Corporal Mitchell Red Cloud Jr. was a soldier in the U.S. Army who was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions on November 5, 1950 near Chonghyon, Korea during the Korean War. At the time he was serving with Company E, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. Cloud was 26 years old.
Cloud was killed in the action for which his medal was awarded. The medal was presented on April 3, 1951 — the Pentagon, presented by Gen. Omar N. Bradley to his Mother.
Cloud was born on July 2, 1924 in Hatfield, Jackson County, Wisconsin. His Medal of Honor is credited to Merrillan, Jackson County, Wisconsin. He is buried at Decorah Cemetery in Komensky, Wisconsin. His medal is held by Wisconsin Veterans Museum, Madison, WI.
Cloud is one of 153 Medal of Honor recipients from the Korean War and one of 50 credited to Wisconsin.
Official Medal of Honor 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 that 100 feet from him. Springing up he delivered devastating point-blank automatic rifle 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 refects the highest credit upon himself and upholds the esteemed traditions of the U.S. Army.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Wounds and death in action
What the citation records about his wounds:
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.
- Killed in action during the act for which the medal was awarded (November 5, 1950).
- Age at death: 26
- Resting place: Decorah Cemetery
Other decorations and honors
Besides the Medal of Honor, Mitchell Red Cloud Jr. received:
Source: Wikidata. Gold chips link to our guide to that decoration.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: World War II, Korean War, Battle of Pusan Perimeter, Battle of Taejon.
Places
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Wisconsin →
Timeline
- July 2, 1924Born in Hatfield, Jackson County, Wisconsin
- November 5, 1950Act of valor — near Chonghyon, KoreaAge 26. Company E, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division Killed in action.
- April 3, 1951Medal of Honor presented posthumouslyThe Pentagon, presented by Gen. Omar N. Bradley to his Mother
- Resting placeDecorah CemeteryKomensky, Wisconsin
Biography
Mitchell Red Cloud Jr. (2 July 1925 – 5 November 1950) was a United States Army Corporal who was killed in action while serving in the Korean War. Corporal Red Cloud posthumously received the Medal of Honor for heroic actions "above and beyond the call of duty" near Chonghyon, North Korea, on 5 November 1950 during the Chinese First Phase Campaign. Before joining the army, he had been a United States Marine Corps sergeant who had served in World War II. Born in Hatfield, Wisconsin, Red Cloud, a Ho-Chunk Native American, dropped out of high school to enlist in the Marine Corps during World War II.
From the Wikipedia article “Mitchell Red Cloud Jr.”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
