President Obama struggles to present the Medal of Freedom to Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow -story & pics

[Kadie]

WASHINGTON - AUGUST 12: U.S. President Barack Obama (L) struggles to present the Medal of Freedom to Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow - High Bird (R) during a ceremony at the White House August 12, 2009 in Washington, DC. The Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian award in the United States. Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow - High Bird was presented the medal for his valiant service in World War II where he was awarded the status of Crow War Chief, and his renowned studies of the First Americans and contributions to cultural and historical preservation have been critical to our understanding of America�s history.


WASHINGTON - AUGUST 12: U.S. President Barack Obama (L) struggles to present the Medal of Freedom to Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow - High Bird (R) during a ceremony at the White House August 12, 2009 in Washington, DC. The Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian award in the United States. Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow - High Bird was presented the medal for his valiant service in World War II where he was awarded the status of Crow War Chief, and his renowned studies of the First Americans and contributions to cultural and historical preservation have been critical to our understanding of America�s history. Also pictured at lower right is actor Sidney Poitier.


President Barack Obama reaches around the head dress of Chief Joseph Medicine Crow to place a 2009 Presidential Medal of Freedom around his neck, Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2009, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington.


Chief Joseph Medicine Crow looks at his 2009 Presidential Medal of Freedom after President Barack Obama placed it around his neck, Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2009, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington.



Crow Chief receives Medal of Freedom
By MARY CLARE JALONICK

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — A 95-year-old Crow Indian who went into battle wearing war paint under his World War II uniform has been awarded the nation's highest civilian honor.

Wearing a traditional headdress, Joe Medicine Crow on Wednesday received the Presidential Medal of Freedom at the White House. The award was clasped around his neck by President Barack Obama.

"Dr. Medicine Crow's life reflects not only the warrior spirit of the Crow people, but America's highest ideals," Obama said as he introduced him and called him "a good man" in the Crow language.

Medicine Crow broke tradition and briefly spoke after Obama gave him the medal, telling the president he was "highly honored" to receive it.

more...
http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/crow-chief-receives-medal-114176.html

[petersjo02]

1. Damn, reading this made me cry. n/t

[Kadie]

6. : )

:hi:

[sagetea]

2. oh, he's so cute!

Ho, Grandfather!

[Betsy Ross]

3. At least he didn't say

give me back my America. Although he could have. I'm sure the awards were way to multi-cultural for the wingnuts. I really was delighted to see the award given to the only Crow War Chief.

[Froward69]

4. Sidney Poitier

Looks Like he is about to burst out laughing...

those warbonnets can be cumbersome. LOL!!!

Dr. Medicine Crow brings honor to that medial, after Bush pimped it so badly.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

9. don't you wish Sidney Poitier was sitting where he could see Obama's face?

So funny! I'll bet we'd realllllly see him cracking up then! :D

[alstephenson]

5. Precious.

[Uzybone]

7. Great pictures. Thanks

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. The WH photographer is very good

[BlancheSplanchnik]

8. Love!!

Thanks Kadie!

Funny, cute and moving.

Ah Ho, Dr Medicine Crow :loveya:

[Kadie]

10. .

:)

[ellie]

11. Awesome!

I posted this to my Facebook page. Thanks for posting it!

[Kadie]

15. Cool!

:hi:

[H2O Man]

13. Recommended.

Thanks for this.

[Kadie]

16. Glad others are enjoying the pics and story

as much as I did.

:hi:

[BlooInBloo]

14. :)))))

[progressoid]

17. And here is a picture of him with Obama last year:

WWII veteran and Bronze Star recipient Joe Medicine Crow speaks to Barack Obama during Obama's visit to Billings, Mont. The crow Indian chief, who wore war paint beneath his World War II uniform and went on to become an acclaimed Native American historian\



In 1939, Medicine Crow became the first of his tribe to receive a master's degree, in anthropology. He is the Crow's sole surviving war chief, an honor bestowed for a series of accomplishments during World War II including hand-to-hand combat with a German solider, whose life Medicine Crow spared.

He also stole dozens of horses from a Nazi camp and retrieved dynamite while under fire that was used to attack German guns.

After the war, he became tribal historian for the Crow and lectured extensively on the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Medicine Crow's grandfather served as a scout for the doomed forces of Gen. George Armstrong Custer.

He was nominated for the presidential medal by U.S. Sen. Jon Tester of Montana and former Sen. Alan Simpson of Wyoming.

Simpson, who first met Medicine Crow more than 60 years ago, said Thursday that there was "no mystery to how he was nominated."

"There's a spectacular background to what he's done — his leadership and the war experiences and his love of people in the tribe," Simpson said.

...

Medicine Crow in 2008 was awarded a Bronze Star and, from the French government, the National Order of the Legion of Honor. He was nominated last year for the Congressional Gold Medal.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32221823/

[Kadie]

18. Thank you for posting that.

What a life he has led.

:hi:

[Raschel]

19. What an amazing man.

[C_eh_N_eh_D_eh]

20. Please don't pull faces like that, Mr. President.

The wingnuts don't need your help.