Pascal Poolaw

{{Infobox military person

| width_style = person

| name = Pascal Poolaw

| image_upright = 1.2

| image = Pascal C Poolaw Sr.jpg

| caption = Poolaw during the Korean War

| birth_name = Pascal Cleatus Poolaw

| birth_date = {{birth date|1922|01|29|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Apache, Oklahoma, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|1967|11|7|1922|01|29|mf=y}}

| death_place = {{nowr|near Loc Ninh, South Vietnam}}

| placeofburial = Fort Sill National Cemetery

| allegiance = United States

| branch_label = Branch

| branch = United States Army

| serviceyears_label = Years of service

| serviceyears = 1942–1962, 1967

| rank = First Sergeant

| servicenumber = 18131087

| unit_label = Regiments

| unit = {{plainlist|

| battles_label = Wars

| battles = {{ubl|World War II|Korean War|Vietnam War{{KIA|alt=yes}}}}

| awards = {{plainlist|

}}

Pascal Cleatus Poolaw (January 29, 1922 – November 7, 1967) was a Kiowa who served with the United States Army in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. He is the United States' most decorated Native American, with 42 medals and citations, including the Distinguished Service Cross, four Silver Stars, five Bronze Stars, as well as three Purple Hearts – one for each war.{{cite web|title=Pascal C. Poolaw Sr.|url=https://www.army.mil/americanindians/poolaw.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041124061303/http://www.army.mil/americanindians/poolaw.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 24, 2004|website=army.mil|series=American Indians in the U.S. Army|access-date=2018-12-08|df=mdy-all|quote=Most decorated American Indian Soldier}}

Early life

Pascal Poolaw was born in Apache, Oklahoma, to Ralph Emerson Poolaw and Minnie Monetathchi Bointy. He married Irene Chalepah on March 15, 1940, and had four sons: Lester, Pascal Jr., Lindy, and Donnie.

Military career

In 1942, Poolaw joined his father and two brothers in World War II. He earned his first Purple Heart when he was wounded in September 1944.{{sfn|Meadows|2012|p=74}} He earned his first Silver Star for his actions near Recogne, Belgium, while serving in Company M, 8th Infantry Regiment, when he pushed his unit forward under heavy fire and hurled hand grenades at enemy machine guns until the enemy dispersed.{{sfn|Hall of Valor|2010}}

He continued to serve in the Korean War, where he earned two more Silver Stars, and in July 1950, another Purple Heart,{{sfn|Meadows|2012|p=74}} before his return to the United States in 1952.{{sfn|Hall of Valor|2010}} He retired from the Army in 1962.

Poolaw's son, Pascal Jr., had also joined the army and was serving in the Vietnam War in February 1967, when he was wounded in both legs by a landmine, and had to have his right leg amputated below the knee. Poolaw's youngest son Lindy was also drafted and set to deploy to Vietnam shortly thereafter.

Poolaw rejoined the Army to prevent Lindy from having to serve, by taking his place. Lindy had already shipped out and Poolaw had hoped to catch up with him in time, but when he arrived on the West Coast, he discovered his son had already left the day before. He decided to follow his son to Vietnam.

Poolaw was deployed on May 31, 1967, as the first sergeant of the 26th Infantry Regiment's C Company. On November 7, while on a search and destroy mission during the first battle of Loc Ninh, Poolaw and his unit were ambushed by the Viet Cong. He was killed while attempting to pull a unit casualty to safety, and posthumously awarded a fourth Silver Star.{{sfn|Hall of Valor|2010}}

Legacy

At his funeral his wife stated: "He has followed the trail of the great chiefs."{{sfn|Ward|Burns|2017|p=244}} A building at the U.S. Army base in Fort Sill in Lawton, Oklahoma—where he was stationed prior to his deployment to Vietnam—is named in his honor.{{cite news|title=Kiowa citizen Pascal Cleatus Poolaw considered most decorated Indian soldier|url=https://www.indianz.com/News/2017/11/07/kiowa-citizen-pascal-cleatus-poolaw-cons.asp|newspaper=Indianz.Com|date=2017-11-07|access-date=2018-02-02|df=mdy-all}}

= Awards =

Poolaw was the recipient of the following military decorations and service medals:{{sfn|Struzinski|2012|p=9}}

style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"

|colspan=4|File:CIB3.gif

colspan=4|{{ribbon devices|width=106|number=0|ribbon=Distinguished Service Cross ribbon.svg{{!}}border}} {{ribbon devices|width=106|number=0|ribbon=Silver Star Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border|type=oak}}22px22px22px {{ribbon devices|width=106|number=4|ribbon=Bronze Star ribbon.svg{{!}}border|type=oak|other_device=v}}

