Feb 27 2008
Sgt. Woodrow Wilson Keeble – Posthumous Medal Of Honor
Sergeant Keeble, Woody to his comrades, was one of the most decorated soldier in North Dakota. He served in both World War II and Korea. Sergeant Keeble joined the North Dakota National Guard in 1942 and soon found himself fighting in Guadalcanal. He experienced some of the heaviest action in the Pacific theater.
“I heard stories from James Fenelon, who served with him there, and he would talk about how the men of the 164th rallied around this full-blooded Sioux Indian whose accuracy with the Brown Automatic Rifle was unparalleled,” Hawkins said. “It was said he would go in front of patrols and kill enemies before his unit would get there.”
The Sioux have a word for that kind of bravery, according to Hawkins – wowaditaka. “It means don’t be afraid of anything, be braver than that which scares you the most.” Keeble personified the word according to fellow Soldiers, and earned the first of four Purple Hearts and his first Bronze Star for his actions on Guadalcanal. (Source: Military.com)
After the war Sergeant Keeble returned to his home in Wahpeton, N.D. But soon the Korean War broke out and the Sioux warrior again answered the call and returned to active duty. It was there that he would distinguish himself again as a warrior. His heroic actions in Korea would lead eventually to his nomination for the Medal of Honor.
“Woody used to tell people he was more concerned about losing his men than about losing his own life,” he added. “He pushed his own life to the limit. He wasn’t willing to put his fellow Soldiers’ lives on the line.”
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.
Hawkins said one eyewitness told him the enemy directed its entire arsenal at Keeble during his assault. “He said 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.
After the action in Korea his commanders submitted his paperwork and recommendations for the Medal of Honor. The paperwork was lost or destroyed and Keeble never got the medal. And he never complained about it either. He said he went to war because it was his duty, not for medals.
March 2, 2008 Sergeant Keeble will be awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously. It is an honor long overdue.
