OT - First Sioux to receive the Medal of Honor

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 12:04 am

What a fantastic story!

http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,1 ... =army-a.nl

Just too darn long overdue!

JReed · Post by **JReed** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 12:06 am

Outstanding.

But what the hell took so long

Ray Newman · Post by **Ray Newman** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 12:29 am

"Though Keeble knew of his unit's failed attempts to award him the Medal of Honor, Hawkins said he never sensed any bitterness from him. 'Whenever someone would bring it up, he just shrugged. He wasn't there to get medals; he was there for his men and his country. He enjoyed the small things in life, and concentrated on what he had, not what he didn't have.' "

Says a great deal about the character of this man....

handirifle · Post by **handirifle** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 2:10 am

Another fine example of a true warrior, from a line of warriors.

Like Jim Thorpe, who unfairly lost his olympic medals, too bad they weren't around to see justice served.

gamekeeper · Post by **gamekeeper** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 3:05 am

A real Warrior and a good man. Too long overdue alright!

TedH · Post by **TedH** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 3:54 am

Good story.

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 8:27 am

Excellent reading. A man to be respected and admired. I have often wondered about soldiers of his magnitude, and what makes them so fearless to be able to perform under so much stress and danger. I myself, get worried if I'm a mile from camp and the sun is going down. A rare breed, his kind.----------Sixgun

Borregos · Post by **Borregos** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 8:59 am

YK, that is indeed a fantastic story.
Thanks for posting it.

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 11:13 am

It is unfortunate that so often the honors come after the individual's death, but then I don't suppose those kinds of people NEED the accolades; they are driven by an inner energy and divine guidance. Perhaps it is their grandchildren who have often only heard the stories but get caught up in what's going on at the mall, or which movie star is pregnant, who may really NEED to hear the accolades and stories re-told.

So maybe the timing IS right, after all, for them, and us.

I couldn't help be reminded of the L'Amour story, "Last of the Breed" - a good (fictional) read if you've not already read it, about a cold-war prisoner who escapes, also an American Indian.

66GTO · Post by **66GTO** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 3:14 pm

I salute you and your heroism, Master Sgt. Keeble.

big medicine · Post by **big medicine** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 5:02 pm

One of my patients was in the Phillipines before the war started and fought the Japanese until the fall of Bataan. He was captured and surived the death march, was on a death ship on his way to Japan when it was torpedoed and sunk, he was picked up by the Japanese and taken to a work camp in Japan. His kids were going through some of his stuff when he had to go to the Nursing Home, and found a letter from his CO who put him in for the DSC for action against the Japanese. They went behind Japenese lines to retrieve machine guns and ammo from tanks that had been knocked out, several fire fights where they were out numbered ect. He never did anything with it because he really didn't care, he felt it was his job. His kids tried to get the DSC but none of the eye witness were alive any more. For the MOH and DSC the accounts have to be verified by eye witness accounts. They ended up getting the Silver Star and it was awarded to him on Veterns Day about 4 years ago. It brought tears to my eyes as I watched the BGEN pin that medal on him, thinking about all that he had been through. He died about 3 months later. It was truly an honor to have known such a man. I'm glad that MSGT Keeble was able to receive that honor, that was long over due.

Old Time Hunter · Post by **Old Time Hunter** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 6:44 pm

Great story! Yes, one of the best of the "Greatest Generation"

Yeh AJMD, you think ole' Louis might have had some inkling regarding this? Jamestown isn't that far from the Reservation.

.45colt · Post by **.45colt** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 7:34 pm

When I read things such as this TEARS STREAM DOWN MY FACE and I am totally humbled in my meager life. The Native "AMERICANS" have paid the price over and over again. God Bless Him.
I have a Brother -in -Law who I think was robbed of a Medal of Honor in Viet-Nam because He wouldn't Kiss the Officers Boots.He lives in obscurity and for not much longer...... and few will know the demons that have haunted Him since He was 20 years old,but He also stood His ground and lived to tell about it. ..............Jim.

Ron Macy · Post by **Ron Macy** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 8:46 pm

That's a famtastic read. A truly brave man and an example to ascribe to.

Old Ironsights · Post by **Old Ironsights** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 10:53 pm

AJMD429 wrote:It is unfortunate that so often the honors come after the individual's death, ....

More annoying to me is the paragraph that said he had to PAWN HIS MEDALS.

That is unacceptable.

