This was originally published on December 14, 2013.
Records for Bill become fewer after his high school graduation. One example being his military records. Bill served in the United States Navy during World War II, the Korean War, and Vietnam. Unfortunately, the only enlistment date I can find for him is December 31, 1953. His release date was October 7, 1957. His rank is listed as DM3, which is Draftsman-Illustrator Third Class. In fact, the US Navy cruise book for the USS Philippine Sea (CVA-47) for 1955, page 212 has this illustration of Bill:
I had also found another photograph of him in uniform a while back. This is from the US Navy cruise book for the USS Philippine Sea (CVA-47) in 1954, page 149:
Apart from these few snippets of his life during his Navy career, I only have a handful of newspaper articles.
From The Dallas Morning News, May 6, 1948, page 5:
Wide Scope Marks Work Of Students
By Rual Askew
Representative student work from the Dallas Art Institute and the American School of Commercial Art are currently on display at the Telenews and Rush Company galleries under sponsorship of the Federation of Dallas Artists.
While a number of pieces bearing the Dallas Art Institute label are classifiable as fine art, the main emphasis of both exhibits is upon commercial art…
…Of the fifty works on display in the Telenews lounge, some of the best are among those submitted by the American School of Commercial Art. John Blackburn’s figure design for a fashion layout is interesting for its simplicity and styled technique, while William Yernipcut’s ink illustrations of a moon-ridden old gnome with a broken wing has technical excellence and a fairy tale appeal…
From The Dallas Morning News, January 3, 1954, page 10:
William Yernipcut, Indian artist, joined the Navy so he would have time to paint ocean scenes and warships. Lt. Com. Dayton Smith is giving Yernipcut his orders.
SPEAKS RUSSIAN
Indian Artist Joins Navy to Paint Sea
Texas-born Lt. Comdr. Dayton A. Smith on New Year’s Eve ended a 30-year naval career, most of the time spent at sea, when he administered the oath to an Indian who speaks better Russian than he does his native Comanche, and paints good landscapes.
The Navy isn’t new to William H. Yernipcut, in whose veins are the blood of Quanah Parker and Peta Noconas. He won a Letter of Commendation for meritorious service in Aleutian waters during World War II.
It was there that Yernipcut helped train Russian officers in gunnery. He was with them almost a year and learned to speak their language.
Yernipcut always wanted to be an artist and after the war came to Dallas to enter the Dallas Art Institute. He later studied in Chicago.
Yernipcut’s father was a Comanche of the Antelope subtribe and his mother was Wichita, Creek and Seminole. He was born and reared near Lawton, Okla. One of his ancestors was Quanah Parker, Comanche chief who was the son of Cynthia Ann Parker and Peta Noconas.
Yernipcut can not speak Comanche and explains this by saying: “My father of Comanche and my mother had the blood of the Seminole, Creek and Wichita in her –they couldn’t understand each other, so they spoke English.”
Commander Smith came up from the ranks as an apprentice seaman to the grade of lieutenant commander. He spent twenty-three years at sea, most of the time on naval repair ships. He was born at Weatherford, Parker County. he plans to make Dallas his home. He has been assistant officer in charge of the Dallas Naval Recruiting office for three years.
While I am still researching the validity of the Quanah Parker line to Bill, I do find it interesting that Dayton Smith was born in Parker County, which was named for Isaac Parker, the uncle of Cynthia Ann Parker (interesting tidbit found at the Texas State Historical Association).
On December 14, 1976 a newspaper article came out concerning Bill’s death.
From The Anadarko Daily News, December 14, 1976, (I am unsure of the page number):
Fire confined to room
CITY MAN DIES IN MOTEL ROOM BLAZE
William (Bill) Yernipcut, 54, of Anadarko died early today in a fire at his room at the Bon Ton Motel, 302 E. Central.
Police and firemen were called to the motel about 2:20 a.m. after the fire was reported to the motel manager…
(Bill’s) body was found after the fire was controlled.
…Fire Chief Bob Wilkerson said the damage was confined to one room.
Wilkerson said he investigated the scene of the fire and is “fairly sure it was accidental.” However, he still has not determined the cause of the fire, saying “I haven’t put my finger on it yet.”
…Graveside services were to be held for Yernipcut at 4 p.m. today at Rock Springs Cemetery. Smith Funeral Chapel was in charge of the arrangements.
Yernipcut, who was born June 5, 1922, at Lawton, is survived by brother Phillip of Lawton…
I am unsure why his other living siblings weren’t mentioned. I was able to speak to a member of the Anadarko Fire Department, but unfortunately he was unable to find anything further on the investigation. I would like to know what really happened.
William “Bill” Hendrix Yernipcut is buried in Rock Springs Indian Cemetery, Gracemont, Caddo County, Oklahoma.
Photo courtesy of Cokeman2 at FindAGrave.com
WILLIAM H.
YERNIPCUT
DM3 US NAVY
WORLD WAR II
KOREA
VIETNAM
1922
1976
My granddaddy James Paul Stalls, Jr greatly respected Bill. They met in the Aleutian Islands during World War II. Maybe it was their shared love of art that made them such good friends.
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