Who Is The Last Living Medal of Honor Recipient - World War II ?

Born October 2nd, 1923 in Quiet Dell, West Virginia. The youngest of eleven children, weighing just 3.5 pounds at birth, he was not expected to survive. Even in his infancy, however, his fighting spirit prevailed and he bloomed into a healthy, young child. At 11 years old, he again, faced adversity when he lost his father to a heart condition. As he grew into his teen years, he worked multiple odd jobs to make ends meet. However, when Pearl Harbor was attacked in 1941, he did what every brave American man wanted to do, join the fight. Only standing at 5 foot 6, at the time, he was considered too short to join the Marines, the branch of service he most desired. He was devastated that he could not join the ranks and fight for his country. So instead, he returned to the new “odd job” of being a taxi driver. It was through this job that he experienced the true reality of the cost of war in an unexpected way; delivering telegrams to notify families that their loved one had died while serving.

In early 1943, height regulations changed, and he was able to successfully enlist in the United States Marine Corps Reserve. Upon completion of boot camp, he was assigned to an infantry battalion to specialize in demolition and the use of flamethrowers. During this time, the Marines assigned to the demolition unit received very little instruction and had to train themselves on the flamethrowers as no one knew how to use them.

In the fall of 1943, he was sent to the pacific to embark on a mission to assist in the fighting against Imperial Japan. Proudly serving in the pacific where he saw combat on the islands of Guam and Iwo Jima, he became an experienced war fighter.

It was then in February 1945, the same fighting spirit he had carried with him since birth was put to the ultimate test. 23 February 1945… United States tanks were maneuvering vainly to open a lane for the infantry to access, through a network of reinforced concrete pillboxes, buried mines and black, volcanic sands. Quick to volunteer his assistance, he 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. He repeatedly returned to his own lines to prepare demolition charges and obtain serviced flame throwers, in order to return to the rear of hostile emplacements, to wipe out one position after another. On one occasion he courageously mounted a pillbox to insert the nozzle of his flame thrower through the air vent, killing the occupants and silencing their gun; on another, he grimly charged enemy riflemen who attempted to stop him with bayonets and destroyed them with a burst of flames from his weapon. (Medal of Honor Citation)

Who is he?

He is Hershel “Woody” Williams, CWO4 (Ret.) United States Marine Corps, Last Living Medal of Honor Recipient, WWII