Keeble to receive Medal of Honor
Army Master Sgt. Woodrow Wilson Keeble will be honored posthumously with the Medal of Honor in a ceremony March 3 at the White House, senators from North Dakota and South Dakota, and the White House announced Friday.
The Medal of Honor is the highest tribute the nation can bestow on a member of the military. Keeble is the first member of any of the Sioux tribes to receive the award.
President Bush will present the award to Keeble’s surviving family members at the White House ceremony.
Keeble, who grew up in Wahpeton, distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism on Oct. 20, 1951, while serving as the acting platoon sergeant for the support platoon in Company G, 19th Infantry, near Sang San-Ni, Korea.
A member of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Sioux, Keeble served in two wars and is one of the most decorated soldiers in history, yet he was never considered for the Medal of Honor due to bureaucratic mix-ups. Now, more than 20 years after his death and 50 years after his military service, Keeble will receive the nation’s highest military honor.
“This is a proud day for the Keeble family. If anyone deserves to be recognized among our nation’s greatest heroes, it is Woody Keeble,” Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., said. “Woody dedicated his life to defending our nation and preserving our freedom. For his extraordinary heroism, our nation owes him a deep debt of gratitude.”
Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., said the award is 50 years late. “But it’s a way for the country to recognize the courage of a really unbelievable soldier,” he said.
Dorgan also recognized Merry Helm, a Fargo resident, who has done a great deal of research about Keeble and kept the effort alive for Keeble to receive the honor.
“I am very pleased that Master Sgt. Keeble’s bravery and valor will be recognized with our nation’s highest military honor,” Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., said. “Master Sgt. Keeble’s family first contacted me in 2002 and I have been fighting ever since to get him the recognition he deserves. The Keeble family, the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate, and all the people of Dakotas today have reason to celebrate and remember his service and valor.”
“The Medal of Honor is the highest distinction a soldier can earn, and Master Sergeant Woodrow Keeble’s valiant service certainly deserves this recognition,” said Sen. John Thune, R-S.D. “Master Sergeant Keeble’s legacy is a great source of pride for his family, his fellow Dakota Sioux, and his country. I am honored to have played a role in securing this distinction for him and humbled by his service and sacrifice.”
WWII service
with Guard
Born in Waubay, S.D., Keeble moved to Wahpeton as a child. When he was old enough, Keeble joined the North Dakota National Guard and, in 1942, shipped out to the South Pacific with the N.D. 164th Infantry Regiment.
On the island of Guadalcanal, Keeble saw some of the most intense combat of World War II. In late October 1942, Keeble – known by his fellow soldiers as “Chief” – was wounded in an attempt to rescue his comrades. He was recognized for his actions and awarded his first Bronze Star and the first of his four Purple Hearts.
Service in Korea
Keeble returned to service in the Korean War at age 34 as a master sergeant. On Oct. 20, 1951, he was near Kumsong battling the Chinese.
With his fellow soldiers pinned down by heavy enemy gunfire, Keeble – already wounded – made his way up a hill and single-handedly took out four machine gun bunkers, killing nine enemy soldiers. During the assault Keeble was hit multiple times, but he continued to fight, taking out two trenches of enemy troops, killing seven more riflemen and finally forcing the enemy to retreat.
For his action, Keeble’s men twice recommended him for the Medal of Honor, but the paperwork was lost. Keeble instead received the Distinguished Service Cross, the Army’s second-highest commendation.
Following his service in Korea, Keeble returned to N.D., where he worked as a counselor until a series of strokes rendered him unable to work. He died in 1982, at the age of 65, and is buried in Sisseton, S.D.
For the past several years, the senators from North Dakota and South Dakota have been working to get Keeble’s Distinguished Service Cross upgraded to the Medal of Honor.
Minot Daily News
Keeble to receive Medal of Honor
For the first time I have seen "History" at close quarters,and I know that its actual process is very different from what is presented to Posterity. - WWI General Max Hoffman
