I’ve recently been spending many an hour being lazy and watching many of the great offerings on Netflix. But, hey! What’s retirement all about? I’ve recently availed myself of once again watching the wonderful 2007 PBS documentary The War, a Ken Burns production. Having viewed it when it first came out, I still revel in the many fascinating facts and stories. And the following is one of them.
Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow
Joseph Medicine Crow was born on a Crow Indian reservation near Lodge Grass, Montana, in 1913. There, he attended a Baptist mission school, later going on to college and then becoming the first member of the Crow tribe to obtain a Master’s degree, writing a Master’s thesis that is still widely consulted. He then began working on obtaining his Doctorate degree which was interrupted by the coming of WWII. As he so aptly put it, “My Uncle had other plans for me…Uncle Sam that is,” whereupon he left school and joined the army.
A young warrior Joseph
Throughout his youth, he had been raised in the warrior tradition of his people. Ironically, during the Plain’s Wars, the Crow nation sided with the US, most likely because they felt it would aid them in their battles against their traditional enemies, the Lakota, Sioux and Cheyenne tribes. His step-grandfather, White Man Runs Him, scouted for General George Armstrong Custer and actually witnessed the disaster at the Little Big Horn. Joseph grew up hearing tales of that tragically historic day. But it was his paternal grandfather, the great Medicine Crow, considered the bravest of all warrior chiefs, who trained him in the way of the warrior, becoming Joseph’s inspiration. So when Joseph went into battle, he painted red stripes on his arms and under his helmet he carried a sacred, yellow painted eagle feather provided by a Sun Dance medicine man to shield him from harm, following the lessons he’d learned.
He was taught that to become a warrior chief, one must complete four deeds:
- Physically touch an enemy.
- Take an enemy’s weapon
- Lead a victorious war party.
- Steal an enemy’s horse.
He began climbing the ladder of warrior success when he led a squad carrying explosive into action against a village on the Siegfried line, also known as the “Westwall”. In that action, on entering the village, Joseph literally ran into a German soldier, bumping heads with him. Using his rifle, he knocked the other soldier’s weapon out of his hands and right then could have shot him. Instead, filled with adrenaline, he threw his rifle down and began fisticuffs and wrestling with the German. At one point, the German had him pinned to the ground but Joseph was able to flip him over and began strangling him, until…hearing the words, “Momma! Momma!” coming from the German’s mouth, he relented and let him escape. Rejoining his company, they captured the village. Thus, by having led his squad in a victorious war party, taking the soldier’s weapon and physically touching him, Joseph had already performed three of the four rites to become a chief. All that remained was to steal a horse, but in the age of modern warfare, what were the odds of that possibility coming to be?
White Man Runs Him, Joseph’s step-grandfather who scouted for General Custer and saw the infamous “Last Stand”
But later on, while leading a scouting party he spied a group of German soldiers on horse back. He left his squad and followed them to a farmhouse the Germans had taken over, and there he saw some fifty horses pastured in a nearby field.
On returning to his company, they surrounded the farm house with plans of capturing it on the following morning. The next morning, before the attack, Joseph approached his Captain with an idea. He asked for five minutes before attack jump-off so he could sneak in and stampede the horses. He took a squad, they snuck in through a gate and he crept around a guard post, got a horse and put on a jury-rigged, double half-hitched bridle and stampeded the herd. He noticed that these were beautiful horses, him riding a sorrel with a braid, and in the happiness and power of the moment, he began singing a warrior song of honor and praise. And so it was that he had reached the fourth deed needed to become a warrior chief, though in his humbleness, he’d never even thought about it.
The first Chief Medicine Crow, Joseph’s paternal grandfather, who taught him the warrior way.
On returning home from the war, a tribal ceremony was held to welcome him back. On being questioned by the tribal elders about his war deeds, he spoke of all he’d seen and done. On learning these facts, the elders informed him that he’d completed the four necessary deeds to become a warrior chief and was deemed the last traditional Crow chief, for the official title had been retired on the death of Chief Plenty Coups in 1932, considered by his people to be the last of the great chiefs.
As it is, Joseph Medicine Crow is still considered to be the last Plains Indian war chief, truly a piece of living history for he still lives at the age of 102 in Montana on the reservation where he was born. Having attained an honorary Doctorate degree at the age of 90, he is now Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow and over the years after the war he has become a renowned author and historian, well known for his writings and lectures, especially regarding the Battle of Little Big Horn, and being the Crow Tribal Historian, he continues to keep alive the flame of his people’s history. A remarkable man, a remarkable life; and remarkable story. Thanks to Ken Burns for sharing this amazing saga.
Indian cultures and traditions fascinate me. I had never heard of this story before, but it sounds fascinating.
There are millions of stories from WWII. In “The War”, Ken Burns just chose four cities to tell the story of how it affected them. But in this case, he chose this story not from one of those cities because he thought it important to tell.
