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Wowaditaka: First Sioux Awarded Medal of Honor

by John Astad | February 27, 2008 at 07:07 am

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Wowaditaka, "to not be afraid of anything," is how the fellow soldiers of the North Dakota 164th Infantry Regiment who fought alongside Master Sgt. Woodrow Wilson Keeble remember him during the battles of Guadalcanal, Bougainville, Leyte, Cebu, and Mindanao in World War II.

Keeble is one of the most decorated Soldiers in North Dakota history. A veteran of World War II and the Korean War, he was born in 1917 in Waubay, S.D., on the Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Reservation, which extended into North Dakota.

His friends remember him as a gentle giant off the battlefield but was the enemies worst nightmare as the Chinese found out during the Korean War when his regiment was reactivated in 1951.

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.

A half a century would pass and over twenty years after his death, recognition will be forthcoming at a White House ceremony on March 3.

Woodrow Wilson Keeble will join select company March 3 at the White House. It was for heroism in battle in the Korean War that the soldiers he led - and saved - were convinced he deserved the Medal of Honor.

Woodrow Wilson Keeble joins five other Native American Indians who also are Medal of Honor recipients. These include Medal of Honor awardees Jack Montgomery, a Cherokee; Ernest Childers, a Creek; Van Barfoot, a Choctaw; Mitchell Red Cloud Jr., a Winnebago; and Charles George, a Cherokee.

The Sioux tradition lives on in North America and when one hears the the Sioux word "wowaditaka," we can all think of Master Sgt. Woodrow Wilson Keeble and his unselfish service to his country.

History of North Dakota National Guard

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Rachel Nixon

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 09:05 on February 27th, 2008

watermon, very interesting story.

John Astad

at 09:37 on February 27th, 2008

Thanks Rachel. This story I found accidentally is
amazing how Master Sgt. Woodrow Wilson Keeble fought heroically over the
span of two major wars and inspired others who served with him. Until today, the only other Sioux Indian I could think of was the legendary Sitting Bull, a Hunkpapa Lakota chief. Now two centuries later there is another legend for future generations to remember and all Americans to be proud of.Wowaditaka

jordan

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 11:58 on February 27th, 2008

This is a great find. Thanks for fleshing out this story.

John Astad

at 13:54 on February 27th, 2008

Thanks Jordan. When I first read about the story at military.com it gave me goose pumps. The 164th Infantry Regiment was the first United States Army unit on Guadalcanal. The battle there was a decisive campaign of World War II, which was the turning point in the war. I'm just happy to see that his family is recieving the long overdue recognition. There are some positive stories still out here afterall thanks to Master Sgt. Woodrow Wilson Keeble .

atrulling

at 19:23 on February 28th, 2008

Thanks for this article! My grandfather served with Woody during WWII in the 164th. Woody was a great man and a true warrior. His family and friends have worked very hard for this and the ceremony on Monday has been a long time coming. Every surviving member of his Co. in Korea signed the MoH paperwork 2 times and both times it was lost. His family was later told that the statue of limitations ( of 3 years)had expired and it was to late. It literally took an act of Congress so this medal could be awarded. It should also be said that Woody volunteered for duty in Korea because "Somebody has to teach these kids how to fight."

John Astad

at 12:33 on February 29th, 2008

Now this is the second time I've gotten goose bumps reading about Woodrow Wilson Keeble. Thanks for the positive feedback. That was really moving in regards to him volunteering for Korea duty so he could teach the kids to fight.

Like I mentioned earlier, he was an inspiration to others, a true leader in addition to an exceptional warrior who carried forth the tradition of his Sioux ancestors upon the battlefield. At least Congress is doing it's job in finally awarding the Medal of Honor after over a half a century has passed.

The entire nation will be present in spirit at the family's award ceremony next week

Wowaditaka-Woodrow Wilson Keeble