The Last Great Horse Raid: When a Crow Warrior Stole 50 Horses from the Nazis

Date: 1943
Location: Italy, during World War II
Key Figure: Joe Medicine Crow (Crow Nation)
Affiliations: U.S. Army, 103rd Infantry Division

A Warrior in Two Worlds

Joe Medicine Crow was born in 1913 on the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana. Raised in traditional warrior culture and trained by his grandfather—who had known legendary fighters like Chief Plenty Coups—Joe also earned a master’s degree in anthropology before enlisting in the U.S. Army during World War II.

By 1943, he found himself far from the Montana plains, fighting through the rugged countryside of Nazi-occupied Italy.

But one night in Europe, he would fulfill the ancient war deeds of his people—not with modern weapons, but with bravery, cunning, and horses.

The Warrior Deeds of the Crow

To become a war chief in traditional Crow society, a warrior had to complete four major feats:

Touch an enemy in battle (counting coup)
Steal an enemy’s weapon
Lead a successful war party
Steal enemy horses

Joe Medicine Crow would go on to complete all four during World War II. But one act stood out above all:
He stole 50 horses from a Nazi camp—singing a Crow war song as he rode away.

The Raid on the Nazis’ Horses

While serving in the Alps, Joe and his unit came across a German encampment with dozens of horses tethered nearby. These were likely used for transport through rugged terrain.

Seizing the moment, Joe Medicine Crow mounted a stealth operation.

Under cover of night, he snuck into the enemy area, untied 50 horses, and drove them away alone, galloping across the dark hills. As he rode, he began singing a traditional Crow victory song, fulfilling one of the oldest customs of his tribe—in a war halfway around the world.

Not a single German caught him. By morning, the horses were gone, and Joe Medicine Crow had just completed one of the most remarkable horse raids in modern history.

Legacy of a Warrior-Scholar

After the war, Joe returned home and became the last recognized war chief of the Crow Nation. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009 from President Barack Obama and continued to share his knowledge and culture until his passing in 2016 at the age of 102.

His life bridged two worlds: the ancient warrior traditions of his people, and the modern battlefield of World War II. And with the daring horse raid in Italy, he ensured those traditions lived on, even in the 20th century.

References:

The Last War Chief: Joe Medicine Crow’s WWII Memoirs – National Museum of the American Indian
Warrior Tradition: Crow Feats in a Global Conflict – Smithsonian Channel
Interview with Joe Medicine Crow – NPR, 2006
Medal of Freedom Biography: Joe Medicine Crow – White House Archives

The Last Great Horse Raid: When a Crow Warrior Stole 50 Horses from the Nazis