Near Black River Falls in Jackson County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Mitchell Red Cloud, Jr.

(1925–1950)

Photographed By Keith L, October 17, 2008

1. Mitchell Red Cloud, Jr. Marker

Inscription. Corporal Mitchell Red Cloud was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his courageous action in battle between U.S. troops and Chinese Communists near Chonghyon, Korea, Nov. 5, 1950. Red Cloud’s Company was entrenched beside Hill 123. Early in the morning a large enemy force bore down upon them. Red Cloud shouted a warning and started shooting. In the exchange fire, he was critically wounded, but dragged himself up and, supporting himself by a tree, continued firing and gave his company time to reorganize before he was killed. Red Cloud was one of Carlson’s Raiders in World War II. He was descended from a family of warriors. Chief Winneshiek, his grandfather, with others of his tribe, refused to be resettled in Nebraska and returned to this region. This marker is near Red Cloud’s birthplace and adjoins the site of Winnebago powwow grounds. To the northwest 1½ miles is the Indian Mission and Old Decorah Cemetery, where he is buried.

Erected 1957 by the Wisconsin Historical Society. (Marker Number 66.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Native Americans • War, Korean

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. In addition, it is included in the Medal of Honor Recipients, and the Wisconsin Historical Society series lists. A significant historical date for this entry is October 5, 1862.

Location. 44° 20.115′ N, 90° 44.372′ W. Marker is near Black River Falls, Wisconsin, in Jackson County. Marker is on State Highway 54, 4½ miles east of Interstate 94, on the left when traveling east. Marker is 5 miles east of Black River Falls at Red Cloud Memorial Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Black River Falls WI 54615, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Andrew Blackhawk (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Hatfield Canal (approx. 5.1 miles away); Hagen's A&W (approx. 5.9 miles away); Site of the First Wood-Spaulding Saw Mill (approx. 5.9 miles away); Cpl. Mitchell RedCloud Jr. (approx. 6 miles away); Field of Honor (approx. 6 miles away); Lunda Construction Co. (approx. 6 miles away); Hoffman Construction Company (approx. 6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Black River Falls.

More about this marker. Located near the site of the biannual pow-wow. Ho-Chunk (or Winnebago, a branch of the Sioux), as they prefer to be called today, means “People of the Big Voice.”

Previous Mitchell Red Cloud, Jr. Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Donna Johnson, June 30, 2007

2. Previous Mitchell Red Cloud, Jr. Marker

This marker was repainted and new posts added.

Regarding Mitchell Red Cloud, Jr.. “With utter fearlessness he maintained his firing position until severely wounded by enemy fire. Refusing assistance, he pulled himself to his feet and wrapped his arm around a tree, (and) continued his deadly fire until fatally wounded.”

It has been told eight bullets hit him before he fell. He was 26 years old. It was for his heroic action during the Korean War that he received the military's highest award, The Medal of Honor. Red Cloud was the eighth man to receive the award during the Korean War.

In 1983, Red Cloud was the first Winnebago (Ho-Chunk) Indian to be accepted into the American Indian Hall of Fame at Anadarko, Okla. He took his place among other famous Native Americans, Chief Joseph, Will Rogers, Pocahontas, and Jim Thorpe. Sculptor Kenneth Campbell, an art history professor at the University of Wisconsin in Eau Claire, carved two busts in his honor. One of the busts is on display at the American Indian Hall of Fame. The other was displayed at ECS on a temporary basis and since has been returned to Red Cloud’s family in Black River Falls. Campbell served with Red Cloud in the Army.

At least three places are named for Red Cloud—a park in La Crosse (Wisconsin), a rifle range in Fort Benning, Ga. and an Army base near Uijongbu, Korea. In 1951,

Photographed By Donna Johnson, June 30, 2007

3. Previous Mitchell Red Cloud, Jr. Marker

his picture was on the cover of “Life Magazine.” Esquire featured a painting called “Corporal Red Cloud’s Last Stand.”
Source: excerpts from www.medalofhonor.com/MitchellRedCloud.htm

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker.

Additional commentary.
1. Text on Cemetery Marker
Cpl. Mitchell Red Cloud Jr.
July 2, 1925 • Nov 5, 1950
Carlson’s Raiders, U.S. Marine Corps., W.W. II
U.S. Army, Korea.

A son of a Winnebago Chief & warriors who believe that when a man goes into battle he expects to kill or be killed & if he dies he will live forever.

With Co. E., 19th. Inf. Reg. of the U.S. Army guarding Hill 123 near Chonghyon North Korea early in the morning of Nov. 5, 1950 they were faced with a large force of Chinese Communist troops. Cpl. Red Cloud called a warning & started firing. He was hit & tho mortally wounded he pulled himself up against a tree & using it to brace himself he held off the enemy giving his men time to reorganize.

For his action Above & Beyond The Call of Duty his mother Mrs. Nellie Red Cloud accepted the Congressional Medal of Honor from Gen. Omar Bradley in Washington D.C.

Erected in 1967, The Gift Of A Grateful Nation.

Photographed By Keith L, October 17, 2008

4. Sign by Marker
[The Great Seal of the Ho-Chunk Nation]
The Andrew Blackhawk Memorial Pow-Wow Grounds has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior.
— Submitted October 3, 2007.

Nearby Pow-Wow Grounds image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Keith L, October 17, 2008

5. Nearby Pow-Wow Grounds

Decorah Cemetery image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Keith L, September 25, 2007

6. Decorah Cemetery

Cemetery Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Keith L, September 25, 2007

7. Cemetery Marker

Mitchell Red Cloud Jr image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Keith L, October 26, 2007

8. Mitchell Red Cloud Jr

Wisconsin Cpl Co E 19 Infantry Regt World War II Korea MH-PH
July 2 1925 Nov 5 1950

Credits. This page was last revised on December 30, 2019. It was originally submitted on July 26, 2007, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 4,633 times since then and 49 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on November 11, 2008, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. 2, 3. submitted on July 26, 2007, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. 4, 5. submitted on November 11, 2008, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. 6, 7, 8. submitted on October 3, 2007, by Keith L of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. • J. J. Prats was the editor who published this page.