Mitchell Red Cloud served in both the Marine Corps and in the Army. Red Cloud had fought at Guadalcanal as one of Evans Carlson’s Marine Raiders, taking part in the famed Long Patrol, on which he lost 75 pounds.

Badly afflicted by dysentery and malaria, Red Cloud recuperated in the United States, but he refused a medical discharge. Instead, he volunteered for the 6th Marine Division and fought at Okinawa. After the atom bombing of Japan, Red Cloud was discharged as a sergeant.

Returning to Wisconsin and his native tribe, the Ho-Chunk, Mitchell married and had a daughter. In 1948, Red Cloud joined the Army, though he was not allowed to retain his prior rank. 

When the Korean War broke out, Red Cloud’s unit, the 24th Infantry Division was rushed to the War. They fought in the Pusan perimeter for four months before breaking out with the rest of the Nato forces in September, 1950.

By November, red Cloud the 24th Division had pushed far north and ran into Chinese troops streaming over the border. On the night of November 5, Red Cloud was manning a forward post when he heard Chinese troops moving in front of him.

Opening fire with his Browning Automatic Rifle, his accurate fire disrupted the attack. Hit in the chest twice, he ordered a soldier to tie him to a tree from which he continued pouring on to the Chinese soldiers, though he was shot eight more times by the enemy.

Red Cloud’s actions stopped the Chinese attack and prevented his buddies from being overrun. The next morning, his position was surrounded by scores of enemy dead.

Honor and remember this great American hero and leader.