Korean War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Korean War , partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict , image = Korean War Montage 2.png , image_size = 300px , caption = Clockwise from top: ...

Corporal Corporal is a military rank in use in some form by many militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. The word is derived from the medieval Italian phrase ("head of a body"). The rank is usually the lowest ranking non- ...

posthumously Posthumous may refer to: * Posthumous award - an award, prize or medal granted after the recipient's death * Posthumous publication – material published after the author's death * ''Posthumous'' (album), by Warne Marsh, 1987 * ''Posthumous'' (E ...

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor ...

North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu (Amnok) and ...

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through ...

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

Hatfield, Wisconsin Hatfield is an unincorporated census-designated place, in the town of Komensky, Jackson County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population is 141. Geography Hatfield has an area of , all of it land. It is located on the sh ...

Ho-Chunk The Ho-Chunk, also known as Hoocągra or Winnebago (referred to as ''Hotúŋe'' in the neighboring indigenous Iowa-Otoe language), are a Siouan-speaking Native American people whose historic territory includes parts of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Io ...

Native American Native Americans or Native American may refer to: Ethnic groups * Indigenous peoples of the Americas, the pre-Columbian peoples of North and South America and their descendants * Native Americans in the United States * Indigenous peoples in Cana ...

Marine Raiders The Marine Raiders are special operations forces originally established by the United States Marine Corps during World War II to conduct amphibious light infantry warfare. " Edson's" Raiders of 1st Marine Raider Battalion and " Carlson's" Ra ...

Battle of Guadalcanal The Guadalcanal campaign, also known as the Battle of Guadalcanal and codenamed Operation Watchtower by American forces, was a military campaign fought between 7 August 1942 and 9 February 1943 on and around the island of Guadalcanal in the ...

6th Marine Division The 6th Marine Division was a United States Marine Corps World War II infantry division formed in September 1944. During the invasion of Okinawa it saw combat at Yae-Take and Sugar Loaf Hill and was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation. The 6 ...

Battle of Okinawa The , codenamed Operation Iceberg, was a major battle of the Pacific War fought on the island of Okinawa by United States Army (USA) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) forces against the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA). The initial invasion of ...

19th Infantry The 19th Infantry Regiment ("Rock of Chickamauga") is a United States Army infantry regiment which is assigned to the US Army Training and Doctrine Command, with the assignment of conducting Basic and Advanced Infantry Training. Lineage 1st Ba ...

Battle of Taejon The Battle of Taejon (14–21 July 1950) was an early battle of the Korean War, between U.S. and North Korean forces. Forces of the United States Army attempted to defend the headquarters of the 24th Infantry Division. The 24th Infantry Division ...

Battle of Pusan Perimeter The Battle of the Pusan Perimeter ( ko, 부산 교두보 전투) was a large-scale battle between United Nations Command (UN) and North Korean forces lasting from August 4 to September 18, 1950. It was one of the first major engagements of the ...

Eighth United States Army The Eighth Army is a U.S. field army which is the commanding formation of all United States Army forces in South Korea. It commands U.S. and South Korean units and is headquartered at the Camp Humphreys,advance into North Korea. On the night of 5 November 1950, Red Cloud was manning a forward observation post when he spotted an imminent surprise attack by

Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of v ...

forces. Red Cloud single-handedly held off the Chinese forces despite being shot eight times, at one point ordering his men to tie him to a tree because he was too weak to stand by himself. His company found him the next morning, surrounded by dead Chinese troops. He was credited with alerting his company to the ambush and saving them from being overrun. For these actions, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

Early life

Mitchell Red Cloud Jr. was born on 2 July 1925 in

Hatfield, Wisconsin Hatfield is an unincorporated census-designated place, in the town of Komensky, Jackson County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population is 141. Geography Hatfield has an area of , all of it land. It is located on the sh ...

. He was the eldest son of Mitchell Red Cloud and Lillian Red Cloud. The family were ethnic members of the

Ho-Chunk The Ho-Chunk, also known as Hoocągra or Winnebago (referred to as ''Hotúŋe'' in the neighboring indigenous Iowa-Otoe language), are a Siouan-speaking Native American people whose historic territory includes parts of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Io ...

