile and gratitude of the local Iraqis; even strangers, people that I haven’t ever met going out of their way and sending me care packages and becoming my friends. All this kept me going, knowing that mankind is inherently good.

"Struggles lead to reflection. Reflection leads to a fresh perspective. I believe the lessons learned in combat can be applied to everyday life in the United States. The stories of veterans who could not tell their stories need to be told. This is one of my missions…"

Inspired by his comrades, Dr. Bose’s motivational lectures raise awareness and funds for injured veterans. For more details visit his website.