It might be noted that the ARIKARA was pronounced  air-ah-care-ah  by the US Navy and her crew until Captain Ruhle had a Chief of the Arikara Tribe invited to the Change of Command in 1964 and it was found that the correct pronunciation was a-rik'-a-ra.             The original Ships emblem and plaque was the Chief's head shown on the right, and the ships motto was, "Big Chief".  This was changed, probably in the 1960's to the Insignia shown on the left.  The official plaque that once hung in the Wardroom has been presented to the Arikara Indians and at this time is displayed in the office of  Gary S. Dickens in Roseglen, North Dakota.

The Arikara Indian Nation is now part of the three tribe Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation.  The Nation is located at White Shield, North Dakota on the Fort Berthold Indian reservation.

The USS Arikara Association is opening up a dialog with various members of the Nation and it is hoped that we will soon have Pictures and a few words from some of these folk that represent the ship's namesake.

LTjg Bob Fabris the Arikara XO in 1958 wrote an interesting compilation on the USS Arikara Indian History using information available at the time.  Be sure to read it by clicking on the Arikara History button at the right.