Native American Native Americans or Native American may refer to: Ethnic groups * Indigenous peoples of the Americas, the pre-Columbian peoples of North and South America and their descendants * Native Americans in the United States * Indigenous peoples in Cana ...

tribe. Red Cloud attended Neillsville High School in

Neillsville, Wisconsin Neillsville is a city in Clark County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 2,384 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat. History The Ojibwa were the earliest known residents of the Neillsville area. The first settlers of Europ ...

. The school taught primarily Native American students, a large portion of whom joined the military after finishing school. At age 16, Red Cloud dropped out of high school and, with his father's approval, decided to enlist in the

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through ...

.

Military service

U.S. Marine Corps

He entered the Marine Corps on 11 August 1941, the earliest date on which he was legally allowed to enlist. The family may have relocated to

Merrillan, Wisconsin Merrillan is a village in Jackson County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 542 at the 2010 census. History A post office called Merrillan has been in operation since 1894. The village was named for L. G. Merrill, an original owner of ...

, which was where Red Cloud enlisted. He was assigned to the

2nd Battalion, 9th Marines 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines (2/9) was an infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps. Formed during World War I, the unit played an instrumental role in the defeat of the Japanese forces in the Battles of Guam and Iwo Jima during W ...

at Camp Elliot, California. GuadCarlsonAolaLanding

With

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

looming, Red Cloud volunteered for and was accepted on April 14, 1942, by the

2nd Marine Raider Battalion The Marine Raiders are special operations forces originally established by the United States Marine Corps during World War II to conduct amphibious light infantry warfare. " Edson's" Raiders of 1st Marine Raider Battalion and " Carlson's" Rai ...

, also known as "Carlson's Raiders", under the command of Lieutenant Colonel

Evans Carlson Evans Fordyce Carlson (February 26, 1896 – May 27, 1947) was a decorated and retired United States Marine Corps general officer who was the legendary leader of "Carlson's Raiders" during World War II. Many credit Carlson with developing the ta ...

. He was placed in Weapons Platoon, F Company of the battalion. As an elite Marine light infantry unit, the Raiders held high standards of physical and mental fitness, and was known to perform very well with this unit. His only major deployment with the Raiders was the

Battle of Guadalcanal The Guadalcanal campaign, also known as the Battle of Guadalcanal and codenamed Operation Watchtower by American forces, was a military campaign fought between 7 August 1942 and 9 February 1943 on and around the island of Guadalcanal in the ...

. Red Cloud landed with his company off of the

USS McKean (DD-90) USS ''McKean'' (DD-90/APD-5) was a in the United States Navy during World War II. She was the first ship named in honor of William Wister McKean. ''McKean'' was laid down by Union Iron Works, San Francisco, California on 12 February 1918. The ...

at Aola Bay on

Guadalcanal Guadalcanal (; indigenous name: ''Isatabu'') is the principal island in Guadalcanal Province of Solomon Islands, located in the south-western Pacific, northeast of Australia. It is the largest island in the Solomon Islands by area, and the se ...

, on 4 November 1942. On 6 November, the 2nd Raider Battalion went into the jungle to begin "The Long Patrol" for the next 28 days. Their mission was to silence Japanese artillery firing on Henderson Field. They would also conduct a number of mopping up operations to assist in the clearance of the island and to cut off troops from the

Empire of Japan The also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was a historical nation-state and great power that existed from the Meiji Restoration in 1868 until the enactment of the post-World War II 1947 constitution and subsequent for ...

who had been attempting to escape. Red Cloud's time on Guadalcanal was plagued by several bouts of tropical disease, and he left the island on 4 December 1942 for medical treatment. The patrol also caused him to lose 75 pounds. During his time overseas, Red Cloud contracted diseases frequently, and he was returned to the United States in February 1943 to recuperate. The navy doctors in San Diego that examined Red Cloud offered him a medical discharge, but Red Cloud refused. Instead, he recovered from illness and requested reassignment to a combat unit. This request was granted, with Red Cloud subsequently assigned to Weapons Platoon, A Company,

29th Marine Regiment The 29th Marine Regiment (29th Marines) is an inactive infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps. The last Marine Corps regiment activated for service in World War II, its First Battalion fought in the Battle of Saipan while attached ...

