[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 35 (Monday, March 3, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1464-S1465]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             HONORING MASTER SERGEANT WOODROW WILSON KEEBLE

  Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to Master 
Sergeant Woodrow Wilson Keeble, a South

[[Page S1465]]

Dakota hero, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor at a White 
House ceremony this afternoon.
  Master Sergeant Keeble was born in Waubay, SD, and was a member of 
the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate. He served in the Army in both World War II 
and the Korean war, and was highly decorated for his service having 
been awarded two Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star, the Silver Star, the 
Combat Infantryman Badge, and the Distinguished Service Cross.
  The action for which Master Sergeant Keeble was awarded the Medal of 
Honor occurred in October 1951 near Kumsong, North Korea. The accounts 
of his actions that day are truly worthy of a Hollywood movie. Though 
wounded and having fought continually for several days in brutally cold 
weather, Master Sergeant Keeble single-handedly took out three machine 
gun emplacements which had pinned down U.S. troops. As a result, U.S. 
troops were able to achieve their objective.
  First Sergeant Joe K. Sagami described the action this way:

       He worked his way down about fifty yards from the ridgeline 
     and flanked the enemy's left pillbox; attacking it with 
     grenades and rifle fire eliminating it. He then retreated to 
     about the point where the First Platoon was holding the 
     unit's first line of defense and worked down about fifty 
     yards from the ridgeline and proceeded to outflank the 
     enemy's right pillbox with grenades eliminating it. Then 
     without hesitation he lobbed a grenade into the back entrance 
     of the middle pillbox and with additional fire eliminated it. 
     He then ordered his First Platoon forward to eliminate what 
     little resistance was left.

  In reading the words of those who fought with Master Sergeant Keeble, 
which have been collected by researcher Merry Helm, it is clear that 
everyone loved and respected the man they called Chief. Joseph Marston 
of George Company said, ``What `Chief' accomplished that day was common 
knowledge throughout the whole battalion. He was known for his 
bravery.''
  When asked about Master Sergeant Keeble, Carl Fetzner, who served in 
Second Platoon, said:

       Sure I remember him. Nobody could forget him! I had barely 
     gotten to the company when this happened. I didn't know much 
     about what was going on, but I do know SGT Keeble was the 
     finest, most courageous person I ever knew. When we pulled 
     back in reserve--you know when we could go [back from] the 
     lines to clean up, whatever, take a little rest . . . he knew 
     what was going on. He took care of his men, he liked people, 
     and he always did everything he could to help you, especially 
     the new men . . ..

  After the Korean war, Master Sergeant Keeble came home and went to 
work at the Wahpeton Indian School. He enjoyed making copper sculptures 
and was active in his community. Like so many veterans, he was more 
concerned about taking care of his family than collecting medals. At 
the time, few even knew that the members of his own company had 
submitted a recommendation that he be awarded a Medal of Honor for his 
brave action in October 1951.
  Because the recommendation paperwork had been lost twice, Master 
Sergeant Keeble did not receive the honor his fellow soldiers knew he 
deserved. It all might have been forgotten if the men he served with, 
and later his family and friends, had not kept the issue alive for the 
next five decades.
  Master Sergeant Keeble's case was first brought to my attention in 
2002 by his family and members of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate. At that 
time, I contacted the Secretary of the Army asking that Master Sergeant 
Keeble's case be reconsidered based on the loss of the original 
recommendation paperwork. The case was bolstered by original documents 
and affidavits that had been saved by those who served with Master 
Sergeant Keeble.
  Though it has taken many years of work by many people, countless 
letters and phone calls, and even legislation passed in May 2007 
authorizing the President to act, President Bush recently approved the 
recommendation and posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor to Master 
Sergeant Keeble's family this afternoon.
  I never had the opportunity to meet Master Sergeant Keeble who died 
in 1982, but it has been an honor to get to know more about him by 
working with his family over the past 6 years. I want to thank his 
family and friends, the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate, and all the people of 
South Dakota who have fought to secure this much-deserved honor for 
Master Sergeant Keeble. I also want to say a special word about his 
wife Blossom, who died last year. I wish we could have gotten Master 
Sergeant Keeble this recognition before Blossom passed away, but 
thankfully she knew how close we were to getting this done.
  At a time when so many young men and women are deployed in dangerous 
places in defense of our country, it is important that we honor all of 
those who have served our nation in uniform. While we owe them a debt 
of gratitude that can never be fully repaid, I am proud that today we 
have properly thanked a South Dakota hero for his service.
  I know I join with my colleagues and all South Dakotans in honoring 
Master Sergeant Keeble for his service to our nation and congratulating 
his family on receiving his Medal of Honor.

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