Cpl. Hershel "Woody" Williams, a fellow WV resident, the last living WWII Medal of Honor recipient, died last Wednesday at the age of 98. His funeral just finished, held in my workspace, the Culture Center at the the WV State Capitol campus.
As a young Marine on Iwo Jima in February 1945, and the last surviving flamethrower member of his unit, he and four riflemen stormed several pillboxes to eliminte the resistance stopping our Marines and tanks from advancing. He suceeded, and the advance continued, ultimately to win the battle. Two of his riflemen did not. Woody always said those men deserved the medals - they kept him alive. Woody Williams was presented the Medal of Honor by President Harry Truman after the end of the war.
He left the Marines after 20 years, then worked for the VA for 33 years before retiring. The VA Hospital in Huntington, WV is named for him, as is a newly christened Navy ship.
His faculties were always sharp. Just days before he died he met with Sen. Manchin to express his concerns about the VA and vets in general.
He was a major advocate for modern treatment of PTSD in vets, and founded the Gold Star Memorial project, which has built over 100 Gold Star Memorials for fallen soldiers of all services.
His quote is on all of the memorials - "The cause is greater than I".
A bio on NPR: Woody Williams, Medal of Honor recipient for bravery at Iwo Jima, dies at 98 : NPR
His body will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol later this week before a private family burial service.
As a young Marine on Iwo Jima in February 1945, and the last surviving flamethrower member of his unit, he and four riflemen stormed several pillboxes to eliminte the resistance stopping our Marines and tanks from advancing. He suceeded, and the advance continued, ultimately to win the battle. Two of his riflemen did not. Woody always said those men deserved the medals - they kept him alive. Woody Williams was presented the Medal of Honor by President Harry Truman after the end of the war.
He left the Marines after 20 years, then worked for the VA for 33 years before retiring. The VA Hospital in Huntington, WV is named for him, as is a newly christened Navy ship.
His faculties were always sharp. Just days before he died he met with Sen. Manchin to express his concerns about the VA and vets in general.
He was a major advocate for modern treatment of PTSD in vets, and founded the Gold Star Memorial project, which has built over 100 Gold Star Memorials for fallen soldiers of all services.
His quote is on all of the memorials - "The cause is greater than I".
A bio on NPR: Woody Williams, Medal of Honor recipient for bravery at Iwo Jima, dies at 98 : NPR
His body will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol later this week before a private family burial service.