,

6th Marine Division The 6th Marine Division was a United States Marine Corps World War II infantry division formed in September 1944. During the invasion of Okinawa it saw combat at Yae-Take and Sugar Loaf Hill and was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation. The 6 ...

, which participated in the invasion of

Okinawa is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi). Naha is the capital and largest city ...

on 1 April 1945. On 17 May, he was shot in the shoulder and evacuated to

Guam Guam (; ch, Guåhan ) is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. It is the westernmost point and territory of the United States (reckoned from the geographic ce ...

. In the ensuing

Battle of Okinawa The , codenamed Operation Iceberg, was a major battle of the Pacific War fought on the island of Okinawa by United States Army (USA) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) forces against the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA). The initial invasion of ...

, his unit saw intense fighting in the campaign to secure the island. After several months of fighting, the unit was withdrawn to

Guam Guam (; ch, Guåhan ) is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. It is the westernmost point and territory of the United States (reckoned from the geographic ce ...

to prepare for

Operation Coronet During World War II, two operations in the Pacific theater were called Operation Coronet. * An early planning name for Operation Chronicle, which was executed in June 1943 * Part of Operation Downfall, the planned invasion of Japan in March 1946, m ...

, the second phase of the anticipated invasion of mainland Japan. However, these plans were scrapped following the surrender of Japan. Red Cloud was honorably discharged as a sergeant from the Marine Corps on 9 November 1945 during the demobilization that followed the war.

Inter-service years

In December 1945, Red Cloud published an article in the ''Wisconsin Archaeologist'', an account from his tribe's traditional stories about the 1832 surrender of

Sauk Sauk may refer to: *Sauk, Albania, a village *Sauk people, group of Native Americans of the Eastern Woodlands culture group *South African Broadcasting Corporation (Afrikaans: ''Suid-Afrikaanse Uitsaaikorporasie'') Persons with the surname Sauk * ...

leader

Black Hawk Black Hawk and Blackhawk may refer to: Animals * Black Hawk (horse), a Morgan horse that lived from 1833 to 1856 * Common black hawk, ''Buteogallus anthracinus'' * Cuban black hawk, ''Buteogallus gundlachii'' * Great black hawk, ''Buteogallus urub ...

to US authorities after the short

Black Hawk War The Black Hawk War was a conflict between the United States and Native Americans led by Black Hawk, a Sauk leader. The war erupted after Black Hawk and a group of Sauks, Meskwakis (Fox), and Kickapoos, known as the "British Band", cross ...

. In the article, he expressed support for historical theories that Black Hawk had voluntarily surrendered. He also assisted anthropologist

Nancy Lurie Nancy Oestreich Lurie (January 29, 1924May 13, 2017) was an American anthropologist who specialized in the study of North American Indian history and culture. Lurie's research specialties were ethnohistory, action anthropology and museology; her ...

, informing her studies of how childcare customs among Native Americans were changing over time. In the inter-service years, Red Cloud married and had a daughter, Annita.

U.S. Army

Red Cloud decided to return to the military in 1948. He enlisted in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...

and was assigned to E Company, 2nd Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. The regiment was part of the

Occupation of Japan Japan was occupied and administered by the victorious Allies of World War II from the 1945 surrender of the Empire of Japan at the end of the war until the Treaty of San Francisco took effect in 1952. The occupation, led by the United States ...

, and Red Cloud was assigned to

Kyushu is the third-largest island of Japan's five main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands ( i.e. excluding Okinawa). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regional name referred to Kyushu and its surroun ...

. During this time, training opportunities were limited, many of the troops were inexperienced and their equipment was of low quality due to budget cuts. On joining the army, Red Cloud was not permitted to retain his sergeant rank from the Marine Corps. With the outbreak of the

Korean War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Korean War , partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict , image = Korean War Montage 2.png , image_size = 300px , caption = Clockwise from top: ...

on 25 June 1950, the 24th Infantry Division was the closest unit to the

Korean Peninsula Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic ...

