Graphic novel honors Mississippi Medal of Honor recipient

Date:2025-08-13 10:56:30 Category:US Views:1 Comment:0

JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – The Association of the United States Army (AUSA) commemorated a Mississippi Medal of Honor recipient in a very unique way.

In 2018, AUSA began publishing a graphic novel series to commemorate Medal of Honor recipients across the country. One of its newest graphic novels for 2025 honors U.S. Army Colonel Van Thomas Barfoot. The Edinburg native received the military honor during WWII for advancing through a minefield in Italy to take out Nazi machine gunners and a tank in 1944.

Cover of Medal of Honor graphic novel for Army Colonel Van Thomas Barfoot (Courtesy: Association of the United States Army)

AUSA’s graphic novel detailed Barfoot’s life and military career. Growing up, he took care of the family farm with his eight siblings. Barfoot elected to enlist in the U.S. Army in 1940. Much of his fighting experience in World War II occurred in Italy, which was part of the Axis Powers.

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On many patrols of the area, Barfoot became quite familiar with the Italian town of Carano. Allied forces struggled to gain ground, so in May 1944, Barfoot volunteered to go deep into enemy territory to help break ground on the military front. He travelled through mine-laden territory to ambush Nazi troops and to advance the U.S. Army’s position on the battlefield.

By himself, Barfoot entered enemy lines to gain ground for American troops. He used a grenade and his submachine gun to kill and capture enemy soldiers. He even used a rocket launcher to disable a tank.

Barfoot further led his squad into enemy territory to fortify their new gains on the battlefield. He even led two injured soldiers to safety. In September of that year, Barfoot received the Medal of Honor. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, he is one of 33 men of Native American heritage to earn the Medal of Honor. His maternal grandmother was a member of the Choctaw Nation.

The World War II Veteran who enlisted before America’s involvement in World War II also served in Korea and Vietnam. Barfoot retired in 1974 as senior Army advisor to the Virginia National Guard. Barfoot died in 2012 following complications from a fall that fractured his skull; he was 92 years old.

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