President Bush Awards Medal of Honor to
19th’s Woodrow Wilson Keeble
2:35 P.M. EST, Monday, March 3, 2008 East Room
http://www.whitehouse.gov/
THE PRESIDENT: Welcome. Thanks for coming. Mr. Vice President, Mr.
Secretary, members of the Dakotan Congressional Delegations, Senator
from Alaska, other members of Congress, Members of my Cabinet,
members of the administration, members of the United States Armed
Forces, distinguished guests: Welcome to the White House.
The Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor a President can
bestow, and I'm honored recipients of the Medal of Honor have joined
us. Thank you for coming. During my time in office, I've had the
privilege of performing this duty on nine separate occasions. Every
ceremony has been inspiring. Many have been joyful. Some have been
poignant. But I'm not sure I can remember many ceremonies quite like
this one.
It's taken nearly 60 years for Master Sergeant Woodrow Wilson Keeble
to be awarded the medal he earned on the battlefield in Korea. His
nominating paperwork was lost, and then it was resubmitted, and then
it was lost again. Then the deadline passed, and Woody and his
family were told it was too late. Some blamed the bureaucracy for a
shameful blunder. Others suspected racism: Woody was a full-blooded
Sioux Indian. Whatever the reason, the first Sioux to ever receive
the Medal of Honor died without knowing it was his. A terrible
injustice was done to a good man, to his family, and to history. And
today we're going to try to set things right.
Few people worked harder for this day than Woody's family. I thank
the members who are with us, including his son, Russell, who is
accepting this award on their behalf, along with his nephew. I want
to welcome you here. Thank you for supporting Woody. Thank you for
your understanding, your patience and, most of all, your
persistence.
I also offer special thanks to the determined delegations of North
and South Dakota, including the Governor of North Dakota and the
former Governor of South Dakota. Woody had ties to both Dakotas.
Each state claims him as its own. (Laughter.) I think I'm going to
stay out of the argument. I want to thank you for carrying Woody's
banner to the Pentagon, and to the halls of Congress. You did the
right thing.
It's easy to understand why so many people argued so passionately
for the Medal once you hear the story of what Woody Keeble did. This
story unfolded at an important time in our history. The year was
1951. The world was divided by a Cold War. America was under threat
and -- some believed -- overmatched and out of heart. The great evil
of communism was said to be the future of the world. It was on the
advance in Europe, and in China, and on the Asian peninsula of
Korea.
On that peninsula, a battle raged between communist forces in the
North and the forces of freedom in the South. And Woody Keeble, a
decorated veteran of Guadalcanal, raised his hand to serve his
country once again. Woody said he volunteered for Korea because,
"somebody has to teach those kids how to fight." And that's exactly
what he did. In George Company, he quickly became a mentor, a
teacher, and a legend. He was so strong that he could lift the back
of a jeep and spin it around.
Some people knew he had been scouted by the Chicago White Sox. He
had a heck of an arm, and he threw grenades like a baseball. One
soldier remembered the time Woody walked through a mine field,
leaving tracks for his men to follow. Another recalled the time
Woody was shot twice in the arm and he kept fighting, without
seeming to notice.
That fall, Woody's courage was on full display during a major
offensive called Operation No Man [sic] (Nomad). His company was
ordered to take a series of hills protecting a major enemy supply
line. High up in those hills and manning machine guns were Chinese
communist forces. After days of fighting, the officers in Woody's
company had fallen. Woody assumed command of one platoon, then a
second, and then a third, until one of the hills was taken, and the
enemy fled in wild retreat.
That first advance nearly killed him. By the end of the day, Woody
had more than 83 grenade fragments in his body. He had bleeding
wounds in his arms, chest, and thighs. And yet he still wanted to
fight. So after a day with the medics, he defied the doctor's orders
and returned to the battlefield. And that is where, on October 20,
1951, Master Sergeant Woodrow Wilson Keeble made history.
Communist forces still held a crucial hill that was the "pearl" of
their defenses. They had pinned down U.S. forces with a furious
assault. One soldier said the enemy lobbed so many grenades on
American troops that they looked like a flock of blackbirds in the
sky. Allied forces had tried heavy artillery to dislodge the enemy,
and nothing seemed to be working. The offensive was failing, and
American boys were dying. But our forces had one advantage: Woody
was back, and Woody was some kind of mad.
He grabbed grenades and his weapon and climbed that crucial hill
alone. Woody climbed hundreds of yards through dirt and rock, with
his wounds aching, bullets flying, and grenades falling all around
him. As Woody first started off, someone saw him and remarked:
"Either he's the bravest soldier I have ever met, or he's crazy."
Soldiers watched in awe as Woody single-handedly took out one
machine gun nest, and then another. When Woody was through, all 16
enemy soldiers were dead, the hill was taken, and the Allies won the
day.
Woody Keeble's act of heroism saved many American lives, and earned
him a permanent place in his fellow soldiers' hearts. Years later,
some of those tough soldiers' eyes would fill with tears when they
saw Woody again. One said: "He was the most respected person I ever
knew in my life." Another said: "I would have followed him
anywhere." A third said: "He was awesome." Those brave boys battled
tyranny, held the line against a communist menace, and kept a nation
free. And some of them are with us today. We are honored to host you
at the White House. We thank you for your courage. We thank you for
honoring your comrade in arms. And we thank you for your service to
the United States.
