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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 *** and his
family were told it was too late. Some blamed the bureaucracy for a shameful blunder. Others
suspected racism: *** 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 ***'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 cousin -- a cousin.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Nephew.
THE PRESIDENT: Along with his nephew. I want to welcome you here. Thank you for supporting
***. 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. *** 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 ***'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 *** 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 *** Keeble, a decorated veteran of Guadalcanal, raised
his hand to serve his country once again. *** 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 *** walked through
a mine field, leaving tracks for his men to follow. Another recalled the time *** was
shot twice in the arm and he kept fighting, without seeming to notice.
That fall, ***'s courage was on full display during a major offensive called Operation
No Man [sic]. 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 ***'s company had fallen. *** 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, *** 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: *** was back, and *** was some kind of mad.
He grabbed grenades and his weapon and climbed that crucial hill alone. *** climbed hundreds
of yards through dirt and rock, with his wounds aching, bullets flying, and grenades falling
all around him. As *** 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 *** single-handedly
took out one machine gun nest, and then another. When *** was through, all 16 enemy soldiers
were dead, the hill was taken, and the Allies won the day.
*** 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 *** 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, *** 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 *** was not a bitter man. As a member of his family put it: "*** loved his country,
loved his tribe, and loved God." *** even found love again with a woman named Blossom.
*** 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, *** 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. *** wasn't a rich man,
but he gave the man $50. Those who knew *** 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 Woddy 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.
*** suffered his eighth -- and final -- stroke in 1982. His son, Russell, took him to the
hospital and prayed it wasn't the end. But *** 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: "*** 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. *** 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 *** 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 *** 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 *** 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 *** 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 *** 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.)