(NOVEMBER 9, 2021) VETERAN OF THE DAY – Today, we honor the oldest living Medal of Honor Recipient, Mr. Hershel “Woody” Williams, 98, Combat Marine, Charleston, West Virginia.
Hershel “Woody” Williams is the last living WWII veteran recipient (and the oldest living recipient) of the Medal of Honor — the military’s highest decoration for valor in combat.
In 1943, as a Marine infantryman, Williams was trained in demolition and using flamethrowers. Sent to the South Pacific, he fought in the Battle of Guam, the Battle of Iwo Jima, where he fought Japanese firing on US soldiers from reinforced concrete pillboxes, then vanquished enemy soldiers who rushed him with bayonets. Fighting hand to hand for over four hours, he helped give the Marines a foothold when the US flag was raised at Iwo Jima.
After he was presented the Medal of Honor by President Harry S. Truman (pictured) on October 5, 1945, Williams served in the Marine Corps Reserves and as a Veterans Affairs counselor. On March 7, 2020, a Navy warship, The USS Hershel “Woody” Williams, was named after him.
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