Lt. Colonel Raymond Harvey

As the first and only Chickasaw citizen to receive the Medal of Honor, the late Lt. Colonel Raymond Harvey spent a life of selfless and heroic service in the United States Army.

In July 1950, as captain of the 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Division, Harvey was part of the amphibious landing at Inchon, Korea. After his company was pinned down by the enemy, Captain Harvey moved forward to wipe out multiple enemy machine gun crews, displaying supreme bravery. During this time, he was wounded by a bullet close to his chest, but never stopped. He sighted another enemy "pill box" and took out the crew with a single grenade. He refused any medical attention until he was certain his company had complete control of the hill.

In 1951, Captain Harvey was awarded the military's highest and most prestigious award, the Medal of Honor. President Harry S. Truman presented the award. Captain Harvey was one of the 146 recipients of the Medal of Honor, and one of three Native Americans to receive the award, during the Korean War.

Captain Harvey served as technical adviser for the feature film Fixed Bayonets, which depicted his exploits in Korea. He also served as technical adviser for two more war films, Cease Fire in 1953 and Verboten in 1959.

He retired from the military in 1962, having attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He later served as Director of Indian Affairs for the Arizona State Emergency Services before retiring in 1981. Raymond Harvey died in 1996 and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery with complete honors. In 2010, he was posthumously inducted into the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame.