The Defense Department has announced plans to review the Medals of Honor awarded to 20 U.S. soldiers for their actions in the 1890 battle at Wounded Knee. This decision comes after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered a review by a special panel of experts, in consultation with the White House and the Department of the Interior.
Congress recommended the review in the 2022 defense bill, responding to calls from lawmakers and Native American groups to reassess the awards given for the massacre on South Dakota’s Pine Ridge Indian Reservation near Wounded Knee Creek. An estimated 250 Native Americans, including women and children, were killed in the tragic event, with at least another 100 wounded.
The Medals of Honor were bestowed upon 20 soldiers from the 7th Cavalry Regiment, citing various acts of bravery, efforts to rescue fellow troops, and actions to confront Sioux Indians hidden in a ravine. However, concerns have been raised about the conduct of these soldiers, prompting the review.
The panel will scrutinize each award to ensure that no soldier was recognized for actions that did not merit such a prestigious honor. Disqualifying actions under consideration include rape, murder of a prisoner, or attacking non-combatants or individuals who had surrendered.
Army Secretary Christine Wormuth has been tasked with providing historical records and documentation for each soldier's award to the panel by Friday. The panel, comprised of five experts, must submit a written report by October 15, recommending whether each award should be revoked or retained.
The review will assess the soldiers' actions based on the standards in place at the time of the Wounded Knee massacre. The panel will also consider the broader context of the incident to evaluate the conduct of each soldier involved.
This development underscores the longstanding contentious relations between South Dakota tribes and the government, dating back to the 1800s. The Wounded Knee massacre, the deadliest of its kind, saw federal troops fatally shoot Lakota men, women, and children during efforts to suppress the Ghost Dance religious practice.
