Hershel "Woody" Williams has Passed

[Top0321]

Can't link to Fox.

Hershel "Woody" Williams, America's last surviving World War II veteran to have received a Medal of Honor, passed away surrounded by family on Wednesday morning.

Williams, 98, was the last of the 473 American service members who received a Medal of Honor in WWII. Williams spent his final days with family at a hospital in his home state of West Virginia. Family members called on Americans to pray for him on Tuesday.

"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 on his condition at the time.

RIP Woody. Flamethrower up!

[CAP MARINE]

RIP

[Ole crusty bastard]

Much respect, rest easy.

[1RiserSlip]

Woody was very popular in the veteran community here. What a stud.

RIP Marine.

[Hopeless Civilian]

Damn! RIP to a real hero and legend!

[Gray Rhyno]

RIP Marine.

Semper Fidelis.

[Steamin]

RIP Sir!

[Dark Helmet]

I had the honor/pleasure of having a personal relationship with this American hero.

In 2017 when he came to Cleveland, I was asked to be his personal escort around the city for two days. I was provided with a police escort everywhere we went, and got to attend all the pomp & circumstance events with him. This is a photo of us at an Indians game, where the Cleveland Indians gave him and his guests the VIP suite for the game.

He loved my wife. Whenever she was in the room, it was as if nobody else was around. Ladies man to the very end, and a true gentleman.

Woody will be dearly missed.

[1RiserSlip]

That’s a good pic DH.

I’m waiting for the order to have the flag flown at half mast. I’ll be calling the state capital soon if it isn’t.

[osubuckeye762]

RIP
Thank you for your service to this great country.

Yesterday, I was perusing another site where a member posted that he was in the hospital.

I thought he was from the same city my family is from but I did research to confirm it...

I thought this 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.

[bobmueller]

Fair winds and following seas, sir. You've certainly earned it.

His citation is humbling to read, as are they all.

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as Demolition Sergeant serving with the First Battalion, Twenty-First Marines, Third Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Island, 23 February 1945. Quick to volunteer his services when our tanks were maneuvering vainly to open a lane for the infantry through the network of reinforced concrete pillboxes, buried mines and black, volcanic sands, Corporal Williams daringly went forward alone to attempt the reduction of devastating machine-gun fire from the unyielding positions. Covered only by four riflemen, he fought desperately 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, struggling back, frequently to the rear of hostile emplacements, to wipe out one position after another. On one occasion he daringly mounted a pillbox to insert the nozzle of his flame thrower through the air vent, kill the occupants and silence the gun; on another he grimly charged enemy riflemen who attempted to stop him with bayonets and destroyed them with a burst of flame from his weapon. His unyielding determination and extraordinary heroism in the face of ruthless enemy resistance were directly instrumental in neutralizing one of the most fanatically defended Japanese strong points encountered by his regiment and aided in enabling his company to reach its' [sic] objective. Corporal Williams' aggressive fighting spirit and valiant devotion to duty throughout this fiercely contested action sustain and enhance the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.[9]

[agonyea]

Lest we forget...

[Ace]

Rest Easy Warrior.

[RemTech]

RIP Mr. Williams

[BigNickT]

RIP

[Forestboy]

R.I.P. Marine....

[Tracy]

Rest in Peace Marine. Thank you for your service to your Marines and Veterans. Semper Fidelis!

[1RiserSlip]

Apparently they had a pretty good welcome to Woody in Valhalla today. The flags were lowered to half mast over the weekend here, in honor of our favorite native son. He will lie in state in the WV Capital rotunda today and have a private family ceremony in the next couple of days. It was a pretty big event locally.

The last Action Hero from the Great War.

RIP.

[Top0321]

Originally Posted by 1RiserSlip

Apparently they had a pretty good welcome to Woody in Valhalla today. The flags were lowered to half mast over the weekend here, in honor of our favorite native son. He will lie in state in the WV Capital rotunda today and have a private family ceremony in the next couple of days. It was a pretty big event locally.

The last Action Hero from the Great War.

RIP.

An awesome, well earned and well deserved tribute.

[just11b]

DH, thanks for sharing the pic.

Rest In Peace, Warrior!

[wowzers]

Thought I read an article not that long ago about his Great-Grandson graduating bootcamp and him being the guest of honor. RIP.

[Top0321]

Originally Posted by wowzers

Thought I read an article not that long ago about his Great-Grandson graduating bootcamp and him being the guest of honor. RIP.

True story. Big shoes to fill.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/medal-of-honor-recipient-grandson-marine-boot-camp-hershel-woody-williams/

[CAP MARINE]

Just learnedthat another Oklahoma will be receiving the metal of honor Vietnam veteran and lawyer in Oklahoma City

[osubuckeye762]

Over the long weekend, the local news channels had a note on the bottom ticker tape that stated:

Hershel W. “Woody” Williams, the last remaining Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol.

[1RiserSlip]

Originally Posted by osubuckeye762

Over the long weekend, the local news channels had a note on the bottom ticker tape that stated:

Hershel W. “Woody” Williams, the last remaining Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol.

And he did just that today.

We’re all proud of you Woody.

RIP

[Hopeless Civilian]

Originally Posted by osubuckeye762

Over the long weekend, the local news channels had a note on the bottom ticker tape that stated:

Hershel W. “Woody” Williams, the last remaining Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol.

Fitting tribute not just for his actions in war but also for his life in peace!