Joseph Medicine Crow (translated roughly as High Bird) stands as one of the most remarkable figures of the 20th century. He was a bridge between Indigenous warrior traditions and modern military service. Born on October 27, 1913, on the Crow Reservation near Lodge Grass, Montana. He would go on to serve with distinction in the U.S. Army during World War II, earning a place both in tribal and national history.
Early Life and Roots
Medicine Crow was born into the Whistling Waters clan of the Crow (Apsáalooke) Nation. His step-grandfather, White Man Runs Him, had been a scout for George Armstrong Custer at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876. Joseph was raised amid traditional warrior values, learning tracking, endurance, and a deep sense of tribal history. He also earned a Master’s in anthropology in 1939 from the University of Southern California. Joseph was the first in his tribe to do so.
Joining the War & Unit
In 1943, Medicine Crow enlisted in the U.S. Army and was assigned to the 103rd Infantry Division as a scout. He was tasked with reconnaissance, locating enemy positions, and sometimes leading small-unit operations. His role demanded both courage and resourcefulness. His training and background uniquely positioned him for these duties.
War Deeds That Fulfilled Tribal Tradition
Within Crow warrior tradition, there are four deeds required to earn the status of war chief:
- Touch or strike an enemy warrior without killing him.
- Take a weapon from an enemy.
- Steal an enemy’s horse.
- Lead a successful war party (raid or attack) against the enemy.
Medicine Crow achieved all four of these during his WWII service. He brought his traditional Crow warrior values into the theatres of modern war. For example:
- In a German town after crossing into Germany, he unexpectedly encountered a lone German soldier in an alley. He hit the soldier with the butt of his rifle, took the weapon, and thereby fulfilled the “weapon-wrestling” deed.
- On another occasion, he and his unit infiltrated a German‐held camp. They stole 40–50 horses belonging to SS officers. Then they rode them off while singing a Crow honor song—thereby fulfilling the “stealing the enemy’s horse” criterion.
- He also led a small squad carrying explosives under heavy fire across the Siegfried Line, blasting enemy artillery positions. This act qualified as leading a successful war party.
Battlefield Context and Notable Actions
Serving in Europe, Medicine Crow operated in extremely risky conditions: minefields, artillery fire, and the fog of the Allied advance into Germany. In one mission, his team carried heavy explosive boxes (50 lbs each), infiltrated enemy positions. They returned under fire to destroy German guns hindering the US advance.
Another specific moment: as his division crossed from France into Germany. He is said to have been among the first Allied soldiers to step into German territory by leaping a small stream marking the border. According to his account and tribal tradition, this act symbolized crossing into enemy land.
These exploits earned him recognition both within his tribe and by the U.S. military. He wore his Crow war-paint which included two red stripes on his arms beneath his uniform. And he carried a sacred yellow-painted eagle feather under his helmet provided by a Sundance medicine man.
Recognition and Legacy
For his wartime service, Medicine Crow was awarded the Bronze Star and the French Legion of Honor (Chevalier) in June 2008. Later, on August 12, 2009, he received the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, from President Barack Obama.
Because he completed the four traditional deeds, he was formally recognized as the last war chief of the Crow Nation. This is an extraordinary fusion of tribal and American military traditions.
Reflections and Meaning
Medicine Crow often reflected that war is not a source of glory: “No one wins. Both sides lose.” In his dual identity as a tribal warrior and U.S. soldier, he embodied a unique bridging of cultures. He carried forward ancestral values into a global conflict and then dedicated his long post-war life to preserving Crow history, culture, and language.
His story resonates on multiple levels:
- For Indigenous history, he preserves and carries forward the warrior traditions of the Crow while engaging with the modern world.
- For military history, he exemplifies how individuals from diverse backgrounds served in WWII and contributed in distinctive ways.
- For all of us, his life underscores the value of courage, tradition, education, and service.
Joseph Medicine Crow’s exploits in WWII were far more than battlefield heroics. They were living expressions of his cultural heritage, brought into the modern world. His legacy reminds us that heroism takes many forms. The meeting of tradition and service can create a life of extraordinary meaning.