, and in July, Red Cloud's company was among the first units into the country. The division was heavily engaged throughout July by

North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu (Amnok) and ...

n troops as it attempted to stem their invasion of South Korea, and the 19th Infantry saw action in the

Battle of Taejon The Battle of Taejon (14–21 July 1950) was an early battle of the Korean War, between U.S. and North Korean forces. Forces of the United States Army attempted to defend the headquarters of the 24th Infantry Division. The 24th Infantry Division ...

, fighting at the Kum River before being forced out of

Taejon Daejeon () is South Korea's fifth-largest metropolis, with a population of 1.5 million as of 2019. Located in the central-west region of South Korea alongside forested hills and the Geum River, the city is known both for its technology and ...

. The unit subsequently moved back to the

Naktong River The Nakdonggang River or Nakdonggang () is the longest river in South Korea, and passes through major cities such as Daegu and Busan. It takes its name from its role as the eastern border of the Gaya confederacy during Korea's Three Kingdoms Er ...

, and was involved in the subsequent

Pusan Perimeter campaign The Battle of the Pusan Perimeter ( ko, 부산 교두보 전투) was a large-scale battle between United Nations Command (UN) and North Korean forces lasting from August 4 to September 18, 1950. It was one of the first major engagements of the ...

during August and September 1950. During the

First Battle of Naktong Bulge The First Battle of Naktong Bulge was an engagement between United Nations Command (UN) and North Korean forces early in the Korean War from August 5–19, 1950 in the vicinity of Yongsan (Yeongsan, Changnyeong county) and the Naktong River in So ...

, the 19th Infantry was moved up from reserve positions in to combat the

NK 4th Division The 4th Infantry Division was a military formation of the Korean People's Army during the 20th Century. History Activated in late 1948, the 4th Infantry Division in the summer of 1950 consisted of the 5th, 16th, and 18th Infantry regiments, plus ...

, which was attempting to break through their lines. Having been badly mauled in these fights, the division was moved into reserve along the Pusan Perimeter on 23 September. It was replaced by units of the 2nd Infantry Division. In the subsequent

Great Naktong Offensive The Great Naktong Offensive was a North Korean military offensive against United Nations Command (UN) forces early in the Korean War, taking place from September 1–15, 1950. It was the North Korean Korean People's Army (KPA)'s unsuccessfu ...

, the 19th Infantry served as a reserve force to help units under attack in the

Second Battle of Naktong Bulge The Second Battle of Naktong Bulge was an engagement between United Nations Command (UN) and North Korean forces early in the Korean War from September 1 to September 15, 1950, along the Naktong River in South Korea. It was a part of the Battle o ...

. The 19th Infantry would later participate in the

Battle of Kyongju The Battle of Kyongju was an engagement between United Nations Command (UN) and North Korean forces early in the Korean War from August 31 to September 15, 1950, in the vicinity of Kyongju in South Korea. It was a part of the Battle of Pusan Peri ...

, assisting troops of the

Republic of Korea Army The Republic of Korea Army (ROKA; ko, 대한민국 육군; Hanja: 大韓民國陸軍; RR: ''Daehanminguk Yuk-gun''), also known as the ROK Army or South Korean Army, is the army of South Korea, responsible for ground-based warfare. It is the l ...

to help push back North Korean troops from the

Kyongju Gyeongju ( ko, 경주, ), historically known as ''Seorabeol'' ( ko, 서라벌, ), is a coastal city in the far southeastern corner of North Gyeongsang Province in South Korea. It is the second largest city by area in the province after Andong, ...

area. During these battles, Red Cloud's experience as a combat veteran made him a valued member of his unit for leading the less experienced troops. Following the

Battle of Inchon The Battle of Incheon (), also spelled Battle of Inchon, was an amphibious invasion and a battle of the Korean War that resulted in a decisive victory and strategic reversal in favor of the United Nations Command (UN). The operation involved ...

and subsequent

Second Battle of Seoul The Second Battle of Seoul was a battle that resulted in United Nations forces recapturing Seoul from the North Koreans in late September 1950. Approaching Seoul Before the battle, North Korea had just one understrength division in the city, ...

