Medal of Honor: Woodrow W. Keeble, Korean War, October 20, 1951

Name: Woodrow W. Keeble
Rank: Master Sergeant
War: Korean War
Date of Action: October 20, 1951
Unit: Company G, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division
Born: May 16, 1917 – Waubay, South Dakota
Entered Service At: Wahpeton, North Dakota

Summary of Action
Hill 765 loomed over the battlefield near Sangsan-ni, Korea—its slopes steep, scarred with trenches, and defended by well-dug enemy positions bristling with machine guns. When the attack faltered under a storm of fire, Master Sergeant Woodrow Keeble—an acting platoon leader and seasoned veteran of Guadalcanal—saw that his men were pinned down and dying in the open.

Without hesitation, Keeble crawled forward alone, hugging the rocky earth as bullets shredded the ground around him. Reaching the first machine gun nest, he hurled a grenade with perfect aim, silencing the gun and its crew. Then, with the enemy now fully alert and pouring grenades and rifle fire toward him, he continued uphill—alone—destroying a second emplacement, then a third.

His one-man assault broke the backbone of the enemy defense. When his company advanced, they found the hillside littered with destroyed positions and dead enemy soldiers—proof of the single-handed assault that had turned the tide. Despite multiple wounds and exhaustion, Keeble refused evacuation, directing his men’s fire until the objective was secured.

His courage and sacrifice that day saved countless lives and earned him the gratitude of generations. Decades later, his nation honored him with the Medal of Honor—a recognition long delayed, but never forgotten.

Medal of Honor Citation
KEEBLE, WOODROW W.
Rank and organization: Master Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company G, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. Place and date: Korea, 20 October 1951.
Citation: Master Sergeant Woodrow W. Keeble distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with an armed enemy near Sangsan-ni, Korea, on October 20, 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.