WW11

Jack C. Montgomery. A Cherokee from Oklahoma, and a First Lieutenant with the 45th Infantry Division Thunderbirds. On 22 February 1944, near Padiglione, Italy, Montgomery's rifle platoon was under fire by three echelons of enemy forces, when he single-handedly attacked all three positions, taking prisoners in the process. As a result of his courage, Montgomery's actions demoralized the enemy and inspired his men to defeat the Axis troops.

BORN: 1917

DIED: Jun. 11, 2002

BURIED: Fort Gibson National Cemetery
Fort Gibson
Muskogee County
Oklahoma

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Ernest Childers. A Creek from Oklahoma, and a First Lieutenant with the 45th Infantry Division. Childers received the Medal of Honor for heroic action in 1943 when, up against machine gun fire, he and eight men charged the enemy. Although suffering a broken foot in the assault, Childers ordered covering fire and advanced up the hill, single-handedly killing two snipers, silencing two machine gun nests, and capturing an enemy mortar observer.

BORN: Feb. 1, 1918

DIED: Mar. 17, 2005

BURIED: Floral Haven Memorial Gardens
Broken Arrow
Tulsa County
Oklahoma, USA
Plot: Veterans Field of Honor

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Van Barfoot. A Choctaw from Mississippi, and a Second Lieutenant in the Thunderbirds. On 23 May 1944, during the breakout from Anzio to Rome, Barfoot knocked out two machine gun nests and captured 17 German soldiers. Later that same day, he repelled a German tank assault, destroyed a Nazi fieldpiece and while returning to camp carried two wounded commanders to safety.

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Mitchell Red Cloud Jr. A Winnebago from Wisconsin, and a Corporal in Company E., 19th Infantry Regiment in Korea. On 5 November 1950, Red Cloud was on a ridge guarding his company command post when he was surprised by Chinese communist forces. He sounded the alarm and stayed in his position firing his automatic rifle and point-blank to check the assault. This gave his company time to consolidate their defenses. After being severely wounded by enemy fire, he refused assistance and continued firing upon the enemy until he was fatally wounded. His heroic action prevented the enemy from overrunning his company's position and gained time for evacuation of the wounded.

BORN: Jul. 2, 1924

DIED: Nov. 5, 1950

BURIED: [Decorah Cemetery](http://null/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&GSln=RED CLOUD&GSfn=MITCHEL&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=7932505&CRid=87782&)
Black River Falls
Jackson County
Wisconsin, USA

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Charles George. A Cherokee from North Carolina, and Private First Class in Korea when he was killed on 30 November 1952. During battle, George threw himself upon a grenade and smothered it with his body. In doing so, he sacrificed his own life but saved the lives of his comrades. For this brave and selfless act, George was posthumously award the Medal of Honor in 1954.

BORN: Aug. 23, 1932

DIED: Nov. 30, 1952

BURIED: Yellow Hill
Cherokee
Swain County
North Carolina, USA

American Indian Medal of Honor Winners

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