“An excellent addition to a small number of works authored by Native American WWII veterans. [It] will be useful for anyone interested in the Pawnee, Native Americans in World War II and as an example of one Native’s views of military service and related cultural traditions.”—American Indian Culture and Research Journal
“An important work which describes in detail, the day to day life of Native American soldiers in combat. It will enlighten anyone who desires to know who our soldiers were, and how and why they fought.”—On Point
"Echohawk movingly narrates his experiences and those of his fellow Native soldiers, including details that contextualize their service. A gifted artist, Echohawk drew poignant sketches over the course of the war, which are interspersed throughout this book. This monograph honors the heroic service of Native soldiers and patriots while also vividly conveying the horrors of war."—Library Journal
"This honest and beautiful memoir begins with the division's botched landing in Anzio and focuses on days of close combat and frequent confusion familiar to so many GIs in the European theater. Echohawk movingly recalls the language and warrior traditions he and his fellow Native soldiers followed—and, in one episode, humorously recalls fake ones they invented to intimidate insolent German captives. This excellent and fascinating account is a unique contribution to the literature of WWII."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“This memoir is an outstanding contribution to the literature of World War II and, hopefully, will instill pride (and perhaps even awe) in current and future generations of readers who want to know what the war was like for the individual fighting man—especially one of Native American heritage. Although Native Americans have been terribly discriminated against for centuries by the US government, the men who served their country as warriors demonstrated courage and loyalty out of all proportion to their numbers. Brummett Echohawk was one of these warriors, and his story is among the best personal accounts of the war that one will find.” —Flint Whitlock, author of The Rock of Anzio: From Sicily to Dachau, a History of the U.S. 45th Infantry Division
“Drawing Fire is a unique and invaluable contribution about American Indians serving in the United States Armed Forces during World War II. It is the personal memoir of the self-taught Pawnee artist Brummett Echohawk, who developed his artistic skills on the battlefields of Europe as a member of the famed 45th Infantry. The reader of this gripping narrative will feel like a participant in what is often the tedium of military service punctuated by the horrors of combat.”—Herman J. Viola, curator emeritus, Smithsonian Institution
“Drawing Fire is a sometimes humorous, sometimes heartbreaking, but always fascinating account of the 1943 invasion of Italy by the 45th ‘Thunderbird’ Division, which gained fame because of the number of Native American soldiers in the companies, their bravery and leadership skills, and their use of tribal languages (in this case mostly Pawnee), sign language, and honored warrior traditions. Echohawk’s oral history, which reads like a well-paced action movie script, will be of great interest to World War II military buffs and a substantive contribution to historians and researchers in the sparse field on Native Americans in World War II.”—Jeré Bishop Franco, author of Crossing the Pond: The Native American Effort in World War II
“Brummett Echohawk served with the 45th Infantry Division throughout Italy where he was awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart with two Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Congressional Gold Medal (posthumously). Drawing on his tribal heritage, following the war he dedicated himself to preserving traditional Pawnee culture and became a nationally recognized Native American artist.”—Kenny A. Franks, coauthor of Pawnee Pride: A History of Pawnee County