{{ribbon devices|width=106|number=0|ribbon=Purple Heart ribbon.svg{{!}}border|type=oak}}22px22px

|{{ribbon devices|width=106|number=0|ribbon=Air Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border}}

|{{ribbon devices|width=106|number=0|ribbon=Army Commendation Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border|type=oak}}21px22px22px

|{{ribbon devices|width=106|number=0|ribbon=Army Good Conduct Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border}}File:gcl-08.png

{{ribbon devices|width=106|number=0|ribbon=American Campaign Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border}}

|{{ribbon devices|width=106|number=0|ribbon=European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign ribbon.svg{{!}}border|type=service-star}}21px18px

|{{ribbon devices|width=106|number=0|ribbon=World War II Victory Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border}}

|{{ribbon devices|width=106|number=0|ribbon=Army of Occupation ribbon.svg{{!}}border}}

{{ribbon devices|width=106|number=1|ribbon=National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border|type=service-star}}

|{{ribbon devices|width=106|number=0|ribbon=Korean Service Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border|type=service-star}}18px18px18px

|{{ribbon devices|width=106|number=0|ribbon=Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border}}

|{{ribbon devices|width=106|number=0|ribbon=Vietnam Service Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border|type=service-star}}18px18px

{{ribbon devices|width=106|number=0|ribbon=Korea Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border}}

|{{ribbon devices|width=106|number=0|ribbon=United Nations Service Medal Korea ribbon.svg{{!}}border}}

|{{ribbon devices|width=106|number=0|ribbon=Vietnam Campaign Medal ribbon with 60- clasp.svg{{!}}border}}

|{{ribbon devices|width=106|number=0|ribbon=Republic of Korea War Service Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border}}

colspan=4|{{ribbon devices|width=106|number=0|ribbon=U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force Presidential Unit Citation ribbon.svg{{!}}border}}{{ribbon devices|width=106|number=0|ribbon=Meritorious Unit Commendation ribbon.svg{{!}}border}}

colspan=4|{{ribbon devices|width=106|number=0|ribbon=Korean Presidential Unit Citation.png{{!}}border}}{{ribbon devices|width=106|number=0|ribbon=Presidential Unit Citation Vietnam (Army sized).png{{!}}border}}{{ribbon devices|width=106|number=0|ribbon=Gallantry Cross Unit Citation.png{{!}}border}}

class=wikitable style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
Badge \|colspan=12\|Combat Infantryman Badge with two stars
1st row \|colspan=4\|Distinguished Service Cross \|colspan=4\|Silver Star Medal with oak leaf clusters{{sfn\|Hall of Valor\|2010}} \|colspan=4\|Bronze Star Medal with "V" device and oak leaf clusters
2nd row \|colspan=3\|Purple Heart with oak leaf clusters \|colspan=3\|Air Medal \|colspan=3\|Army Commendation Medal with "V" device and oak leaf clusters \|colspan=3\|Good Conduct Medal {{nowr\|with good conduct loops}}
3rd row \|colspan=3\|American Campaign Medal \|colspan=3\|EAME Campaign Medal with arrowhead and service star \|colspan=3\|World War II Victory Medal \|colspan=3\|Army of Occupation Medal
4th row \|colspan=3 align=center class=nowrap\|National Defense Service Medal with service star \|colspan=3\|Korean Service Medal with service stars \|colspan=3\|Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal \|colspan=3\|Vietnam Service Medal with service stars
5th row \|colspan=3\|Korea Defense Service Medal \|colspan=3\|United Nations Service Medal \|colspan=3\|Vietnam Campaign Medal with "60–" clasp \|colspan=3\|Korean War Service Medal
6th row \|colspan=6\|Presidential Unit Citation \|colspan=6\|Meritorious Unit Commendation
7th row \|colspan=4\|Korea Presidential Unit Citation \|colspan=4\|Vietnam Presidential Unit Citation \|colspan=4\|Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation

class=wikitable style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"

Badge

|colspan=12|Combat Infantryman Badge
with two stars

1st row

|colspan=4|Distinguished Service Cross

|colspan=4|Silver Star Medal
with oak leaf clusters{{sfn|Hall of Valor|2010}}

|colspan=4|Bronze Star Medal
with "V" device and oak leaf clusters

2nd row

|colspan=3|Purple Heart
with oak leaf clusters

|colspan=3|Air Medal

|colspan=3|Army Commendation Medal
with "V" device and oak leaf clusters

|colspan=3|Good Conduct Medal
{{nowr|with good conduct loops}}