On this date in 1990, President George H. W. Bush issued a proclamation designating November as National American Indian Heritage Month.
It’s also Veterans Month, honoring the service and sacrifices of U.S. veterans and their families.
In 2008, Woodrow Wilson Keeble was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor by President George W. Bush for his actions in the Korean War. This event followed long years of effort by his fellow soldiers, local veterans, relatives, tribal citizens, letter writers, petitioners, and finally, the North and South Dakota congressional delegations.
Woody also served in World War II. He was an alumnus and employee of the Wahpeton Indian School, and a phenomenal athlete, even being recruited by the Chicago Red Sox when his National Guard unit was called up. Woody’s deadly pitching arm proved handy with grenades. His rifle marksmanship was legendary.
The Wahpeton Indian School schedule was paused so students could witness the Medal of Honor event on TV. The local VFW Post was renamed the Woody Keeble Post. Merry Helm published a book about him titled “The Man Called Chief.”
Growing up at the school, I well remember Woody, his wife, his son, and his mother-in-law, Ella. Woody spent time in the VA hospital and gifted my mother with copper art he made there. He lost his ability to speak and would sit with my father, writing notes.
He spoiled his son and young friends, handing out silver dollars, candy, and bottles of pop. Woody’s son had marvelous toys and a cowboy outfit with a hat, gun belt, and pistols. He and my sister put on silly plays and skits. He later followed his ambition to Hollywood, but died young.
Ella had attended the Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania. She was a laundress at Wahpeton Indian School. Woody’s wife died young. He remarried, but later became disabled. Ella retired and raised her grandson.
Although completely blind, she made exquisite pies for sale. I was always happy when asked to go get pies but once, Ella called my mother to report that I had been very rude and unladylike to her grandson.
This “guy” was huge, a high schooler, as was his friend. I was a grade schooler, wearing a dress and patent leather shoes, and I weighed maybe sixty pounds.
We met at opposite ends of a big, muddy puddle in the sidewalk. They didn’t pause. “Out of the way, Big Boy,” said I, skirting the puddle on a thin strip of ice. I was terrified and could’ve wrecked my shoes.
Dakota Datebook by Lise Erdrich
Sources:
- National American Indian Heritage Month. President George H.W. Bush approves on August 3 House Joint Resolution 577 (Pub. L. 101-343) designating November 1990 as “National American Indian Heritage Month.” He issues Proclamation 6230 on November 14, 1990.
- Guard Soldier Awarded Medal of Honor Posthumously. https://www.nationalguard.mil/News/Article-View/Article/573185/guard-soldier-awarded-medal-of-honor-posthumously/
- Ella Farmen Feted Thursday. The Farmer Globe, April 26, 1971, Page 15
- Ella Farmen Obituary. The Wahpeton Daily News, October 18, 1973, Page 5
- Following a long campaign by his family and the congressional delegations of both North and South Dakota, Keeble was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on March 3, 2008 by President George W. Bush for his actions in the Korean War. https://www3.mnhs.org/usdakotawar/stories/history/woodrow-wilson-keeble
