Gallant G.I. Gets Belated Medal Of Honor

Bush Apologizes For U.S. Slowness In Recognizing Late Korean War Hero

(CBS/AP)  Woodrow Wilson Keeble, a Lakota Sioux, was a gifted athlete, courted by the White Sox. But Uncle Sam won the recruitment battle, CBS News anchor Katie Couric reports.

Keeble became a highly-decorated soldier in World War Two. A buddy said, "The safest place to be was next to Woody."

When the Korean War broke out, he re-enlisted, saying, "Somebody has to teach these kids to fight."

And on an October day in 1951, he taught them the meaning of courage.

With U.S. forces pinned down, he headed up a mountain alone, taking out three enemy positions. Though badly wounded, the man known as "Chief" refused to be evacuated, and fought on - saving the lives of other soldiers.

Keeble once said, "There were times terror was so strong, I could feel idiocy replace reason." But he also said, "I never let fear make a coward of me."

Keeble died in 1982 at the age of 65.

Monday, after years of bureaucratic foul-ups and red tape, Keeble was awarded the military's highest award, posthumously.

President Bush apologized that the country waited decades to recognize Master Sgt. Keeble for his military valor in Korea, giving him the Medal of Honor more than 25 years after he died.

"On behalf of our grateful nation, I deeply regret that this tribute comes decades too late," Mr. Bush said at the White House medal ceremony. "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 in his friends and loved ones."

But, Mr. Bush said, there are things the nation can still do for Keeble, even all these years later.

"We can tell his story and we can honor his memory and we can follow his lead," the president said before a somber East Room audience that included three rows of Keeble's family members.

Fellow soldiers, family and others have been urging Congress for years to award Keeble the medal. He had received more than 30 citations, including four Purple Hearts.

Pentagon officials had said the legal deadline had passed to award the medal to Keeble unless Congress specifically authorized it. Sens. Byron Dorgan and Kent Conrad, D-N.D.; Tim Johnson, D-S.D.; and John Thune, R-S.D., did just that, introducing legislation to award Keeble the medal. It was signed by Mr. Bush last year.

Keeble, who was born in Waubay, S.D., moved to North Dakota as a child, and is the first Sioux Indian to receive the award.

Mr. Bush saluted Keeble for his military heroism, but also for his conduct in his personal life - pursing a woman he loved, becoming "an everyday hero" in his community and maintaining cheerfulness - despite his own grief and physical suffering.

The wounds he suffered in Korea would "haunt him the rest of his life," and strokes paralyzed his right side and took away his ability to speak.

The four Dakotas' senators say Keeble's men twice recommended him for the Medal of Honor earlier but the paperwork was lost. He instead received the Distinguished Service Cross.

"He felt he was cheated," Mr. Bush said. "Yet Woody never complained. See, he believed America was the greatest nation on earth - even when it made mistakes."

[walt1944-2009]

The Great Emperor Bush awarded a Medal of Honor to a Korean War veteran who has been dead for over 25 years!

Although no reason was given why it took so long to recognize the soldier''s actions in Korea, there are rumors that possibly the fact that he was an American Indian had something to do with it.

Whatever the reason, it is assumed that those who urged Congress to give him the medal may have had to come up with the money to pay for the thing, which has become standard practice in the military beginning with the Purple Heart back in 2004!

So much for "supporting the troops"!

SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!!
sig heil, McCain????

[michellem99-2009]

Those vets earnt the medals and they ought get them. So step up to the plate and award them.

[taylpatr]

It''s very dissapointing to know that the injustice to Native Americans just goes on and on. This man was such a great warrior that he never sniveled about the injustice done to him. If the government had a heart they would be ashamed. They call Korea the "forgotten war." That''s because it was a crime and a travesty to kill men for the reasons they did and they would like to forget it. We also used nerve gas on Chinese and Korean troops. They''ed REALLY like us to forget that. And they FORGOT this great warrior for 65 years. Shame on you all! Just an observation: I work on a University campus that borders with a major American Indian Reservation. There are at least 10 times as many East Indian students as American Indian Students. Are we forgetting the war or the people?

[excoachken]

The only thing that takes away from this well deserved honor is that the Cowardly Cowboy Bush was the person to present it.

[bm6005]

exCoachKen

***, you used my thoughts exactly!

[thgdriver]

For such a positive thing to have finally taken place the five posters can only come up with negative comments. What a shame.

God bless our country and god bless the likes of Woodrow Wilson Keeble!!

[mcvet]

I''m proud the Brother got his Medal of Honor. It''s just a shame he had to get it from a pathetic piece of Human trash that can''t carry his boots! Sieg Heil Bush!!

[mcvet]

For such a positive thing to have finally taken place the five posters can only come up with negative comments. What a shame.

God bless our country and god bless the likes of Woodrow Wilson Keeble!!