As the war ended, Woody went back to North Dakota. In some ways, his
return was a sad one. Within a few years, his first wife died. He
would suffer from numerous affects of the war. A series of strokes
paralyzed his right side and robbed him of his ability to speak. And
the wounds he sustained in service to his country would haunt him
for the rest of his life.
Yet Woody was not a bitter man. As a member of his family put it:
"Woody loved his country, loved his tribe, and loved God." Woody
even found love again with a woman named Blossom. Woody may not have
been able to speak, but he could still get a message across. He
wrote a note asking Blossom to marry him. She told him she needed
some time to think about it. So while she was deliberating, Woody
put their engagement announcement in the newspaper. (Laughter.) This
is a man who was relentless in love as well as war. (Laughter.)
In his community he was an everyday hero. Even in poor health, he
would mow lawns for seniors in the summers and help cars out of the
snow banks in the winters. He once picked up a hitchhiker who was
down on his luck and looking for work. Woody wasn't a rich man, but
he gave the man $50. Those who knew Woody can tell countless stories
like this -- one of a great soldier who became a Good Samaritan.
To his last days, he was a devoted veteran. He proudly wore his
uniform at local events and parades. Sometimes folks who loved him
would see that uniform and ask him about his missing medal. They
felt he was cheated, yet Woody never complained. See, he believed
America was the greatest nation on Earth, even when it made
mistakes. And there was never a single day he wasn't proud to have
served our country.
Woody suffered his eighth -- and final -- stroke in 1982. His son,
Russell, took him to the hospital and prayed it wasn't the end. But
Woody knew, and he wasn't afraid. Woodrow Wilson Keeble died in
graceful anonymity, unknown except to the fortunate souls who loved
him, and those who learned from him. Russell put it this way: "Woody
met death with a smile. He taught me how to live, and he taught me
how to die."
I am pleased that this good and honorable man is finally getting the
recognition he deserves. But on behalf of our grateful nation, I
deeply regret that this tribute comes decades too late. Woody will
never hold this Medal in his hands or wear it on his uniform. He
will never hear a President thank him for his heroism. He will never
stand here to see the pride of his friends and loved ones, as I see
in their eyes now.
But there are some things we can still do for him. We can tell his
story. We can honor his memory. And we can follow his lead -- by
showing all those who have followed him on the battlefield the same
love and generosity of spirit that Woody showed his country
everyday.
At the request of the Keeble family and in accordance with the Sioux
tradition, two empty chairs have been placed on this stage to
represent Woody and Blossom and to acknowledge their passing into
the spiritual world. The Sioux have a saying: "The life of a man is
a circle." Well, today, we complete Woody Keeble's circle -- from an
example to his men to an example for the ages. And if we honor his
life and take lessons from his good and noble service, then Master
Sergeant Woody Keeble will serve his country once again.
I want to thank you all for coming. May I ask for God's blessings on
you and Woody Keeble and the Keeble family. May God continue to
bless our country. And now I ask Mr. Hawkins and Mr. Bluedog to join
me. Commander Thompson will read the citation.
COMMANDER THOMPSON: The President of the United States of America,
in the name of Congress, takes pride in presenting the Medal of
Honor to Master Sergeant Woodrow W. Keeble, United States Army, for
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity, at the risk of his life,
above and beyond the call of duty:
In action with an armed enemy near Sangsan-ni, Korea, on 20 October,
1951. On that day, Master Sergeant Keeble was an acting platoon
leader for the support platoon in Company G, 19th Infantry, in the
attack on Hill 765, a steep and rugged position that was well
defended by the enemy. Leading the support platoon, Master Sergeant
Keeble saw that the attacking elements had become pinned down on the
slope by heavy enemy fire from three well-fortified and
strategically placed enemy positions. With complete disregard for
his personal safety, Master Sergeant Keeble dashed forward and
joined the pinned-down platoon. Then, hugging the ground, Master
Sergeant Keeble crawled forward alone until he was in close
proximity to one of the hostile machine-gun emplacements. Ignoring
the heavy fire that the crew trained on him, Master Sergeant Keeble
activated a grenade and threw it with great accuracy, successfully
destroying the position. Continuing his one-man assault, he moved to
the second enemy position and destroyed it with another grenade.
Despite the fact that the enemy troops were now directing their
firepower against him and unleashing a shower of grenades in a
frantic attempt to stop his advance, he moved forward against the
third hostile emplacement, and skillfully neutralized the remaining
enemy position. As his comrades moved forward to join him, Master
Sergeant Keeble continued to direct accurate fire against nearby
trenches, inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy. Inspired by his
courage, Company G successfully moved forward and seized its
important objective. The extraordinary courage, selfless service,
and devotion to duty displayed that day by Master Sergeant Keeble
was an inspiration to all around him and reflected great credit upon
himself, his unit, and the United States Army.
(The Medal is presented.) (Applause.)
END 2:51 P.M. EST
Anon, 2008, The Taro Leaf, Vol. 62(2) Spring, pg. 3-5.