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Korean War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient
Corporal Mitchell Red Cloud Jr.
A Winnebago Indian 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.
U.S. Army Cpl. Mitchell Red Cloud Jr. was honored with the military's highest honor for his fearless and heroic deeds Nov. 5, 1950 in a battle near Chonhyon, Korea, that saved his comrades and cost him his life.
Red Cloud's early life offers some insight into his later heroic deeds. His parents, Mitchell "Mike" Red Cloud Sr. and Lillian (Nellie) Winneshiek, were married Aug. 14, 1923. He was born July 2, 1924 near Hatfield in Jackson County.
Red Cloud's parents had three sons, Mitchell Jr., Merlin, and Randall, and one daughter. All three sons were in the service, and their father served in World War I. Randall was killed in 1948 while serving in the Army.
Mitchell Red Cloud Jr.'s father was a descendent of DeCarrie, a French nobleman, and Glory-of-the-Morning, daughter of a Winnebago Chief. Red Cloud inherited his adventurous spirit from the French side of his family.
After attending Black River Falls High School for two years, Red Cloud enlisted in the U.S. Marines Corps in August 1941 at the age of 16. He later received his high school diploma while in the service.
Red Cloud was in the Marine Corps from 1941 to 1945. He was stationed at San Diego, Calif., during the attack on Pearl Harbor. He applied and soon became a member of the Marine Corps Raiders, which corresponds to British Commandos. In May 1943, he sailed from the continental United States to Pearl Harbor and from there to Midway Island. It was back to Pearl Harbor for a short while and then on from one battle in the Pacific to another.
Red Cloud fought as a machine gunner with Carlson's Marine Corps Raiders in the second wave on Guadalcanal. He was in some of the hardest and heaviest fighting in the Pacific Islands at the beginning of World War II. The enemy Japanese soldiers would rather die than surrender, and they did so at a ratio of about 20 to one American. Of 900 Americans, only 22 were lost in this campaign. It took 16 days of heavy fighting to reach their objective.
The Pacific campaigns took a toll on Red Cloud. He contracted malaria and dropped from 195 to 115 pounds in weight.
In December 1945, Red Cloud was honorably discharged from the Marines and returned to the United States and home. He was offered a medical discharge, which he refused.
In 1948, after his brother, Randall, was killed while serving in the U.S. Army, Red Cloud joined the U.S. Army and left home again.
As a member of the U.S. Army, Red Cloud was sent to Korea in 1950 with E Company, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. On Nov. 5, 1950 while guarding Hill 123, he died from enemy fire.
According to a report of the incident, "From his (Red Cloud's) position on the point of a ridge immediately in front of the company command post, he was the first to detect the approach of the Chinese Communist forces and give the alarm as the enemy charged from a brush-covered area less than 100 feet from him."
"Springing up, he delivered devastating point-blank automatic rifle fire into the advancing enemy. His accurate and intense fire checked this assault and gained time for the company to consolidate its defense."
"With utter fearlessness he maintained his firing position until severely wounded by enemy fire. Refusing assistance, he pulled himself to his feet and wrapped his arm around a tree, (and) continued his deadly fire until fatally wounded."
It has been told eight bullets hit him before he fell. He was 26 years old. It was for his heroic action during the Korean War that he received the military's highest award, The Medal of Honor. Red Cloud was the eighth man to receive the award during the Korean War.
The Medal of Honor citation signed by President Harry S. Truman describes Red Cloud's gallantry before losing his life. Gen. Omar Bradley presented the award to Red Cloud's mother in a ceremony April 3, 1951, at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.
Red Cloud had a distinguished military career as he also received a Purple Heart for duty in Korea, as well as two Purple Hearts for service with the Marines in World War II.
Red Cloud's remains were kept in Korea until he was returned for final burial in the United States March 26, 1955.
Red Cloud has received numerous honors during the past 48 years. In August 1976, the new Equipment Concentration Site (ECS)-67 at Fort McCoy was formally dedicated in his honor.
In 1983, Red Cloud was the first Winnebago (Ho-Chunk) Indian to be accepted into the American Indian Hall of Fame at Anadarko, Okla. He took his place among other famous Native Americans, Chief Joseph, Will Rogers, Pocahontas, and Jim Thorpe.
Sculptor Kenneth Campbell, an art history professor at the University of Wisconsin in Eau Claire, carved two busts in his honor.
One of the busts is on display at the American Indian Hall of Fame. The other was displayed at ECS on a temporary basis and since has been returned to Red Cloud's family in Black River Falls. Campbell served with Red Cloud in the Army.
At least three places are named for Red Cloud - a park in La Crosse, a rifle range in Fort Benning, Ga. and an Army base near Uijongbu, Korea. In 1951, his picture was on the cover of "Life Magazine." Esquire featured a painting called "Corporal Red Cloud's Last Stand."
CITATION
Cpl. Mitchell Red Cloud, Jr. enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1941 and was honorably discharged in 1945. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1948 and was sent to Korea in 1950. No photos of Cpl. Red Cloud in his Army uniform were available for this web site.
UNITED STATES ARMY
Rank and organization: Corporal, U S. Army, Company E, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division.
Place and date: Near Chonghyon, Korea, 5 November 1950.
Entered service at: Merrilan Wis.
Born: 2 July 1924, Hatfield, Wis.
G.O. No.: 26, 25 April 1951.
Citation: Cpl. Red Cloud, Company E, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. From his position on the point of a ridge immediately in front of the company command post he was the first to detect the approach of the Chinese Communist forces and give the alarm as the enemy charged from a brush-covered area less than 100 feet from him. Springing up he delivered devastating pointblank automatic rifle fire into the advancing enemy. His accurate and intense fire checked this assault and gained time for the company to consolidate its defense. With utter fearlessness he maintained his firing position until severely wounded by enemy fire. Refusing assistance he pulled himself to his feet and wrapping his arm around a tree continued his deadly fire again, until he was fatally wounded. This heroic act stopped the enemy from overrunning his company's position and gained time for reorganization and evacuation of the wounded. Cpl. Red Cloud's dauntless courage and gallant self-sacrifice reflects the highest credit upon himself and upholds the esteemed traditions of the U.S. Army. for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty in Chonghyon, Korea, 5 November 1950.
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