Joseph Medicine Crow, the last war chief of the Apsáalooke (Crow) Nation, World War II hero, recipient of a Presidential Medal of Freedom, was a renowned Native American historian devoted his life to overcoming intolerance.
According to Crow tradition, a warrior must fulfill four requirements to be named a war chief. Medicine Crow accomplished all four during WWII: leading a successful war party, touching an enemy soldier without killing him, disarming an enemy soldier, and capturing an enemy’s horse. Indeed, among his war exploits, Medicine Crow is credited with capturing 50 horses from a Nazi SS camp and successfully leading a team of soldiers to dynamite German artillery.