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Posted by thgdriver at 07:17 PM : Mar 03, 2008
+ report abuse

When you are dealing with a slime dog who LIED to the American People, getting them into a War that was NOT necessary.. a piece of trash who is responsible for the NEEDLESS death of Thousands of our best and brightest, how can you be positive. All I can say is why don''t YOU hate the jerk? Sieg Heil Bush

[generey]

Master Sergeant Keeble, I SALUTE YOU SIR. If only more American''s could be more like he in these day''s and time''s, indeed, this would once again be a great nation. (I am referring to our ''leader''s'',"elected Official''s", NOT our service men and women as THEY display that type of honor and integrity daily). We simply have no leader''s.

[rowdytexan2]

Thank you for your service Mr. Keebler. Rest in peace!

[joyous88]

we salute keeble, but that does not change the fact that the hated and anti soldier president is once again using the troops to curry favor with conservatives

[ichabod57]

My father, who passed away this last October, fought in Korea. He was awarded the Purple Heart, but did not receive it until 47 years after the fact. It took the action of a great US Congressman, Steve Buyer of Indiana, to get it for him even then. It''s a shame that it takes congressional action to get medals that were earned but never awarded.

I salute MSGT Keeble for his heroism and valor.

[toolmangler-2009]

we salute keeble, but that does not change the fact that the hated and anti soldier president is once again using the troops to curry favor with conservatives
Posted by joyous88 at 08:01 PM : Mar 03, 2008


I agree, but I wish we woudn''t dirty this mans honor with Bushy-babys name

[squidly8]

Bravo Zulu Master Sgt Keeble

Walt1944 and MCVet - you are idiots. Why on earth do you have to distract away from honoring a true American hero. Your just mad because probably the only thing you have ever done for your country is take a welfare check. Crawl back in your holes.

[j-whitman]

squidly8,,,, Have you thougt to ask, Why now & why is Bush putting words in his mouth ??? Yes, the man deserved the Medal of Honor, but not from Bush who is only taking advantage of him & electioneering.. Bush would have cut funding for him any other day.

[Syndicate]

My grandfather served in Korea before my mother was born. See where I''m going with this? Thank you Master Sgt Keeble.

[j-whitman]

cbscrash07,,,, Yes so did my father & many more --- The man was indeed a hero & deserved the Medal of Honor, I knew a few recipients of the award ---

-- I just strongly object to Bush using him for political reasons & putting words in his mouth ------ Republicans during the Korean War weren''t very good on indian rights at all.

[jerr11]

Mr Photo Op in action again.

Liar and Coward-in-Chief G W Bush is not worthy to lick the boots of Master Sgt. Keeble.

[j-whitman]

joule3,,,, Bush shouldn''t have done it, period ---- You & everyone else knows Bush''s only motive is the election ------ He''s put the screws to American Indians many times in his 2 administrations.

[ubrew12]

" Mr. Bush said. ''Woody never complained [about being denied a medal while alive]. See, he believed America was the greatest nation on earth - even when it made mistakes'' "

One of its most reliable mistakes is to promote simpletons while alive, just because they''ve got the right heritage, while failing to recognize obvious heroes while alive, just because they''ve got the wrong heritage.

Bush has done his best to continue that tradition.

[docrobg]

I believe that most of the people posting negative comments have never served a day in the military. I thank all soldiers for their heroism and you should thank them for defending your right to be a jerk

[j-whitman]

docrobg,,,, I''m retired Navy, 67-88.... How about you ???

[j-whitman]

docrobg,,,, The only thing negative is Bush using a combat hero for electioneering ---- You know it & I know it ----- In 2 terms he & his White House faith based office put the screws to American Indians every chance they could from selling their horses & livelyhoods out from under them to shutting down reservation casino''s & giving their land to open mining & open forresting.

[docrobg]

25 years in the army and still in the national guard. I am a medic about to return to Iraq for the third time and I am proud of my country and for what it was trying to do. I agree that the war was a bad idea but that is Monday morning quarterbacking. I supported it when it started so I am just as guilty

[docrobg]

American Indians were shafted long before the republican and democratic party were thought of. You cannot put that on Bush. It wasn''t the presidents doing on timing either. The bi-partisan senators did the work and the president has to present the award

[j-whitman]

docrobg,,,, What I just mentioned all occured in the Bush 43 administration,,,,, Their latest indian attack is taking away social security medical benifits on reservations.

[j-whitman]

docrobg,,, Your a medic, my hat''s off to you sir --- I agree with you, this is the 1st time in our history our troops have been this heavily invoved in everything from running school boards, acting civil servents, museum curators, on & on it goes. All vallient men & women.

On the same hand you can''t spin the lack of real progress, the situation our generals say could change for the worst in a moment...
..... The 1st 4 years of policy failures this administration should be in prison for & cost our troops greatly.. It was only when General Petreaus was put in charge that we had any realistic countrer insurgency efforts at all.

[j-whitman]

docrobg,,, I am in the fortunate position now to be able to provide care for my father & spend more time than most anyone keeping up with events on both wars & I lisiten to the generals & not the rhetroic.

What Bush did with this Medal of Honor isn''t much different from what he''s always done, electioneering & abusing our troops & even General Petreaus every chance he could.

