Indigenous war veteran Tommy Prince honoured with new stamp

Canada Post is issuing a new stamp to remember the life and achievements of Sergeant Thomas (Tommy) George Prince, MM (1915-77), one of Canada’s most decorated Indigenous war veterans and a prominent Anishinaabe activist.

Born on St. Peter’s Reserve, Manitoba, into the Brokenhead Ojibway Nation, Sergeant Tommy Prince enlisted with the Royal Canadian Engineers in 1940.

Two years later, he joined the 1st Special Service Force, a joint Canada-US specialized reconnaissance and raiding unit, where he was known for his marksmanship, stealth and tracking skills. He once repaired the broken telephone line he was using to report on German positions by posing, in full view of the enemy, as a farmer tending his fields.

For his service during the Second World War and Korean War, Prince was awarded 11 medals, including the Military Medal and the Silver Star (US). After the Second World War, he served as vice-president of the Manitoba Indian Association, advocating for the abolition of the Indian Act and for the government to respect existing treaties.

Designed by Blair Thomson of Believe in, the stamp features a photo of Prince in his Korean War uniform. 

It will be available for purchase starting October 28.

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