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f P www Spilyay Tymoo Warm Springs, Oregon August 3, 1995 5 Time spent in Korea creates life-long struggle for Yahtin by Robert Medina Chesley Yahtin was born December 8, 1930 in Simnasho to Cecil Yahtin to rest, a cold drink of water and some and Hazel Queahpama Tewee. hot food to eat in this same spot." Chesley doesn't recall his father very Because of Chesley's upbringing by well because he spent little time with his grandparents, he also learned to him. But, his mother, Hazel seemed to keep herself busy working odd jobs here arid there mostly picking berries and sometimes picking potatoes in the fields. Besides working, Hazel would also care for her other children, Chesley's sisters Viola Govenor, Amelia Tewee, Nellie Spino and step-sister Ruth Tewee. Two of Chesley's brothers drowned at HeHe during the Army Camp days, says Chesley. "I was younger than them so I don't recall them too well. I remember one was named Evert, they were between six and seven years old." Some years later Chesley's mother was hired as a postal carrier saving, "I'll be back in three days. On Portland, were shipped to Japan. In Chesley could J . m 1 nrrt I 'l l A J f 1 mvretumlexnectan ceshadvD ace Marcn ivdu, wnne piayine army ao ror mm v f . . . i i r - : V A ki ; ; J Y I . J games, Lnesiey received an urgent nisiastworas message from home that changed his were, life. His Grandfather had died and the "Chesley family wanted Chesley to attend the please don't funeral back let me die." home. From that day Chesley's on, after commanding loosing his officer grandfather assured him that he would be flown home to attend his grandfather's funeral, but for unknown reasons, the Army and loosing his best friend, Chesley swore he would never get close to anyone else ever again, this vow included his changed own family. In 1950, Chesley was a Medical Aide in Korea. their minds and Chesley was unable to attend the funeral. All Chesley could think of was his grandfather waving In early November ' JIM , mj ;;-- v! 1 ' '""' '"ww t u 1 r -.J ' they had long since ceased to worry that they might be next to fall from enemy bullets. Too much exhaustion and pain and death had been their companions. "We no longer thought or cared, because we were the walking dead. We passed the last Chinese ambush recalls Chesley where lay crumpled the men soon to be given places on other trucks and trailers farther back in the column the men never to freeze, worry, or go hungry or march again, at Simnasho and she kept that job for respect them and would always meet many years, recalls Chesley. As a his grandfather's wishes. Chesley young boy, Chesley recalls, he spent wanted his grandfather to be proud of most of his time with his him. grandparents, Frank Queahpama, Jr. At the aee of ten, some people came and Minnie Yahtin, also of Simnasho. by horseback and took Chesley away Korea just below the 38th parellel near Chesley's mother would worry and from his grandfather and returned the Hiro Chon Reservoir, "we got an feared that some day, Government him to his mother. His mother was people would come and take Chesley instructed to enroll Chesley in school away and she would never see her at Simnasho where he only attended son again, that's why she would rather for a short while before being him be with his grandparents who transferred to the Warm Springs Chesley now lives in Warm Springs 1950, the battle of the Chosin Reservoir recalls Chesley. in North Korea began to get worse "I am one of The Chosin Few, I'm says Chesley, General MacArthur very proud to say," says Chesley. announced, "We will finish this war "Whatever me and my buddies were to the end." We kept pushing north in that frozen iong-ago and whatever until the Chinese thought we were we are now, we are bound as one for getting too close, recalls Chesley. They life in an exclusive fraternity of honor," hit us with everything they had. We says Chesley quoting a war-related good-bye to were sitting ducks in that Reservoir, publication. "The only way into our him in rront there were Pullets nying rrom an ranKsistonavepaiaineuuehciLinn-c of the old Administration building. directions toward us, soldiers were and valor of being there. 1 he cost or Some how, Chesley, and the friend dropping all around us, and all we he met in Portland, ended up in Korea, together. On June 2, 1950 at about three in the morning, while in South artillery and mortar attack from the Chinese communists in Korea. could do was wait... Wait in the 30-40 below zero weather for death to take another one of us. It was either one of those bullets that were coming down like rain or freezing to death, so the men walked. They walked with necks bent, shoulders hunched, eyes almost Chesley was resting in back of an closed to a kind of cold against which Army jeep when bomb fragments there was no protection in which no began flying in all directions. The clothes had warmth. As a U.S. Army lived away from the small community Boarding School. Because Chesley did attack woke Chesley just in time. He medic, "I was unable to tend to alot of ot bimnasho. Lhesiey aiant mind not know the hnglish language, other being with his grandparents; they were traditional people and he liked learning from his grandfather. His grandfather taught Chesley how to ride a horse and how to fish kids would make fun of him. He could not understand, and it would make him mad, so he didn't want to be there even after thev brought in an interpreter. At the age of 17, Chesley including his best without hooks or any other fishing tried diligently to get enlisted in the friend who, was equipment. He also learned how to Army, but they would not accept him supposed to have hunt. Being with his grandparents without his parent's signature. His gone back home on meant learning the ways of life for mother refused to sign in fear that she Chesley. would never see him again. As soon Chesley enjoyed riding horses and as Chesley turned 18, he walked all going hunting up in the mountains the way to Bend, over 50 miles, where with his grandfather. the Selective Service office was located. He liked going to Jefferson Creek He signed up and told them he wanted and Mt. Jefferson area where his to leave right away. Chesley was taken grandfather would submerge him in to Portland that same day and given cold mountain water before a nice