Remembering Red Cloud Jr.

By: Senator Jeff Smith

Monday was Memorial Day, and many people have come to view Memorial Day weekend as the unofficial kickoff to summer. However, Memorial Day is about far more than just backyard barbecues and main-street parades. It’s a day to remember and honor all the brave individuals who’ve died while serving in the United States military. While there may never be enough time to honor the stories of all these heroic individuals, we can take the time to remember the story of one Army corporal, Mitchell Red Cloud Jr. 

Red Cloud, a member of the Ho-Chunk Native American tribe, attended Black River Falls High School until he was 17 years old, at which point he joined the Marine Corps in August of 1941. He survived his service as a Marine in the Pacific and returned home. However, his family said he began to grow restless in his civilian life, so he returned to active duty in October of 1948, this time for the United States Army. 

Let me repeat that, Mitchell Red Cloud Jr. returned to active duty after having already survived his time as a marine in World War II. In the army, he was a part of the 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. As war broke out in Korea, his unit was subsequently deployed. 

On November 5th, 1950, Red Cloud was manning a listening post which was a ways ahead from where the rest of his unit was positioned. He quickly realized that Chinese Communist forces were approaching, and upon this realization, they began to charge at him from roughly 100 feet away. Immediately, he sounded the alarm with his rifle as he fired toward the approaching enemy line. His immediate response alerted the rest of his unit of the oncoming attack, giving them a crucial warning of what was headed their way. 

Red Cloud, who was greatly outnumbered, was quickly knocked down by gunfire. However, Red Cloud, who never backed down from a chance to serve his country before, pulled himself back up by wrapping his arms around the tree next to him. He used the tree to steady his rifle and continued firing to protect his unit. 

The onslaught eventually closed in on him as he could no longer hold them off. He heroically died from his gunshot wounds. Throughout the whole ordeal, he was shot at least eight times, some of which happened before he had fallen and found the strength to stand back up and continue firing. 

The company’s commander later said that, due to Red Cloud’s immediate and heroic response, the Chinese attack was adequately delayed, giving the unit the time it needed to adjust and tighten its defenses. Red Cloud’s sacrifice saved the lives of the rest of his unit.

On April 3, 1951, Corporal Red Cloud was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously which his mother received at the Pentagon. That medal is currently on display at the Wisconsin Veterans Museum in Madison, WI. The Red Cloud name lives on and has been commemorated in various monuments. In Black River Falls, one of those monuments has the following inscription: 

“The son of a Winnebago chief and warriors who believe that when a man goes into battle, he expects to kill or be killed, and if he dies, he will live forever.” 

Honoring the memories of all those who have died in service for our country is not confined to Memorial Day. It is a responsibility we must uphold every day through the way we live our lives and the actions we choose to make. Their sacrifices and their stories will not be forgotten, and we must ensure that their names will continue to live on forever. Let us carry their legacies with us by living with the same courage and dedication that they showed through their service to our country. 

Now, let us take Army Corporal Mitchell Red Cloud Jr.’s name with us and share the story of his sacrifice. For without these brave and heroic individuals, you and I would not be able to say that we live in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.