HomeMy WebLinkAboutCharles D. Keathley Medal of Honor
Testament to Ag 9 1
e bravery
A&M receives World War II soldier's Medal of Honor
By KEVIN CULLEN sity for permanent display mitment it took to serve the First Platoon, Company B,
kevin.cullen@theeagle.com at the center on Friday at a country that way, and that 85th Infantry Division, when
ceremony held in Keathley's might inspire them to do he was killed during an
Staff Sgt. George D. honor. something similar." enemy attack.
Keathley gave his life "I think that it's an honor Keathley, class of 1937, "He saw the Second and
for his country, and a for him for people to know was awarded the medal Third Platoons suffer heavy
reminder of that now rests about him, to know the posthumously in 1945 for casualties, including the loss
in the Sam Houston Sanders depth of his actions to be valor in combat during an of all commissioned and #
Corps of Cadets Center at able to get that highest enemy attack on Sept. 14, noncommissioned officers
Texas A&M University. honor," said Dana McBee, 1944, in Mount Altuzzo, after three large enemy
More than 20 friends and Keathley's granddaughter. Italy. attacks,', according to the
family members watched as "I hope that somebody, some According to the Medal of citation. "Keathley ran for-
Keathley's Medal of Honor cadet, will see that and Honor citation, Keathley
was presented to the univer- maybe think about the com- was acting as a guide for the See MEDAL, Page A8
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Eagle photo by Stuart Villanueva
Paula Roy, one of George D. Keathley's.daughters, places her father's Medal
of Honor on display at the Sam Houston Sanders Corps of Cadets Center as
her sister Helen Haggard and Keathley's granddaughter Dana McBee watch
Friday.
MEDAL: Avm*e soldier
was killed by grenade
Continued from Al a kind and gentle person will-
ing to make great sacrifices
ward, and despite enemy fire, for his country, even though
moved from casualty to casu- he wrote to his family saying
alty collecting ammunition he just wanted to go home.
and providing first aid, then "It just makes you stop and
visited each man left in the think, he gave up his life for
platoons to dispense much his country," she said.
needed ammunition and pro- "Sometimes the way this
vide words of encourage- country goes sometimes, it
ment. makes you wonder, `Was it
"The enemy launched a worth it?' He thought it was
fourth attack, of about two worth it, so it was worth it."
companies in strength, Col. Jake Betty, chief of
advancing on the American staff of the office of the com-
position from the front and mandant, said the medals
both sides with grenades and displayed for Keathley and
automatic weapons. With the others who served were
Second and Third Platoons important because of their
relying on him for leader- impact on the way the public
ship, Keathley directed the feels about today's military
men and held back the personnel.
enemy. An enemy grenade "In this day and age where
exploded near him, mortally there has been a lot of public
wounding him in his left support for the military, for
side. Despite his wounds, he the soldiers, sailors and sea-
rose to his feet and for the men, I think having the
next 15 minutes remained in medals here talks about
charge of his men, all the and shows the contribution
while effectively firing his of the World War H genera-
rifle. Keathley died moments tion, and that's very impor-
after achieving victory." tant," he said.
Keathley, for whom A&M's Betty said Texas A&M was
Keathley Hall dormitory is honored to display the medal
named, is among seven Medal in the center because of its
of Honor recipients from the ability to inspire others.
university and the fourth "Having the medal here
whose medal is to be perma- will serve as a constant
nently displayed at the center: reminder to our cadets and to
"It's amazing that someone those who visit Texas A&M
would have that kind of com- of the ultimate sacrifice that
mitment to their country to Aggies have made for the
know that they might never freedom of America," Betty
come home and do it inten- said. "It will serve as an
tionally," McBee said. inspiration not only for the
Paula Roy, Keathley's current Aggies, but for the
daughter, said her father was future Aggies."