seventy five dollars plus two weeks to say good-bye to all his family in Warm laving in a pool of Springs. blood with a large From basic training in California, gash on his head. Chesley, and a young friend he met in There was nothing raiseduponhiselbows,beganlooking my buddies, recalls Chesley. "There around and wondered "what the hell were different occasions when I'd rush was going on". Portions of the from one soldier to the next without fragments flew by him causing no even thinking and find myself face to harm to him, but killed 13 men face with the enemy. I was forced to kill or be June 1, the day before the attack. Chesley, ' was serving as a Medical Aid Man in the U.S Army. He ran to the aid of the wounded and found his friend long sweat. Sometimes Chesley s grandfather would take him up to the mountains and drop him off with only a rifle. He recalls his grandfather Vacation Bible School at the Warm Springs Baptist Church Monday - Friday, August 14-18 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. For information call 553-1267 or 553-5226 House for sale Four-bedroom, two bath. All appliances included. Well maintained and landscaped in Greeley Heights area. 553-1055 1949 he enlisted in the United States Army at age 18. Want to buy Wanted-26 foot Teepee, in good condition. Would like to purchase. Call 383-3316. For sale Quilts and quillows. Or can be made to order at a reasonable price. Christmas is just around the corner.. ..hurry, hurry, hurry. Call Eraina at 553-3331. killed." During the rest intervals fires were built alongside the road. The fires gave no heat, for the hours near morning were so cold that nothing could break its grip. Nor did the fires cause concern among the men, joining, in short, is beyond all earthly wealth". "Coming home was no picnic either after what I just went through in Korea, I wasn't the same person anymore and my family and friends could tell right away." Shortly after his return home,Chesley was married. However, the marriage lasted only a very short while. Two more marriages resulted in 13 children, six of whom have passed away. Chesley has many grandchildren and they are very important to him. He depends on them to keep him going. Over the years Chesley has discovered he "was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. I would try to hide my feelings by drinking alcohol. I got into a lot of trouble. Day after day I would treat others in a bad way," relates Chesley. His efforts to hide his pain only caused more pain for him and subsequently, it has taken its toll. After years and years of suffering, Chesley, within the past four years, has come to realize that he need not be alone in his fight. He has sought and received help through counseling. He has support in the community. He is making progress in his struggle for "normalcy". Engine crew members introduce themselves to community The Spilyay Tymoo will feature biographies of the engine crew at Fire Management so the community may be informed of who they are. These are the first three: Tana Frank I'm a Nez Perce and Klamath. I grew up mostly in Klamath Falls, Oregon. This is my third year as a firefighter. I worked one year with Winema Hotshots in 1994. This is my first year as an engine operator. To go to college is my future goal. John P. Miller Hello, my name is John P. Miller. I have lived here at Warm Springs most of my life. I worked for Fire & Safety for one year and transferred over to Fire Management. This is my second year with the eneine crew. I enjoy working outdoors and having different challenges on the job every day. I'm not really thinking about the future yet. Tray Leonard I was bom in Madras, Oregon on October 28, 1969. 1 am Warm Springs, Wasco, Yakima, Nez Perce. I have four sisters and two brothers. I attended Mt. Hood Community College for two years for fish and wildlife, also to Central Oregon Community College. I have been employed with Fire Hotshot crew as the foreman, license. I have also been a Management for the past eight Currently, I am the Assistant volunteer for Fire and Safety for years. My first three years I worked Engine Director for the engine the past ten months, on the Helitack crew as the crew. I will be going back to school Assistant Foreman. I then I am in the process of getting this fall for fire science in structure transferred to the Interagency my EMT-B and my private pilots fires at COCC. Picnic was great Thanks! John Miller, Tana Frank, and Tray Leonard pictured in front of one of their engines. The first three from the engine crew to be featured in Spilyay Tymoo. To the Editor, The elder's picnic at Celilo, Or egon has become a popular event. July 20th marked the fifth annual event. The weather was nice. Many trav eled far and near. It was a wonderful sight to see our elders meet, share a meal and share stories with one an other. Our elders traveled from Yakama, Warm Springs, Umatilla, Nez Perce and our local Columbia River elders came and joined us for this wonderful event. Each year the Senior Programs meet and plan the picnic. The event seems to get bigger each year. This year, we had our elders from Nez Perce Country join us. That made it all the more special. A thank you to our Nez Perce and Umatilla elders for the gifts they brought to share with all of our July birthdays. This year the YIN LISTEN Pro gram Youth council joined us. The dancing and drum beat was a special treat. It was a pretty good day to see our younger generation and elders come together. At this time we would like to say think you to the many different pro grams and volunteers for their help. With your extra help, the picnic was a total success. A special thank you for all program cooks; you did a wonderful job! Thanks to these people: YIN Tribal Council; YIN CHR and SYE volunteers, YIN Facility Management staff, YIN AAOA Staff and SYE volunteers, YIN LISTEN staff. Warm springs AAOA Staff, volunteers, Warm Springs Tribal council for the salmon, YIN Youth Council and members, Umatilla AAOA staff, WTiite Swan Job Corps, Nez Perce AAOA staff and volun teers, Patrick Wcaslehcad, director or research and development for In dian Education, Vicki Ghosthorse, Tina Antone, Wilson Wcwa, Chuck Williams and Salmon Corps folks from Umatilla and the Salmon Corps folks from Goldendale. Thanks again. We're looking for ward to next year's event. Picnic attendees from Yakama ( ' . - -- "