An Altamont resident recently donated a historic photograph to Duchesne County for display in the hallways of the administration building with other historic pictures.

The photo – taken in 1929 – is of the third grade class at the Altonah Elementary School, a facility which no longer exists. The donor, who has asked to remain anonymous, said the image brought back fond memories of a classmate: Harvey Natchees.

Natchees – a member of the Ute Indian Tribe – is believed to be the first American soldier to enter Berlin at the end of World War II. He earned a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, and a Purple Heart with oak leaf cluster during his time in the Army.

“I knew that when I told them about this picture I had, I knew he was the first American soldier that went into Berlin before they liberated it,” said the donor, who was given the photograph over 60 years ago by her former teacher.

“I was shopping in Price and this lady came up and spoke to me. I recognized her,” the donor said. “She said, ‘I’ve got a picture that I took of you kids when I was on the school house steps when you were in the third grade. Would you like to have it?’”

Two of Natchees' former classmates, including the anonymous donor, told the Uintah Basin Standard they never knew their fellow school chum had received recognition for his valiant efforts during the war.

“He was the hero that should have been noticed for what he did,” said 89-year-old Roosevelt resident Arthur Timothy. “He was the first Yank in Berlin. We were friends, but he lived at one end of town and I lived at the other.”

Altonah Elementary had four classrooms and two grades shared each class.

“You were always aware of what was going on in the other grade,” Timothy said. “When you went to the next grade, it was always easier because you already had so much contact with what they were doing.”

Natchees enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1942 and was on his way to France shortly after D-Day. As a member of a reconnaissance battalion in the 3rd Armored Division, he participated in many battles.

When the German capital fell to Allied forces in spring 1945, Natchees was featured in many newspapers as the first American in Berlin. He later took United Press journalists on a Jeep tour of the conquered territory.

“He did?” the donor said. “By that time we’d grown up. We were just children then when we knew him. We lost track of him when we moved. The first thing I heard it was in the (Salt Lake) Tribune and I’m sure in the Desert News. At that time if it said that he’d won all these medals I’d missed it. This comes as a happy surprise to me.”

Natchees returned to the Uintah and Ouray Reservation after being discharged from the Army in 1945. He lived with his wife, Clara, and became a rancher, a member of the Ute Tribe Business Committee, and superintendent of the tribe’s Water Department. He also worked to promote education as a solution to many problems facing his people.

“Oh, I’m happy about that,” the donor said. “He was quiet. He loved to draw. He’d just sit down with a piece of paper and a pencil and start drawing. Before you knew it, he’d drawn a whole horse and it was perfect. He was smart.”

Natchees died on June 15, 1980, of a heart attack and was buried in the Fort Duchesne Cemetery with military honors.

“He was just too early for his time,” the donor said. “I am pleased that all my efforts were worth it to now know that he was honored for what he did. He was a little hero from the little town of Altonah, and I’m so proud of him.”