Montgomery, Jack Cleveland.

Montgomery, Jack Cleveland, born on 23-07-1917, in Long, Oklahoma, United States, to John Cleveland Montgomery (1884–1934) and his wife Emma, born Benge,  Montgomery (1886-1970). Jack had  Emma (Benge) Montgomery (1886-1970). Jack had three brothers and two sisters,  Houston Montgomery, Lee “Cruce” Montgomery (1911-1995), Hazel Montgomery (1913- ), Okemah Ann Montgomery (1916-2011) and Syble “Sis” Bonita (Montgomery) Claymore (1920-2011).

Montgomery attended Chilocco Indian Agricultural School in Northern Oklahoma before transferring to Carnegie Highschool. He is one of three graduates from Chilocco to have earned the Medal of Honor, making the Chilocco School one of the smallest schools in the United States to have graduated so many Medal of Honor recipients. After graduating in 1936, he enrolled at Bacone College and enlisted in the Oklahoma National Guard. In 1938, Montgomery transferred to Redlands University in California. He returned to Oklahoma in 1940. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, he reenlisted in the Army and served with his old unit, the 180th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division, under command of Major general William Shaffer Key,  through the duration of World War II.

In February 1944, Jack Montgomery was a First Lieutenant in I Company of the 180th Regiment. “Oklahoma Warriors”. under command of Major General Richard Tomberg, While defending the beachhead at Anzio, Lieutenan Montgomery’s platoon came under fire from three fortified German positions. Lieutenan. Montgomery single-handedly assaulted those positions with covering fire from artillery and his men. His actions that day earned him the Medal of Honor . Later in the day, Montgomery was wounded by mortar fire and taken to the field hospital on the Anzio beach. He was evacuated back to the United States, where he recovered and returned to service with a training Army in Texas. He was serving there when he received his medal from President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. 

Death and burial ground of Montgomery, Jack Cleveland.

Jack Montgomery left the service in 1945 and spent the rest of his life in Oklahoma. For his service during World War II, Jack Montgomery was awarded the Medal of Honor, two Silver Stars, and two Purple Hearts. Jack died 11-06-2002, (aged 84) in Muskogee, Oklahoma, United States and is buried in the Fort Gibson National Cemetery, Blk 8, 1423 Cemetery Rd, Fort Gibson, OK 74434, United States. The Veterans Health Administration medical center in Muskogee, Oklahoma, is named his honor.

Message(s), tips or interesting graves for the webmaster:    robhopmans@outlook.com

.