Editorial: Keeble finally receives top honor
Friday, March 7, 2008
Filed Under:
Opinion
"It's hard for most of us to put ourselves in the boots of Master Sgt. Woodrow Keeble.
Most of us don't possess the raw courage, the willingness to sacrifice and relentless determination to accomplish what he did in a few hours during a single battle in the Korean War in 1951.
Wounded, he climbed up a hill to help free comrades from heavy machine gun fire. He killed nine enemy soldiers in the bunkers, then seven more riflemen while taking several hits himself.
This hero - a label he will forever wear with the full depth of that word's meaning - received the highest honor his country can bestow. Fifty-six years after his bravery that October day and 25 years after his death, it was richly deserved.
It also was overdue. Keeble's family and his tribe waited too long for this award. But ultimately, all the senators from the Dakotas took up his cause.
And though the odds at times seemed long, years of effort were finally rewarded Monday in a ceremony in Washington, D.C."
Get the Story:
Editorial: Soldier's medal long overdue
(The Sioux Falls Argus Leader 3/7)
Relevant Documents:
Text:
President Bush's Remarks |
Video
|
Audio
Relevant Links:
National Native American Veterans Association -
http://www.nnava.org
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