Joe Medicine Crow, a renowned Native American historian, author, scholar and World War II veteran, died on April 3, 2016 in Billings, Montana. He was 102 years old. Joe was a highly respected Crow tribal historian and was the last surviving Plains Indian War Chief. He dedicated his life to preserving the history and culture of the Native American peoples, and wrote several books on the subject, including 2015's ‘Counting Coup: Becoming a Crow Chief on the Reservation and Beyond’. Joe was a decorated World War II veteran, having served in the U.S. Army's 103rd Infantry Division. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge, and was the first to fulfill the four criteria of Plains Indian war chiefs, conferring him with a rare honor. President Obama bestowed Joe with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009, recognizing him as a “National Treasure”. Joe was born in October 1913 on the Crow Reservation in Lodge Grass, Montana. He was a lifelong resident of the reservation, where he served in various leadership roles, including membership in the Apsaalooké Heritage Board, the Montana Board of Housing, and the Crow Tribal Court. A wake was held in the Joe Medicine Crow Education Center, which he helped create, on April 4, 2016. Joe will be remembered as a courageous, inspiring leader and an important part of history.