Tribute to James Nahanee, Squamish Nation Veteran

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Vale WWII Aboriginal Veteran

James P. Nahanee - Royal Canadian Engineers

March 17, 1925 - November 2, 2012

James Nahanee.Aboriginal Veterans Day 2005.jpeg (12.22 KiB) Viewed 2451 times

Beloved Squamish Nation member and proud Canadian WWII Veteran Spr. James P. Nahanee passed away peacefully at the age of 87 on Friday, November 2, 2012.

Prayers for Mr Nahanee will be held tonight at 7:00pm at the Chief Joe Mathias Centre at 100 Capilano Road, North Vancouver. The Final Service will be held at the same location on Wednesday, November 7 at 10:00am.

James Nahanee enlisted for WWII in 1943 at the age of 18 after quitting his job at the Burrard Shipyard to follow in the footsteps of his older brother Edward.

James Nahanee. WWII Aboriginal Veteran.jpeg (4.57 KiB) Viewed 2409 times

After completing his training in Canada with high marks, he served with the Royal Canadian Engineers (RCE) - also known as sappers - as a corporal. It was their job to dismantle bridges and complete mine-and-booby trap sweeping after the Allies had cleared areas of German troops. During the war all men were brothers-in-arms, and he made close friends within his unit.



When the International Year of the Veteran was announced in 2005, James asked his nephew Robert Nahanee (also a Canadian Forces Veteran) to ensure that the great contributions and sacrifices Aboriginal veterans and their families have made for Canada are never forgotten.



“Our people have served this country and have helped to make it what it is today. Veterans and their families have reason to be proud,” James Nahanee said at the first ‘Honouring Our Aboriginal Veterans March, Ceremony & Feast’ on November 8, 2005 in Vancouver.



“Today we honour and remember the sacrifices of our Aboriginal men and women in the spirit of peace and freedom, brotherhood and sisterhood. It is time that we pass our proud history of service onto our children.



“It is the custom of our people. If a call for help comes, regardless of where it comes from, we help.”



Vale James P. Nahanee.