A Belated Posthumous Medal of Honor for a Sioux Warrior (Woodrow Wilson "Woody" Keeble)

American Thinker ^ | March 02, 2008 | John B. Dwyer

[neverdem]

In the aftermath, he had been wounded at least five different times by fragmentation and concussion grenades in the chest, arms, right calf, knee, right and left thighs.  Eighty-three fragments were later removed.  He never complained and refused medical evacuation until his men were settled into their night defensive positions. 

Born on the Sisseton-Wahpeton Indian reservation in 1917, Woodrow Wilson Keeble joined the North Dakota National Guard in 1942 while the Chicago White Sox were trying to recruit the big athlete.  He served with Company I, 164^th Infantry Regiment, Americal Division, the first US Army unit on Guadalcanal. They fought side-side with the Marines; fighting that earned praise from Leatherneck commanders, one of whom (Col. Clifton B. Cates) wrote that they were "honored to serve with such a unit as yours." 

In an article about Keeble at the Army news site, fellow I Company member James Fenelon is quoted as recalling that "men of the 164^th rallied around this full-blooded Sioux whose accuracy with the Browning Automatic Rifle was unparalleled." (A detailed account of Marine-Army combat on Guadalcanal can be found here.)   

34 year old 1^st Sgt. Keeble volunteered for Korea as an individual augmentee from the 164^th Infantry and was assigned to G Company, 2^nd Battalion, 19^th Infantry.  On October 20, 1951 he had taken charge of G Company after all of its officers had been killed or badly wounded during the 24^th Division's participation in Operation Nomad. Its objective: push the Chinese communists off of their fortified winter line and take the city of Kumsong.  

This was a mission made more difficult by the fact that Chinese troops had taken advantage of a recent lull in the fighting to build trench-tunnel and bunker systems into the rugged mountains. This was the deadly terrain facing G Company and 1^st Sgt. Keeble.  (Read more about Operation Nomad here.)   From the account in Army.mil/news:

Fellow G Company 1^st Sgt. Kosumo Sagami later wrote that Keeble led all three platoons in successive assaults upon the Chinese who held the hill throughout the day. All three charges were repulsed, and the company suffered heavy casualties. The trenches were filled with enemy soldiers, fortified by three pillboxes containing machine guns and additional men, surrounded the hill.

Following the third assault and subsequent mortar and artillery support, the enemy sustained casualties among its ranks in the open trenches. The machine gunners in the pillboxes, however, continued to direct fire on the company. Sagami said after Keeble withdrew the 3rd platoon, he decided to attempt a solo assault. [....]

Armed with grenades and his Browning Automatic Rifle, Keeble crawled to an area 50 yards from the ridgeline, flanked the left pillbox and used grenades and rifle fire to eliminate it, according to Sagami. After returning to the point where 1st Platoon held the company's first line of defense, Keeble worked his way to the opposite side of the ridgeline and took out the right pillbox with grenades. "Then without hesitation, he lobbed a grenade into the back entrance of the middle pillbox and with additional rifle fire eliminated it," Sagami added. [....]

(Keeble's stepson Russell) Hawkins said one eyewitness told him the enemy directed its entire arsenal at Keeble during his assault: "... there were so many grenades coming down on Woody, that it looked like a flock of blackbirds." Even under heavy enemy fire, Keeble was able to complete his objective. Only after he killed the machine gunners did Keeble order his men to advance and secure the hill. 

Every surviving member of G Company recommended Keeble for the Medal of Honor, twice, but the paperwork was lost, and he was given the next highest award, the Distinguished Service Cross in 1952. Over the years, efforts continued to have that DSC upgraded. Woodrow Wilson Keeble died in North Dakota in 1982.

Finally, in December 2007, a bill signed by all North and South Dakota senators authorizing President Bush to award Keeble the Medal of Honor was passed.   Tomorrow, in a White House ceremony, Russell Hawkins will accept the Medal for his stepfather Master Sgt. Woodrow "Woody" Keeble. Among those in attendance will be some of Woody's North Dakota friends from the Circle of Nations, formerly Wahpeton Indian School, where he taught. 

The Medal of Honor will rest atop his other awards and decorations, which include the Silver Star, 3 Bronze Stars and 4 Purple Hearts.

Woodrow Keeble, a good, friendly, quiet man, as so many true heroes are, later talked about being in combat. 

"There were terrible moments that encompassed a lifetime, an endlessness, when terror was so strong in me that I could feel idiocy replace reason.  Yet I have never left my position.  Never have I shirked hazardous duty.  Fear did not make a coward out of me."  

His proud stepson has said, "Woody epitomized our cultural values of humility, compassion, bravery, strength" and "the embodiment of the Sioux word woyuonihan" or honor.

The deeds of Woodrow Keeble and all of our heroes are timeless, and they serve as an inspiration to us all as we strive to lead exemplary lives.

John B. Dwyer is a military historian.

[ovrtaxt]

He also deserves a medal just for having to live a life named after jackass sellout extrordinaire Woodrow Wilson.

[mnehring]

Bump for a well deserved recognition of a real American hero. There are so many native Americans who fought so hard for this country only to be ignored for their service. I am glad to see this is being corrected.

[Cacique]

btt

[mnehring]

Interview: Woody Keeble, a hero of two wars

[ANGGAPO]

Someone deserves a “Well Done” for pushing this.

[calex59]

"Call him Drunken Ira Hayes he won't answer any more, not that wiskey drinking Indian or the GI that went to war", What does this have to do with this post? It has to do with another American hero that went downhill fast after WWII was over. Indian, I am white, but had many Indians(not native Americans)for friends, most of them died of alcohol related incidents.

