America250: Army Veteran Jack C. Montgomery

Jack C. Montgomery was born in July 1917, in Long, Oklahoma, as a member of the Cherokee Nation. Growing up, he attended the Chilocco Indian Agricultural School. After graduating, Montgomery attended Bacone Junior College where he became a formidable running back on the school’s football team. During this time, he also joined the 45th Infantry Division in the Oklahoma National Guard, a division with Native Americans from over 50 tribes. Montgomery left the division in 1938 after receiving a scholarship to the University of Redlands, where he graduated in 1940 with a degree in physical education.

Montgomery returned to Oklahoma after earning his degree and rejoined the 45th Infantry Division. He remained with the division for an additional year before honorably discharging in 1941. However, his time away from the armed forces did not last as Montgomery reenlisted three months after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.

After rejoining his old unit, Montgomery deployed to Europe. His first combat experience was in 1943 when the Allies invaded Sicily, intending to capture more Axis territory in Europe. As the Allies pushed northward, Montgomery became a second lieutenant through a battlefield commission right before they invaded the Italian port city of Salerno. Montgomery went on to receive a Silver Star for his actions during the battle.

While Montgomery served until the end of World War II, his most notable actions occurred before dawn on Feb. 22, 1944, during the Battle of Anzio near Padiglione, Italy. German forces threatened the newly promoted first lieutenant’s platoon when they established three positions nearby, the closest Germans being 50 yards away. Recognizing the danger, Montgomery crawled to the nearest enemy position with only a rifle and hand grenades and fired at the enemy soldiers before hurling a grenade. He seized the position after killing eight German soldiers and taking four of them prisoner.

When morning came, Montgomery was back with his platoon, but he was not done. Believing the enemy was in a house 300 yards away, he called an artillery strike on the position before approaching the second enemy position. Armed with only a carbine and facing heavy enemy fire, he launched a furious attack that destroyed two enemy machine guns and brought about the surrender of seven enemy soldiers. They found three more dead enemies later that morning.

By then, the sun was up and shined brightly. However, Montgomery’s attack was not over, as the opposition facing his platoon remained determined and strong. After the artillery attack subsided, Montgomery approached the house, determined to end the danger that faced his platoon. Despite the strong resistance, the house eventually fell, and the enemy threat was no more.

When the day was over, Montgomery successfully defended his platoon. His actions resulted in 11 enemy deaths, 32 captured enemies and countless enemies wounded.

Montgomery escaped serious wounds until night came, when mortar fragments hit him while helping another unit repel a counterattack. After this, Montgomery went to a hospital to recover from his wounds. Once recovered, Montgomery served with a training unit until January 1945 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered him to Washington, D.C., to be presented a Medal of Honor.

After the war ended, Montgomery returned to Oklahoma, where he worked for the then-Veterans Administration. His legacy of service is remembered at the Jack C. Montgomery VA Medical Center in Muskogee, Oklahoma, named in his honor.

Montgomery passed away at the age of 84 in June 2002.

We honor his service.

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America250

VA is highlighting 250 Veterans leading up to July 4, 2026, which marks 250 years of independence. Learn more about the count down to 250 years of the American spirit at https://america250.org/.

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Contributors

Writers: Raymond Lin, Adrienne Brookstein

Editor: Annabelle Colton, Merrit Pope

Fact checker: Andrew Jenkins

Graphic Designer: Kiki Kelley