Jack C. Montgomery facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jack C. Montgomery
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1Lt Montgomery in 1945 after receiving his Medal of Honor
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| Born | July 23, 1917 Long, Oklahoma |
| Died | June 11, 2002 (aged 84) Muskogee, Oklahoma |
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| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/ |
United States Army |
| Years of service | 1937–1945 |
| Rank |  First Lieutenant |
| Unit | 3rd Battalion, 180th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Medal of Honor Silver Star Purple Heart (2) |
Jack Cleveland Montgomery (July 23, 1917 – June 11, 2002) was a United States Army officer, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II.
Montgomery joined the Army in 1937 from Sallisaw, Oklahoma, and by February 22, 1944 was serving as a first lieutenant in the 180th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division. On that day, near Padiglione, Italy, Montgomery single-handedly attacked German positions, killing eleven enemy soldiers and taking dozens of prisoners. For his actions in the battle, during which he was seriously wounded, he was awarded the Medal of Honor a year later, on January 15, 1945.
Montgomery graduated from the Chilocco Indian Agricultural School in north-central Oklahoma. Coincidentally, Ernest Childers, who also earned the Medal of Honor in World War II for service in Italy, graduated from the same school. Montgomery left the Army while still a first lieutenant. He died at age 84 and was buried in Fort Gibson National Cemetery, Fort Gibson, Oklahoma. The Veterans Health Administration medical center located in Muskogee, Oklahoma, is named in his honor.
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