[j-whitman]

ilikecats1,,,, I highly doubt from what I''ve seen of you that you would shine anyones shoes.

[republic1776]

Woodrow Wilson Keeble was a true hero.

"When the Korean War broke out, he re-enlisted, saying, "Somebody has to teach these kids to fight."
Sounds like Mr. Keeble was a hero to every life he touched.

Americia owes so much to our fine men and women who risk their life and loss of loved ones for our Freedom.

[j-whitman]

ilikecats1,,, If the man was alive today & spoke out against Bush you would be among those to call him a traitor & you know it.

[j-whitman]

republic1776,,,, Sounds to me Bush was putting words in the honoable mans mouth he could no longer protest against.

[jerr11]

And in a related story.

G W Bush yesterday received a belated Medal of Honor for singlehandedly defending Alabama from the Vietcongs...

[j-whitman]

ilikecats1,,,, Maybe you should have stayed in, you might have gotten the chance.... You might have even met some of them as I did.

[j-whitman]

ilikecats1,,,, You should be ashamed of yourself for trying to use them for poi9tics ---- Every one that I met would have put the likes of you in your place in a heart beat.

[j-whitman]

ilikecats1,,,, I''ve met & heard the stories first hand from 5 Medal of Honor recepients..... How many have you gone out of your way to meet ????

[docrobg]

whitman that sounds like a lot of pent up frustration You ought to let that out instead of keeping your true feelings inside.

[j-whitman]

docrobg,,,, If you notice, I do let it out on these political hacks who don''t know the 1st thing about either war or terrorism.

[docrobg]

so whitman who is going to be the next president and why do you think so I don''t want to know if it someone you would vote for or not

[docrobg]

I actually believe the hidden agenda will come out when we leave Iraq in July 2013. That is coincidently the month that Haliburtons contract expires

[docrobg]

cats I would like to hear your opinion also

[j-whitman]

docrobg,,,, These dishonorable people are the ones with the empty slogans of "Support the Troops" & "Thank you for your service" ---- Watch them & your back around them, they will be the 1st ones to call you a terrorist or un-american..... They will tell you any thing & lie over & over just for their concept of being Pro-life.

[j-whitman]

ilikecats1,,,, Don''t start with calling yourself an officer, you don''t know the 1st thing about them, the other night you tried to tell me you where a Nuclear Security Officr & this morning you ran from it.

[j-whitman]

docrobg,,, Good talking to you, like I said, watch your back..... I''m calling it a night.

[albinm]

i salute woodrow wilson keeble. now if only america will follow him and other medal of honor winners and make america better for all.

[demslie]

Don''t try to reason with Democrats. They hate the US Military as much as any terrorist group.

[gunnerv1]

walt1944 You are such an insignificant little P*issant that you wouldn''t make a pimple on a dogs a*ss. How can you besmirch the memory of this man. You don''t pay for medals unless you have loss a previously issued set and then most of the time they too are free. Just because you hate Bush is no reason to harm the memory of the Hero, something that you aren''t but wish you could have been. What were you third echelon supply cook? Hero wannabe? You can buy medals for yourself so that you can get the look of a hero, but you''ll always be "legend in your on mind". Signed -Retired Navy. I WANT PROOF OF YOUR STATEMENTS!

[mcvet]

Walt1944 and MCVet - you are idiots. Why on earth do you have to distract away from honoring a true American hero. Your just mad because probably the only thing you have ever done for your country is take a welfare check. Crawl back in your holes.


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Posted by squidly8 at 08:42 PM : Mar 03, 2008
+ report abuse

Why do Nazi''s always say good honest people must be collecting Welfare? Well if you READ Mein Kamp you will discover the reason. It''s because that''s their Hate Target. The goal is to box everyone who doesn''t agree with the Party into a group that you can focus hate at, thus making their views less important. The FACT that that greivous Piece of Human TRASH they call a President doesn''t in fact deserve the right to hold the boots of this hero, isn''t important to these slime dogs. NO! It''s all about the Party and protecting the Fuhrer! By the way SWASTIKA BREATH, I, unlike your fuhrer, have actually SERVED this nation in Combat. But hey, don''t want to distroy the view of a bootlicker, huh? SIEG HEIL BUSH!!

[mcvet]

Don''''t try to reason with Democrats. They hate the US Military as much as any terrorist group.


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Posted by demslie at 06:28 AM : Mar 04, 2008
+ report abuse

Oh PLEASE! I wish you Nazi''s would get a life and for GOD''s SAKE pick up a HISTORY class or two. That way you''d have some goals OTHER thant he "party" AND you wouldn''t look like complete IDIOTS!! LOL When you look at all the VETERAN''s benefits, the history of how they came to be, if NOT for democrats these Nazi''s would still be calling in the Guard to trash and kill them, like their boy Hoover did. If NOT for Democrats there would be NO VA Medical System. If NOT for Democrats there would be no G.I. Bill. If not for Democrats there would be NO VA Disablity! See what I mean??? Seig Heil Bush!!

[jersupporter]

It seems the MED Crew is out again today. Go Burn a Village Baby Killers.