Honoring our Akicita: A conversation with ‘Chuck’ Conroy
By Brandon Ecoffey
Native Sun News Staff Writer PINE RIDGE — Charles “Chuck” Conroy joined the United States Marine Corps in the fall of 1966, where he learned many valuable lessons that have sustained him throughout his life. Born on the Pine Ridge Reservation in 1946, Conroy would spend his youth growing up on the reservation and graduating from Pine Ridge High School in 1966. He would go on to earn his bachelor’s degree from Black Hills State University in Spearfish, and later his master’s degree from the University of South Dakota in Vermillion. Conroy still believes, however, that the Marine Corps did the most to shape him. “The discipline you learn in the Marine Corps is outstanding — you just can’t beat it,” Conroy said. “Self-discipline, motivation and how to tackle problems: I learned all this in the Marine Corps. It really helps a person in life.” “When you come across problems that you are unsure about you learn how to work through them — I learned that in the Marine Corps,” he added. Conroy spent four years in the United States Marine Corps and 27 months overseas serving in the Vietnam War, where he was involved the battle of Khe San, which took place in 1968 between Jan. 21 and July 29. During the battle, Conroy and his unit were pinned down for 77 days on a series of three hills where they withstood constant shelling from North Vietnamese forces. “We were pretty much stuck on three hills. It was pretty much nip and tuck. I think that it was the highlight of my service time. The older I get the more I think back on those times,” said Conroy. Today, Conroy spends much of his time working cattle on the Pine Ridge Reservation and occasionally dabbling in the world of tribal politics. He says he would like to see more young people follow in his footsteps and serve their country by enlisting in the military. “Well, to me the best thing that I did was to enlist in the service, because Pine Ridge hasn’t really changed so it was good for me to get away and learn discipline and make improvements in my life. I encourage young people to look towards that route so that they can learn the things I did during my time in the service,” Conroy said. In addition to gaining life lessons in the military, Conroy believes that by serving in the military he was able to have something in his life that both he and his people could be proud of. “Yeah, it made me proud. I felt good about going in to the Marine Corps, and I felt good about coming back. I came back on the last day of the Sun Dance and I was recognized there. It was nice to be recognized because no other veterans were being recognized around the country at that time except for us on the reservations,” he said. “I’m proud of my service, and I think others are (proud of their service) as well.” (Contact Brandon Ecoffey at staffwriter2@nsweekly.com)
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