#1, AFAIC it should be a Federal Offense for ANYONE other than family (or on bequest), a museum, or the military to recieve a "top" medal like the Silver Star, DSC or MOH under ANY circumstances... especially involving cash.

#2, as an adjunct to such a law, anyone who is offered said medals should be obligated to inform the VA to ensure that the Honored Veteran gets the assistance he deserves.

Y'all know me. There are dang few things I think should have Laws attached to them, but this is one of them.

big medicine · Post by **big medicine** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 12:15 am

#1, AFAIC it should be a Federal Offense for ANYONE other than family (or on bequest), a museum, or the military to recieve a "top" medal like the Silver Star, DSC or MOH under ANY circumstances... especially involving cash.

I think it is sad that anyone who recieved a medal like that would part with it. But on the other hand I can understand. Sometimes it means more to others than the person that received it. I think that often times looking at or thinking about a said medal can bring back too many bad memories, if the person wants to sell or trade it, I figure it is their medal and they should be able to do with it as they see fit.

I had been recommended for a medal before I got out of the military and was told that I was to also get a meritoriuos advancement to E-6 if had I stayed in. I chose to get out, my buddies told me they gave the medal to someone who was barely involved. I could care less, I know what I did and that is all that matters, if the guy that got the medal can sleep at night, then that is his problem, he will have to lie to his kids about how he got it.

As for buying medals, I don't see anything wrong with it. I plan on buying a Bronze Star and Purple Heart. My God Son was KIA in Iraq the 23 of April 2007. I have a Gold Star Flag hanging next to his picture and two pictures of his flag draped casket being carried by the Honor Guard. I plan on having the medals framed with his funeral obituary and hang them next to his picture. The crime in obtaining medals is when they are misrepresented.

Old Ironsights · Post by **Old Ironsights** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 10:41 am

big medicine wrote: ...As for buying medals, I don't see anything wrong with it. I plan on buying a Bronze Star and Purple Heart. My God Son was KIA in Iraq the 23 of April 2007. I have a Gold Star Flag hanging next to his picture and two pictures of his flag draped casket being carried by the Honor Guard. I plan on having the medals framed with his funeral obituary and hang them next to his picture. The crime in obtaining medals is when they are misrepresented.

See, I think that people in your situation should be able to get that from the Government/VA, not from somebody who sold off their stuff to buy food.

Post by **Hobie** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 11:23 am

Old Ironsights wrote:
big medicine wrote: ...As for buying medals, I don't see anything wrong with it. I plan on buying a Bronze Star and Purple Heart. My God Son was KIA in Iraq the 23 of April 2007. I have a Gold Star Flag hanging next to his picture and two pictures of his flag draped casket being carried by the Honor Guard. I plan on having the medals framed with his funeral obituary and hang them next to his picture. The crime in obtaining medals is when they are misrepresented.
See, I think that people in your situation should be able to get that from the Government/VA, not from somebody who sold off their stuff to buy food.

Indeed you can get them through the government, already engraved with your son's name and rightfully at no cost to you. It does take about 6 months for the medals to arrive.

http://www.archives.gov/veterans/milita ... cords.html

As to selling of medals, well, I've got mixed feelings on the subject. There IS a law on this, recently passed. It is an unfortunate fact that many descendents of award recipients care nothing for the award and if they can't sell them they will go in the trash (and often do anyway!). It seems to me that a collector that properly honors the memory of the man who was awarded the medal is often a better caretaker than some family members.

big medicine · Post by **big medicine** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 11:40 am

I'm not going to buy it from a pawn shop, but rather a unifom shop that sells new medals.

Travis Morgan · Post by **Travis Morgan** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 7:53 am

It hink it's a shame that it took so long for him to be honored, but I'm sick to death of all these "firsts." Who cares if it's the "first" black, white, woman, whatever, to do something.

I say, honor eveyone equally. Until this stuff stops, we'll never see the end of this racial tension.

Buffboy · Post by **Buffboy** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 9:37 am

Considering my wife's maiden name was the same as this gentleman(I haven't found the exact link yet because my genealogy for her is not that complete, but I know he is a relation to her, the name is distinct among the Sioux), I've followed this story for a while now. From what I do know of her line, he is neither the first or the last of that line that has distinguished themselves in battle. There are a couple(that I know of personally) in Iraq carrying on that family distinction even now.

When one has seen firsthand the challenges to life that indian reservations can bring, I understand why he pawned his medals. For some of them the honor was/is still there, the actual medal has little value for them when compared to the nessessities of life.