, the North Korean Army was largely defeated, and the 19th Infantry was one of the units of the

Eighth United States Army The Eighth Army is a U.S. field army which is the commanding formation of all United States Army forces in South Korea. It commands U.S. and South Korean units and is headquartered at the Camp Humphreys,38th Parallel with the intention of reuniting the country. However, beginning in October 1950, the

People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, most populous country, with a Population of China, population exceeding 1.4 billion, sli ...

conducted the

First Phase Offensive {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Korean War , partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict , image = Korean War Montage 2.png , image_size = 300px , caption = Clockwise from top:{ ...

, a surprise attack against the advancing

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmonizi ...

forces, which were unprepared to counter the offensive. By early November, Red Cloud and his unit had advanced to the

Ch'ongch'on River The Ch'ŏngch'ŏn is a river of North Korea having its source in the Rangrim Mountains of Chagang Province and emptying into the Yellow Sea at Sinanju. The river flows past Myohyang-san and through the city of Anju, South P'yŏngan Province. ...

.

Medal of Honor action

On the night of 5 November, E Company, 2nd Battalion, 19th infantry was holding positions on Hill 123, near Chonghyon, just north of the river. Red Cloud, then a

corporal Corporal is a military rank in use in some form by many militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. The word is derived from the medieval Italian phrase ("head of a body"). The rank is usually the lowest ranking non- ...

, was manning a forward listening post in front of his company's command post position on the hill. In the middle of the night, he began hearing suspicious noises, before spotting a number of Chinese troops intent on surprising the Americans. Red Cloud raised an alarm and began firing on the advancing Chinese troops with an

M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle The Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) is a family of American automatic rifles and machine guns used by the United States and numerous other countries during the 20th century. The primary variant of the BAR series was the M1918, chambered for the . ...

(BAR). The assistant BAR man with him in their

foxhole Foxhole may refer to: * Foxhole, a type of defensive fighting position constructed in a military context * Foxholes, Hertford, an eastern suburb of Hertford * Foxholes, North Yorkshire, a village and civil parish in Northern England * Foxhole, ...

was killed by the Chinese returning fire. Red Cloud was then shot twice in the chest. In spite of these wounds and after being attended to by a company platoon medic, he refused to withdraw from his post, and continued to fire accurately on the Chinese troops which caused significant casualties among their advancing force.HISTORYNET
/ref> Crucially, his actions alerted his company to the impending attack, preventing an ambush. After he was hit again and attended to by the same medic, Red Cloud propped himself against a tree and continued to fire, exposing himself to intense Chinese fire. He was shot at least eight times in the firefight. Suffering from severe injuries and too weak to support himself, he ordered a soldier near him, to tie him upright to the tree using the soldier's web belt, and then ordered these men to withdraw with the other wounded men to the main positions. Eventually, the Chinese overran Red Cloud's position and the hill. Red Cloud's actions gave E Company time and warning to blunt the Chinese offensive, eventually repelling the attack. His actions are also credited with allowing his company to evacuate several others wounded in the attack. When members of the 2nd Battalion returned to the hill and arrived at Red Cloud's position to recover his body the next morning, they found it was surrounded by a large number of dead Chinese troops.

Burial and honors

Red Cloud was initially buried at a UN cemetery in Korea. However, in 1955, his body was exhumed and moved to Wisconsin, where he was buried in accordance with Ho-Chunk tribal customs. He was interred at the Decorah Cemetery at

Winnebago Mission, Wisconsin Winnebago Mission ( Hoocąk: ''Mišin'', also known as Indian Mission) is an unincorporated community located in the town of Komensky, Jackson County, Wisconsin, United States. For the 2020 census, it was recorded as the Mission census-designat ...

. In April 1951, Red Cloud's mother received the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor ...

from General of the Army

Omar Bradley Omar Nelson Bradley (February 12, 1893April 8, 1981) was a senior officer of the United States Army during and after World War II, rising to the rank of General of the Army. Bradley was the first chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and over ...

in a ceremony at

The Pentagon The Pentagon is the headquarters building of the United States Department of Defense. It was constructed on an accelerated schedule during World War II. As a symbol of the U.S. military, the phrase ''The Pentagon'' is often used as a metonym ...

in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

On

Armed Forces Day Many nations around the world observe some kind of Armed Forces Day to honor their military forces. This day is not to be confused with Veterans Day or Memorial Day. Africa Egypt In Egypt, Armed Forces Day is celebrated on 6 Octobe ...

