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Walter Sampson

Walter Sampson is an Iñupiaq elder who was born in 1948 in Noorvik, Alaska. Walter was educated at the high school in Noorvik, Kotzebue Friends High School, and Chemawa Indian School in Salem, Oregon. After graduating from Chemawa in 1968, Walter was drafted and served in the army for two years, including training at Fort Lewis in Washington and serving in Vietnam with the Americal Division combat infantry unit. He was awarded two bronze star medals, one Army commendation medal, a Vietnam service medal, a National Defense medal, a Vietnam campaign medal, and a combat infantry badge. After he was discharged from the military, Walter returned to northwestern Alaska where he has worked in a variety of positions, including for NANA Regional Corporation from 1973 to 2014 when he retired, being a member and president of the Northwest Arctic Borough Assembly, being a board member of the Alaska Electric Cooperative, and serving on a variety of federal and state boards and commissions representing subsistence, land and tribal rights for the NANA region. From February 29 to March 2, 1996, Walter was the facilitator for the Communities of Memory public storytelling event held in Kotzebue where local residents spoke about their memories of and experiences related to the military.

Date of Birth:

Jan 8, 1948

Walter Sampson appears in the following new Jukebox projects:

Kotzebue Communities of Memory

Interview Title	Abstract	Archive #: Oral History	Project	Date of Interview
Kotzebue Communities of Memory Introduction	Walter Sampson gives an introduction to the Communities of Memory public storytelling event being held at the NANA Museum in Kotzebue, Alaska from February 29 to March 2, 1996. He explains that members of the community will be talking about their memories of and experiences with being in the military ranging from the Alaska Territorial Guard (ATG), World War II, Korean War, Vietnam and more recent conflicts like Desert Storm, and that it may at times get emotional. He also thanks the Alaska Humanities Forum for funding the event, and introduces visitors.	2015-25-01_PT.1	Kotzebue Communities of Memory	Feb 29, 1996
Kotzebue Communities of Memory Reading Names	In this section of the Communities of Memory public storytelling event held at the NANA Museum in Kotzebue, Alaska from February 29 to March 2, 1996, Walter Sampson, Alfred Wells, Sr., Clarence Allen, Sr., and Raymond Coppock read the names of people from communities in the area who served in the military. This was done as a way to honor those who have served. When reviewing the recording in 2016, the local committee in Kotzebue felt that a number of names were left off the original list and requested that some be added. They also acknowledged that there are probably more names that were missed (and others that have served since this recognition done in 1996), and we apologize for any errors of this kind. In addition, since the names were read out loud, it was not always possible to find accurate spellings. We apologize for any errors, and are eager to make any corrections that anyone can provide to us.	2015-25-01_PT.1	Kotzebue Communities of Memory	Feb 29, 1996
Walter Sampson	Walter Sampson, originally from Noorvik, Alaska, speaks on March 1, 1996 during the Communities of Memory public storytelling event held at the NANA Museum in Kotzebue, Alaska from February 29 to March 2, 1996. He talks about his experience in the military during the Vietnam War. He talks about the training, being in battle, and being caught in a large ambush where many people died. He also talks about the hardship of losing a good friend, the emotional trauma of having to kill people, how the war changed him, and the importance of sharing your feelings as a way to heal.	2015-25-05_PT.1	Kotzebue Communities of Memory	Mar 1, 1996