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American Indian Medal of Honor Recipients

American Indian Campaigns in the West

ALCHESAY Rank and Organization: Sergeant, Indian Scouts. Place and Date: Winter of 1872-73. Entered Service At: Camp Verde, Ariz. Born: 1853, Arizona Territory. Date of Issue: 12 April 1875. Citation: Gallant conduct during campaigns and engagements with Apaches.

CHIQUITO Rank and Organization: Indian Scouts. Place and Date: Winter of 1871-73. Birth: Arizona. Date of Issue: 12 April 1875. Indian Scouts. Place and Date: Winter of 1871-73. Birth: Arizona. Date of Issue: 12 April 1875. Citation: Gallant conduct during campaigns and engagements with Apaches.

CO-RUX-TE-CHOD-ISH (Mad Bear) Rank and Organization: Sergeant, Pawnee Scouts, U.S. Army. Place and Date: At Republican River, Kans., 8 July 1869. Birth: Nebraska. Date of Issue: 24 August 1869. Sergeant, Pawnee Scouts, U.S. Army. Place and Date: At Republican River, Kans., 8 July 1869. Birth: Nebraska. Date of Issue: 24 August 1869. Citation: Ran out from the command in pursuit of a dismounted Indian; was shot down and badly wounded by a bullet from his own command.

Elsatsoosh
Elsatsoosh was one of ten Indian Scouts who guided Crook's columns during the winter campaign of 1872-73 that was cited for "Gallant conduct during the campaigns and engagements with Apaches." Twelve members of the U.S. Cavalry also earned Medals of Honor during this series of engagements.

FACTOR, POMPEY
Rank and Organization: Private, Indian Scouts. Place and Date: At Pecos River, Tex., 25 April 1875. Birth: Arkansas. Date of Issue: 28 May 1875. Private, Indian Scouts. Place and Date: At Pecos River, Tex., 25 April 1875. Birth: Arkansas. Date of Issue: 28 May 1875. Citation: With 3 other men, he participated in a charge against 25 hostiles while on a scouting patrol.

Sergeant Jim
One of ten Indian Scouts who guided Crook's columns during the winter campaign of 1872-73 that was cited for "Gallant conduct during the campaigns and engagements with Apaches." Twelve members of the U.S. Cavalry also earned Medals of Honor during this series of engagements.

Kelsay was one of ten Indian Scouts who guided Crook's columns during the winter campaign of 1872-73 that was cited for "Gallant conduct during the campaigns and engagements with Apaches." Twelve members of the U.S. Cavalry also earned Medals of Honor during this series of engagements.

KOSOHA
Rank and Organization: Indian Scouts. Place and Date: Winter of 1872-73. Birth: Arizona. Date of Issue: 12 April 1875. Indian Scouts. Place and Date: Winter of 1872-73. Birth: Arizona. Date of Issue: 12 April 1875. Citation: Gallant conduct during campaigns and engagements with Apaches.

MACHOL
Rank and Organization: Private, Indian Scouts. Place and Date: Arizona, 1872-73. Birth: Arizona. Date of Issue: 12 April 1875. Private, Indian Scouts. Place and Date: Arizona, 1872-73. Birth: Arizona. Date of Issue: 12 April 1875. Citation: Gallant conduct during campaign and engagements with Apaches.

NANNASADDIE
Rank and Organization: Indian Scouts. Place and Date: 1872-73. Birth: Arizona. Date of Issue: 12 April 1875. Indian Scouts. Place and Date: 1872-73. Birth: Arizona. Date of Issue: 12 April 1875. Citation: Gallant conduct during campaigns and engagements with Apaches.

Nantaje
Nantaje was one of ten Indian Scouts who guided Crook's columns during the winter campaign of 1872-73 that was cited for "Gallant conduct during the campaigns and engagements with Apaches." Twelve members of the U.S. Cavalry also earned Medals of Honor during this series of engagements.

PAINE, ADAM
Rank and Organization: Private, Indian Scouts. Place and Date: Canyon Blanco tributary of the Red River, Tex., 26-27 September 1874. Entered Service At: Fort Duncan, Texas. Birth: Florida. Date of Issue: 13 October 1875. Private, Indian Scouts. Place and Date: Canyon Blanco tributary of the Red River, Tex., 26-27 September 1874. Entered Service At: Fort Duncan, Texas. Birth: Florida. Date of Issue: 13 October 1875. Citation: Rendered invaluable service to Col. R. S. Mackenzie, 4th U.S. Cavalry, during this engagement.

PAYNE, ISAAC
Rank and Organization: Trumpeter, Indian Scouts. Place and Date: At Pecos River, Tex., 25 April 1875. Birth: Mexico. Date of Issue: 28 May 1875. Trumpeter, Indian Scouts. Place and Date: At Pecos River, Tex., 25 April 1875. Birth: Mexico. Date of Issue: 28 May 1875. Citation: With 3 other men, he participated in a charge against 25 hostiles while on a scouting patrol.

ROWDY
Rank and Organization: Sergeant, Company A, Indian Scouts. Place and Date: Arizona, 7 March 1890. Birth: Arizona. Date of Issue: 15 May 1890. Sergeant, Company A, Indian Scouts. Place and Date: Arizona, 7 March 1890. Birth: Arizona. Date of Issue: 15 May 1890. Citation: Bravery in action with Apache Indians.

WARD, JOHN
Rank and Organization: Sergeant, 24th U.S. Infantry Indian Scouts Place and Date: At Pecos River, Tex., 25 April 1875. Entered Service At: Fort Duncan, Tex. Birth: Arkansas. Date of Issue: 28 May 1875. Sergeant, 24th U.S. Infantry Indian Scouts Place and Date: At Pecos River, Tex., 25 April 1875. Entered Service At: Fort Duncan, Tex. Birth: Arkansas. Date of Issue: 28 May 1875. Citation: With 3 other men, he participated in a charge against 25 hostiles while on a scouting patrol.

American Indian Medal of Honor Recipients In the 20th century, five American Indians have been among those soldiers to be distinguished by receiving the United States' highest military honor: the Medal of Honor. Given for military heroism "above and beyond the call of duty," these warriors exhibited extraordinary bravery in the face of the enemy and, in two cases, made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.