, 18 May 1957, the United States Army named

Camp Red Cloud Camp Red Cloud (CRC, ko, 캠프 레드 클라우드) was a United States Army camp located in the city of Uijeongbu, between Seoul and the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). CRC is being returned to the South Korean government. The installati ...

in South Korea after him, in recognition of his actions. ''Red Cloud Range'' on Fort Benning, Georgia, was also named for Red Cloud. A park in

La Crosse, Wisconsin La Crosse is a city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of La Crosse County. Positioned alongside the Mississippi River, La Crosse is the largest city on Wisconsin's western border. La Crosse's population as of the 2020 census ...

, was dedicated in Red Cloud's honor. A memorial park was dedicated in his memory, the Red Cloud Highway Memorial Park adjacent to the

Black Hawk Powwow Grounds The Black Hawk Powwow Grounds are located in Komensky, Wisconsin. In 2007, the site was added to the National Register of Historic Places. History The grounds have been used by the Ho-Chunk for ceremonial and other purposes since the 1800s. Adja ...

in

Komensky, Wisconsin Komensky is a town in Jackson County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 462 at the 2000 census. The unincorporated communities of Hatfield, Waterbury, and Winnebago Mission are located in the town. History The town was formed out o ...

. A portion of

Wisconsin Highway 54 State Trunk Highway 54 (often called Highway 54, STH-54 or WIS 54) is a Wisconsin state highway running east–west across central Wisconsin. It is in length. Route description Minnesota state line to Plover WIS 54 begins at the w ...

was renamed Red Cloud Highway. The American Legion post in

Adams, Wisconsin Adams is a city in Adams County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 1,967 at the 2010 census. The city is located within the Town of Adams. History Adams was originally called South Friendship, but after a petition from residen ...

, was renamed for him. The

Ho-Chunk Nation The Ho-Chunk Nation (Ho-Chunk language: ) is a federally recognized tribe of the Ho-Chunk with traditional territory across five states in the United States: Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Missouri. The other federally recognized trib ...

observes Corporal Mitchell Red Cloud Jr. Day on each

4th of July Fourth or the fourth may refer to: * the ordinal form of the number 4 * ''Fourth'' (album), by Soft Machine, 1971 * Fourth (angle), an ancient astronomical subdivision * Fourth (music), a musical interval * ''The Fourth'' (1972 film), a Sovie ...

. In 1967, a monument was erected for him in the cemetery. Another plaque honoring Red Cloud was subsequently erected in

Black River Falls , settlement_type = City , nickname = , motto = , image_skyline = Black River Falls Wisconsin Downtown2 WIS54.jpg , imagesize = , image_caption = Looking west at ...

. In 1999, the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

named the newly commissioned , a ''Watson''-class vehicle cargo ship and Large, Medium-Speed Roll-on/Roll-off ship, in his honor. The ship was christened by his daughter Annita, who was dressed in traditional regalia. It was attended by several men who served alongside her father as well as several flag officers.

Documentary

Mitchell Red Cloud Jr. is one of the featured Korean War heroes honored in the 2013 documentary "Finnigan's War" directed by Conor Timmis. Actor Mark Hamill narrates Red Cloud's Medal of Honor citation in the film.

Military awards

Red Cloud's military awards and decorations include:

Medal of Honor citation

Red Cloud's official Medal of Honor citation reads: Congmedalhonor

Rank and organization: Corporal, E Company, 2nd Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division
Place and date: Near Chonghyon, Korea, 5 November 1950
Entered service at: Merrillan, Wisconsin General Orders No. 26, 25 April 1951 /S/ Harry S. Truman

References

Notes

Citations

Sources

: * * * * * * *

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Red Cloud, Mitchell 1925 births 1950 deaths People from Jackson County, Wisconsin United States Marines Military personnel from Wisconsin United States Marine Corps personnel of World War II United States Army Medal of Honor recipients United States Army soldiers American military personnel killed in the Korean War Native American United States military personnel Ho-Chunk people Korean War recipients of the Medal of Honor United States Army personnel of the Korean War 20th-century Native Americans