The young Creek Indian joined the Oklahoma National Guard in 1937.   His father had recently died, and the 19-year old had a mother and 2 brothers to support.  When a world war caused his unit to be activated, he went to Europe as a full-fledged soldier.

On the night of September 22, 1943 the young Lieutenant was crawling towards an aid station for treatment of a broken foot when he saw an enemy gun emplacement.   Pointing it out to his buddies, they knocked it out while the injured officer continued to crawl to help.  Suddenly a shell hit the aid station, destroying it.   In the darkness he continued, seeking safety and never realizing he had crossed enemy lines.  As daylight dawned he was behind the enemy.  First he knocked out one enemy position, then crawled within 25 feet of a second.  He threw a rock into the machine gun nest and the enemy popped out.  The brave lieutenant quickly destroyed their position, then moved onward towards an enemy mortar observer in a house atop the hill.  Out of ammunition, he pointed his empty rifle at the German soldier and bluffed him into surrender.  Then, standing on his broken foot, he held his prisoner and that position behind enemy lines, until the rest of his unit arrived.