In case you don't know, Ira Hayes was one of the Flag Raisers on Iwo Jima. Everyone is familiar with the picture that shows the raising of the flag, but few know the names of the men who actually raised it. Ira Hayes was one of them and died of alcoholism at an early age. The ballad of Ira Hayes is almost forgotten now but his actions live on.

[Mogollon]

Actually, I lot of them were not ignored. Several Apaches were awarded the Medal of Honor during the Apache wars...here is one:

http://www.homeofheroes.com/photos/1_indian/rowdy_bw.html

[yarddog]

My first thought were “here is another politically correct decoration.” After reading it tho, it was richly deserved.

[vetvetdoug]

Sometimes words cannot truly express my admiration. God Bless Woodrow Keeble.

[wagglebee]

Well deserved.

God bless this true American hero.

[Stonewall Jackson]

Here are the other Indian Scouts who were awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions. All but one were awarded for combat against the Apache.

ALCHESAY

Rank and organization: Sergeant, Indian Scouts. Place and date: Winter of 1872-73. Entered service at: Camp Verde, Ariz. Born: 1853, Arizona Territory. Date of issue: 12 April 1875. Citation: Gallant conduct during campaigns and engagements with Apaches.

BLANQUET

Rank and organization: Indian Scouts. Place and date: Winter of 1872-73. Entered service at:------. Birth: Arizona. Date of issue: 12 April 1875. Citation: Gallant conduct during campaigns and engagements with Apaches.

CHIQUITO

Rank and organization: Indian Scouts. Place and date: Winter of 1871-73. Entered service at: ------. Birth: Arizona. Date of issue: 12 April 1875. Citation: Gallant conduct during campaigns and engagements with Apaches.

CO-RUX-TE-CHOD-ISH (Mad Bear)

Rank and organization: Sergeant, Pawnee Scouts, U.S. Army. Place and date: At Republican River, Kans., 8 July 1869. Entered service at: ------. Birth: Nebraska. Date of issue: 24 August 1869. Citation: Ran out from the command in pursuit of a dismounted Indian; was shot down and badly wounded by a bullet from his own command.

ELSATSOOSU

Rank and organization: Corporal, Indian Scouts. Place and date: Winter of 1872-73. Entered service at:------. Birth: Arizona. Date of issue: 12 April 1875. Citation: Gallant conduct during campaigns and engagements with Apaches.

JIM

Rank and organization: Sergeant, Indian Scouts. Place and date: Winter of 1871-73. Entered service at: ------. Birth: Arizona Territory. Date of issue: 12 April 1875. Citation: Gallant conduct during campaigns and engagements with Apaches.

KELSAY

Rank and organization: Indian Scouts. Place and date: Winter of 1872-73. Entered service at:------. Birth: Arizona. Date of issue: 12 April 1875. Citation: Gallant conduct during campaigns and engagements with Apaches.

KOSOHA

Rank and organization: Indian Scouts. Place and date: Winter of 1872-73. Entered service at: ------. Birth: Arizona. Date of issue: 12 April 1875. Citation: Gallant conduct during campaigns and engagements with Apaches.

MACHOL

Rank and organization: Private, Indian Scouts. Place and date: Arizona, 1872-73. Entered service at: ------. Birth: Arizona. Date of issue: 12 April 1875. Citation: Gallant conduct during campaign and engagements with Apaches.

NANNASADDIE

Rank and organization: Indian Scouts. Place and date: 1872-73. Entered service at:------. Birth: Arizona. Date of issue: 12 April 1875. Citation: Gallant conduct during campaigns and engagements with Apaches.

NANTAJE (NANTAHE)

Rank and organization: Indian Scouts. Place and date: 1872-73. Entered service at:------. Birth: Arizona. Date of issue: 12 April 1875. Citation: Gallant conduct during campaigns and engagements with Apaches.

ROWDY

Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company A, Indian Scouts. Place and date: Arizona, 7 March 1890. Entered service at: ------. Birth: Arizona. Date of issue: 15 May 1890. Citation: Bravery in action with Apache Indians.

[neverdem]

Thanks for the pics & link!

[fight_truth_decay]

Very Interesting, Thanks.

[wizr]

One of my favorite books is “Hanta Yo” by Ruth Beebe Hill. Hanta Yo is “clear the way” in Lakota (Sioux) language. It tells the srory of several generations of the Lakota, as told to her by the elders, and submitted back for their approval.

Master Sgt. Woody Keeble cleared the way for many to follow.

God bless him.

[OKSooner]

Bookmark.

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

Breathes there the man with soul so dead
Who never to himself hath said,
This is my own, my native land!
Whose heart hath ne’er within him burned,
As home his footsteps he hath turned
From wandering on a foreign strand!
If such there breathe, go, mark him well;
For him no minstrel raptures swell;
High though his titles, proud his name,
Boundless his wealth as wish can claim
Despite those titles, power, and pelf,
The wretch, concentred all in self,
Living, shall forfeit fair renown,
And, doubly dying, shall go down
To the vile dust from whence he sprung,
Unwept, unhonored , and unsung.
“A Man Without a Country”

[M203M4]

http://www.army.mil/-news/2008/02/22/7566-first-sioux-to-receive-medal-of-honor/

Richly deserved, a real hero.

[higgmeister]

Sir Walter Scott!?   I thought that was Willard Scott!

[La Enchiladita]

Thank you for posting. What a warrior!! From a long line of Dakota warriors.

When you see what he did, he earned the Medal of Honor several times over. Too bad the awarding is posthumous.

Btw, it looks as thought the forum is selecting an article to feature each day -— among their other changes -— and this is the one. Good idea.