World War II Medal of Honor Recipient. He received the award on January 15, 1945, for his actions as a 1st lieutenant with the 3rd Battalion, 180th Infantry, 45th Infantry Division, US Army, on February 22, 1944, near Padiglione, Italy. A member of the Native American Cherokee Nation, he graduated from the Chilocco Indian Agricultural School in north-central Oklahoma and joined the US Army in 1937. When the US entered World War II, he was sent to the Eurpoean Theater of Operations and experienced his first combat action in 1943, as a platoon sergeant in Sicily. He then received a battlefield commission prior to the Invasion of Italy. On February 22, 1944 he single-handedly attacked German positions, killing eleven enemy soldiers took dozens of prisoners, and was seriously wounded. In addition to the Medal of Honor, he received the Silver Star and the Purple Heart (with one oak leaf cluster). Following the war, he returned to Oklahoma where he worked for the Veterans Administration. He died at the age of 84. The Veterans Health Administration medical center in Muskogee, Oklahoma, is named in his honor. His Medal of Honor citation reads: "For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty on February 22, 1944, near Padiglione, Italy. Two hours before daybreak a strong force of enemy infantry established themselves in 3 echelons at 50 yards, 100 yards, and 300 yards, respectively, in front of the rifle platoons commanded by 1st Lt. Montgomery. The closest position, consisting of 4 machineguns and 1 mortar, threatened the immediate security of the platoon position. Seizing an M1 rifle and several hand grenades, 1st Lt. Montgomery crawled up a ditch to within hand grenade range of the enemy. Then climbing boldly onto a little mound, he fired his rifle and threw his grenades so accurately that he killed 8 of the enemy and captured the remaining 4. Returning to his platoon, he called for artillery fire on a house, in and around which he suspected that the majority of the enemy had entrenched themselves. Arming himself with a carbine, he proceeded along the shallow ditch, as withering fire from the riflemen and machinegunners in the second position was concentrated on him. He attacked this position with such fury that 7 of the enemy surrendered to him, and both machineguns were silenced. Three German dead were found in the vicinity later that morning. 1st Lt. Montgomery continued boldly toward the house, 300 yards from his platoon position. It was now daylight, and the enemy observation was excellent across the flat open terrain which led to 1st Lt. Montgomery's objective. When the artillery barrage had lifted, 1st Lt. Montgomery ran fearlessly toward the strongly defended position. As the enemy started streaming out of the house, 1st Lt. Montgomery, unafraid of treacherous snipers, exposed himself daringly to assemble the surrendering enemy and send them to the rear. His fearless, aggressive, and intrepid actions that morning, accounted for a total of 11 enemy dead, 32 prisoners, and an unknown number of wounded. That night, while aiding an adjacent unit to repulse a counterattack, he was struck by mortar fragments and seriously wounded. The selflessness and courage exhibited by 1st Lt. Montgomery in alone attacking 3 strong enemy positions inspired his men to a degree beyond estimation."