Hershel W. “Woody” Williams, the last Congressional Medal of Honor recipient who served in WWII, received a state funeral last week after he passed away on June 29 at the age of 98.
The nation’s highest military honor recipient was laid to rest in the U.S. Capitol on July 14. Speaking at his funeral, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said, “With Woody’s passing, we have lost a deeply selfless American and a vital link to our nation’s greatest generation.”
Williams will be remembered for his actions in the Pacific theater as well as what he did behind the frontlines.
Iwo Jima is a small island that sits just 757 miles from Tokyo and was crucial to the American offensive strategy of island-hopping. Securing the nearly 8 square miles of volcanic rock cost thousands of casualties and nearly 6,800 dead for U.S. forces. Thousands more Japanese soldiers were killed or wounded during the battle, which lasted only five weeks but left lasting scars on both sides.
According to the citation for the Medal of Honor, on Feb. 23, 1945, Marine Corporal Williams cleared seven pillboxes on the island in under four hours using only a flame thrower. During these operations, he only had cover from four riflemen. When the fuel ran out on his weapon, he simply went back and got it refilled whenever he needed it again to continue doing his job, never giving up.
Williams’ brave actions were instrumental in allowing the military to bring tanks into enemy-occupied territory and save countless lives.
Williams remained in the U.S. Marines for 20 years after World War II before working as a Veterans Affairs representative at the neighboring Huntington Hospital for another 33 years. In 2018, this medical center was renamed after Williams, and two years later, in 2020, the Navy commissioned a base sea vessel in his name to show their gratitude toward Williams for many long years of work.
That ship, the U.S.S. Hershel “Woody” Williams, commemorated the death of its namesake on July 9.
Captain Chad Graham, the ship’s commander, said, “It was a very somber occasion where both the military and civilian crew members could come together to pay their respects and honor our ship’s namesake. It is extremely humbling to be able to command a ship that bears the name of a great American hero, and we strive to emulate the amazing man he was, both in and out of uniform. He truly was the embodiment of our core values of honor, courage, and commitment.”
Williams’ devotion to the causes he believed in was second only to his dedication to the causes he gave himself to in his endeavor to represent his country well. The man known for rising above challenges and obstacles reaffirmed that courage is stronger than fear, a lesson many veterans know all too well after returning home from protracted tours of war.
He founded the Woody Williams Foundation, a nonprofit that supports Gold Star families.
Speaker Pelosi recognized this work in her memorial address, saying, “He devoted … his life to helping veterans and Gold Star families and all families, always driven by his motto, ‘The cause is greater than I am.'”
In addition to his personal foundation, Hershel also frequently worked with the organizers of the Dallas non-profit Carry the Load, even featuring in a recent documentary.