What an amazing story. I’ve heard a few stories of Native Americans, but I’ve never heard this one. It makes me wonder what else I’ll find if I start digging.
It’s all out there, Stacie, just waiting to be discovered. Thanks for reading.
Fascinating story! I love to hear about history. It helps us all grow (hopefully) in a good way. Thanks you for sharing this story! I loved reading it.
You’re welcome, Jeanette. I’m glad you enjoyed it. I too love history and spend much of my time studying it.
Very intriguing! I never heard of him before or these traditions but now I want to learn more!
Wow I have got to watch that documentary. His stories are incredible. His war deeds took a lot of courage.
Yes, if you get the chance, see the series. It’s awesome. There are so many other interesting stories told.
wow how interesting. I cannot believe he was born in 1913. Definitely lived through SO much. The history of himself and that of his family is so cool. Love the part about stealing the enemy’s horse lol
For sure, the horse deal was amazing. Who woulda thought in such a mechanized war he would have had a chance to accomplish that last deed?
I’ve been hearing about this. Learning more about native americans and their culture is very interesting. I’d love to read Dr. Crow’s books!
I have never heard of The War or Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow. It sounds absolutely fascinating. I’ll look for it on Netflix.
My husband is fascinated about Native Americans. He loves reading and learning about them.
I will be looking for this on Netflix. It sounds like an interesting documentary!
He’s still alive at 102? That’s amazing. I’ve never heard of him until now. Thank you for sharing this with us today.
You’re welcome, Amanda. It truly was an amazing tale.
Netflix is such a wonderful place to spend some time and get caught up on shows or movies. It is also a great place to find things you’ve already seen. I have had a great time watching things I have never heard of and learning new stuff through the educational programs shown from Discovery Channel , Learning Channel and other networks.
This is very interesting, I know my family would enjoy learning more. My sister used to live right by that reservation in Montana, the stories she tells are quite interesting as well. Thanks for the inspiration, I am going to look more into this.
You’re welcome, Melissa. It’s interesting that your sister got to experience living near these people. Maybe you can share this tale with her.
This looks really interesting. I do not watch a lot of tv but PBS programs never disappoint.
You know, you should be a HIstorian because you know a lot of history. I don’t know about him but thanks for sharing.
I’m kinda-sorta an amateur historian for I’ve been reading and studying history since I learned to read at 6-years-of-age.
What a fantastic story. I love Indian traditions and learning about them. I am part Cherokee Indian myself.
And I live within 60 miles of the Cherokee Indian Reservation located in the Great Smokey Mountains and have visited there many times. So fascinating.
My dad is a Native American so I’m naturally very interested in stories like this! So fascinating!
Wow, what a story. This really looks interesting. I had really no idea about any of this! Very cool.
The story of how America betrayed them is quite a ‘thank you’ for their help in the war (the inspiration for the movie code talkers). If the different Indian tribes had banded together they would have been so powerful as a united force.
That’s so true. If they could have put aside their tribal differences, the Trail of Tears and the horrible reservation system may never have come to pass. Funny thing is, we’re supposed to be the good guys. Yet look at what we did to the “TRUE” Americans, as well as the Jim Crow era and what we did to the Blacks. The Indians and the Blacks, as well, contributed immensely to the war effort, which is greatly touched upon in the series “The War”.
This is a very interesting and a fascinating story. It’s wonderful learning something from their traditions.
This is so wonderful to learn about. I had no idea until I read your story. I so interested in learning more about this history.
I love documentaries and my sons and I watch them on Netflix a couple times a month. The War is one we will have to watch for sure. I love this story and can wait to see it. Thanks for sharing..
You’re more than welcome, Rebecca. I love sharing these pieces of history.
Amazing that he is still alive at 102! I love learning about history, there’s so much that I still don’t know.
What an amazing story. He is a great warrior. It’s amazing to see a piece of living history like him.
This is fascinating! So much history yet to be discovered. I will have to look into the series, I homeschool and my boys would love to learn about this. Thank you for sharing.
You’re welcome, Tiany. I hope you avail yourself and your boys of this series. It’s highly educational and a part of our past that is fast disappearing. Most of the boys who fought in WWII are in their late 80’s – early 90’s and are dying off at a fast rate.
What a fascinating snapshot you’ve provided on Dr. Medicine Crow! The show on his life would be something that my Dad would really like to see.
I imagine becoming a warrior chief is such an accomplished feeling. The story was interesting to read.
I find this culture so fascinating! My husband has part native american in him! So I love reading stories about this!
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Clarissa. Thanks for reading.
What an amazing story. This really touches me. Thank you for sharing.
Happy to share, Kristin. I’m glad you read and enjoyed.
I haven’t heard this story before. It sounds very interesting. I think it is something my husband and I could watch together and both really enjoy. Thanks for sharing!
Happy to share, Britni. It’s an awesome documentary series in 7 parts and I believe the episode that has Dr. Medicine Crow in it is #5, titled “Fubar”.