Keith L. Ware - Biography

Biography

Ware was born in Denver, Colorado in 1915. He was drafted into the United States Army in July 1941 and sent to Officer Candidate School in 1942, emerging a platoon leader stationed at Fort Ord, California. After extensive service in the European Theater of Operations, he had risen to the rank of lieutenant colonel by December 1944, commanding the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, in the 3rd Infantry Division.

On December 26, Ware's battalion was attacking a heavily fortified German hilltop position. Finding one of the assault companies stalled and digging in under heavy fire, Ware went forward past their position and made a close reconnaissance of the German positions, deliberately drawing their fire in order to determine their location. After two hours, he returned to the company and brought back a small force — eleven men and a tank — in order to renew the attack; leading the advance personally, he disabled four machine-gun positions before the hill was secured. Five of the eleven men with him were casualties, and Ware himself was wounded. For his action in this engagement, he was awarded the Medal of Honor in April 1945.

Unlike most draftees, Ware remained in the Army after demobilization, becoming a career soldier, and one of the first former draftees to reach general officer rank.

Ware arrived in Vietnam shortly before the outbreak of the Tet Offensive in early 1968, serving as the deputy commander of II Field Force. Dispatched to Saigon immediately after the start of the Tet attacks, he assumed control of the American forces in the area, forming Task Force Ware; after several days of heavy fighting had stabilized the situation, the task force was dispersed. Following this, Ware was assigned to command the 1st Infantry Division in March 1968.

On 12th and September 13, of that year, with elements of the division closely engaged near Loc Ninh near the Cambodian border, he made several low passes over the fighting in a helicopter in order to better command his units. However, heavy anti-aircraft fire brought the helicopter down on September 13, along with Ware, his three command staff, and the four helicopter crew. There were no survivors; Ware became the fourth American general officer (and the first Army general officer) to die in combat in the Vietnam War. Ware was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for this action in October 1968.

Ware is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.