joseph oklahombi

Joseph Oklahombi (May 1, 1895, Bokchito, Bryan County, Oklahoma - April 13, 1960) was an American soldier of the Choctaw Nation. He was the most decorated First World War soldier in Oklahoma. He served in Company D, 1st Battalion, 141st Regiment, seventy-first Brigade of the Thirty-Sixth Infantry Division during the First World War, where he was one of the Choctaw code conversers.

On October 8, 1918, Private Oklahombi was in Saint-Etienne, France. With 23 other soldiers, he attacked an enemy position and captured 171 Germans while killing 79 others. They held their position for four days while they were under attack. Oklahombi was awarded the Silver Star with the Victory Ribbon, and the War Cross of the Marshal of France Henri-Philippe Pétain. At the time, members of the Choctaw Nation were not officially US citizens.

Oklahombi was married and had a son. He was killed on April 13, 1960 when he was hit by a truck while walking along a road. He was buried with military honors at Yashau Cemetery in Broken Bow, Oklahoma.

From Chief Gary Batton of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma:

"Many of you are familiar with the history of the Choctaw Code Talkers of the First and Second World Wars as well as the story of Joseph Oklahombi, who captured 171 Germans after moving 200 yards over open ground against a The artillery and machine gun fire not only returned the gun to the enemy for four days, but was deprived of food and water during those four days, killing many enemy soldiers what the rest surrender.