Monday, April 4, 2016

Joe Medicine Crow

Joe Medicine Crow, the last Crow War Chief, has died at age 102.

Medicine Crow was the last person to have accomplished the four requirements necessary to be a Crow War Chief, those being touching an enemy without killing him, taking an enemy's weapon, leading a successful war party and stealing an enemy's horse, as a soldier during World War Two.  On the last item, he actually stole 50 horses from an SS unit in a singular instance, a remarkable achievement in a war as late as World War Two.

Medicine Crow, who had obtained a bachelors degree and a masters degree prior to World War Two, was also the last living person to have received oral history of the Battle of Little Big Horn from those who fought in it.  World War Two interrupted his efforts to obtain a doctorate degree.  With him dies the last direct living link to the most well known battle of the Indian Wars.

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