This should be front page news and really what we should be thinking about as a country, at least in my opinion.


https://www.foxnews.com/us/las...?cmpid=prn_newsstand

This man in his early 20’s was doing things I couldn’t dream in my worst nightmare. True hero, true patriot, a true American. I appreciate his optimism, at least from the linked article. I wish I’d had a chance to shake this man’s hand. I wish him rest and joyous reunions.

World War II Medal of Honor recipient Hershel Woodrow Williams has entered the hospital, and his family is requesting prayers "as he lives out his last days."

Williams, 98, is the last surviving World War II veteran to have received the Medal of Honor. Williams received the award for his heroism during the battle of Iwo Jima in 1945. Williams' family is at his side in a West Virginia hospital, according to local media.

"At this time, Woody is not accepting visitors and his family appreciates everyone respecting his privacy. As he lives out his last days, we welcome and appreciate any additional prayers lifted up on behalf of Woody and his family," his family said in a statement.

The family did not offer details about Williams' condition.

Medal of Honor action
Edit
Williams' next and final campaign was at the Battle of Iwo Jima, where he distinguished himself with actions "above and beyond the call of duty", for which he would be awarded the Medal of Honor. On February 21, 1945, he landed on the beach with the 1st Battalion, 21st Marines. Williams, by then a corporal, distinguished himself two days later when American tanks, trying to open a lane for infantry, encountered a network of reinforced concrete pillboxes.[6] Pinned down by machine gun fire, his company commander asked one of his men to attach a high explosive charge to a pole and, supported by Williams, his flamethrower and several Marine riflemen, shove the improvised weapon into an opening in the enemy's pillbox. As they fought their way to the pillbox, all of the men, except Williams, became casualties. Undeterred, Williams arrived at the first pillbox, shoved the flamethrower nozzle into the pillbox opening and fired the weapon, killing all of the soldiers inside. He then returned five times to his company area, refueled his weapon, and moved forward to destroy the remaining pillboxes.[4][9][6][7]


Harry Truman congratulates Hershel Williams on being awarded the Medal of Honor, October 5, 1945
Covered by only four riflemen, he fought for four hours under terrific enemy small-arms fire and repeatedly returned to his own lines to prepare demolition charges and obtain serviced flame throwers. He returned to the front, frequently to the rear of hostile emplacements, to wipe out one position after another.[6] At one point, a wisp of smoke alerted him to the air vent of a Japanese bunker, and he approached close enough to put the nozzle of his flamethrower through the hole, killing the occupants.[7] On another occasion, he was charged by enemy riflemen who attempted to stop him with bayonets and he killed them with a burst of flame from his weapon.[9][6] Williams has said that much of the action "is just a blank. I have no memory."[10]

These actions occurred on the same day that two flags were raised on Mount Suribachi, and Williams, about one thousand yards away from the volcano, was able to witness the event.[11][7] He fought through the remainder of the five-week-long battle even though he was wounded on March 6 in the leg by shrapnel, for which he was awarded the Purple Heart.[6]

In September 1945, he returned to the United States, and on October 1 he joined Marine Corps Headquarters in Washington, D.C. He and thirteen other servicemen were presented the Medal of Honor by President Harry S. Truman on October 5, 1945, at the White House.[6]

On October 22, 1945, he was transferred to the Marine Barracks, Naval Training Center Bainbridge, Maryland, for discharge. He was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps Reserve on November 6, 1945.

Charged and single handedly took out 6 pillboxes? No words. Dude deserves more than 1 MOH!

There just aren't any words to adequately describe that level of courage and commitment.

"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things: the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth a war, is much worse. When a people are used as mere human instruments for firing cannon or thrusting bayonets, in the service and for the selfish purposes of a master, such war degrades a people. A war to protect other human beings against tyrannical injustice; a war to give victory to their own ideas of right and good, and which is their own war, carried on for an honest purpose by their free choice, — is often the means of their regeneration. A man who has nothing which he is willing to fight for, nothing which he cares more about than he does about his personal safety, is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free, unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself. As long as justice and injustice have not terminated their ever-renewing fight for ascendancy in the affairs of mankind, human beings must be willing, when need is, to do battle for the one against the other."

― John Stuart Mill


May God Grant you rest and perfect peace, CW04 Hershel Williams.
-A Grateful American

Lord, please hold him and his family until you call him home. Godspeed Mr. H.W Williams.

Truly, a great American.

Seen him speak at Veterans Day events locally a couple times.
Truly inspiring, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone made a movie at some point.
I’m sure it would pale in comparison to the real events

Its stories like this that have coined the phrase "the greatest generation".

Woody passed away, early this morning.
I have been in his presence, heard him speak. Truly one of my heroes.
https://www.wsaz.com/2022/06/2...iams-98-passes-away/

Mr. Williams Sir, thank you.

I enjoy the thought of my dad and Mr. Wilson together in Heaven talking about their conflicts and other things.

May they from their position in Heaven, help this country to get back on track while we are still living.

HK Ag

RIP Sir.

He would occasionally attend services at the same church my parent's go. My Dad would always comment on how much he enjoyed hearing him speak.

Fair winds and a following sea Marine.

Thank you for your service to this great country.

I was reading up on him and I thought this was passage was great:

Williams was drawn to the Marines by their dress blue uniforms that he had seen several men in his community wear. He disliked the Army's brown wool uniform that he considered "... the ugliest thing in town ... I decided I did not want to be in that thing. I want to be in those dress blues." Aside from the appearance of the uniform, Williams knew nothing of the Marines. Standing 5-foot-6, when Williams tried to enlist in the Marine Corps in 1942, he was told he was too short for service.

For those that are intrigued or interested:

Named in his honor:

Hershel "Woody" Williams VA Medical Center at 1540 Spring Valley Dr, Huntington, WV 25704.

Hershel "Woody" Williams VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) Post 7048 in Fairmont, West Virginia; 1310 Morgantown Ave. Fairmont WV 26554.

West Virginia National Guard Armory in Fairmont, West Virginia

Bridge at Barboursville, West Virginia

Athletic field at Huntington, West Virginia.

USS Hershel "Woody" Williams (ESB-4), a Mobile Landing Platform built by General Dynamics NASSCO at their San Diego shipyard. In August 2016, Williams was joined by Edward Byers at the ship's keel laying ceremony.
On March 7, 2020, Williams was present for the ship commissioning ceremony.[22]


After World War II, Williams accepted a job as a Veterans Affairs counselor and retired with thirty-three years service.

RIP Mr. Williams. A true hero among heroes.

My Dad was in the Pacific with the Marines in WW II, while six uncles were in Europe with the Army. They're all long deceased.

Pretty soon, there'll be no one left from our Greatest Generation.

I’ve known about Woody since I first started reading military history as a kid. A true American hero. RIP, Woody.

RIP, warrior. We shall meet on that beautiful shore…

quote:

Originally posted by Shaql:
Charged and single handedly took out 6 pillboxes? No words. Dude deserves more than 1 MOH!

Yup, no words. Just a nod of my head and tip of my cap as my inner dialogue says "Holy hell, what a badass."

I was there when the USS Hershell "Woody" Williams was commissioned.

The ship was commissioned by the Navy in Norfolk, Virginia on 7 March 2020. Williams was present for the ship commissioning ceremony, and he was spry, alert and articulate. There are YouTube videos of the ceremony.

An amazing ship, and an amazing man. God bless him.