USS Hershel “Woody” Williams
Stars & Stripes reports that Navy will name a new ship for Medal of Honor recipient 92-year-old Hershel “Woody” Williams who earned his Medal of Honor for his actions with the 21st Marines on Iwo Jima. The West Virginian had reportedly been turned away from the military because of his height, but that didn’t stop him from trying. He finally enlisted in 1943 which set him on his path into history. From his citation;
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as demolition sergeant serving with the 21st Marines, 3d Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 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, Cpl. Williams daringly went forward alone to attempt the reduction of devastating machinegun fire from the unyielding positions. Covered only by 4 riflemen, he fought desperately for 4 hours under terrific enemy small-arms fire and repeatedly returned to his own lines to prepare demolition charges and obtain serviced flamethrowers, struggling back, frequently to the rear of hostile emplacements, to wipe out 1 position after another. On 1 occasion, he daringly mounted a pillbox to insert the nozzle of his flamethrower through the air vent, killing the occupants and silencing 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 vitally in enabling his company to reach its objective. Cpl. Williams’ aggressive fighting spirit and valiant devotion to duty throughout this fiercely contested action sustain and enhance the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
A turbulent on-again-off-again military career ended in 1969 with 17 years of total service and an honorary retirement ceremony. He was the Chaplain of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society for 35 years.
According to the S&S article, Senator Joe Manchin influenced the Navy to name the ship for the hero.
“Naming a ship after Woody is a lifelong tribute to Woody’s brave actions and his dedication to public service,” Manchin said in a news release. “Woody embodies the service and sacrifice our great state has given to our nation and this honors not only his legacy but the legacy of West Virginia veterans and their families.”
The ship in question will be an expeditionary sea base, Williams said in a phone interview Tuesday.
The Ona resident said he was “extremely excited and humbled” when he received a call Tuesday morning by U.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, who told him the news.
“It’s almost beyond my imagination … that the secretary of the Navy — and America as a whole — would think me worthy to receive such an honor,” Williams said.
Category: Marine Corps
WTH is it with short guys? They seem to have the valor market cornered. Williams, at enlistment was 5’6” and was originally rejected for that reason alone. He got in when the height requirements were relaxed. He appeared on the TV show Sons of Guns and fired a flamethrower—his weapon on Iwo.
Sounds a bit like a certain short-statured Texan of note…
Yep, among other ass kickers.
Perhaps this guy qualifies?
http://valorguardians.com/blog/?p=32999
I do believe the minimum Ht and Wt requirement was about the same as I went in 5 ft tall was minimum.
Theres a long standing fable that Audie Murphy was turned down by the Marines and Navy because of his size.
He attempted to enlist early in the war and was denied by all the branches for being underage.
I’m confused, have the physical requirement regulations changed from back then to present?
Granted I was only in the Navy back in the 80’s, and at five foot five inches, I had no problems with enlisting. And I’ve seen far shorter guys throughout my enlistment also.
My Great Uncle Ray was 5ft6in if that and was an Iwo Jima Marine. One of the toughest and most humble men I had the privilege of knowing.
Hershel “Woody” Williams……..one of the tallest Marines to ever occupy this great country.
all I can say is HOOOOOOOOAH ! ! ! !
MoH, 5 foot, 6 inches, and full of Hell Fire!
HooYah!
I have to say that I’m actually surprised this one got by Mabus. I thought he was so tone-deaf and slobberingly political that he’d insist on something else.
Instead, he – and Manchin – cross us up by doing exactly the right thing here. Kudos to them on a fine choice for the ship’s namesake. (Give even the Devil his due.)
Extra merit overcoming whiteness in this case.
Ummm. .. not to throw a damper on the party, and correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t one supposed to be deceased to receive such an honor as having a ship (or other monument) named after you?
I’m not really sure, but I think Bob Hope was still alive when they decided to name a Warship after him and they named another after Gabby Giffords. The USS Ronald Reagan was named while he was still alive and the USS Jimmy Carter is a Submarine. The USS Walter Mondale shadows the USS Jimmy Carter and always goes belly-up whenever the USS Ronald Reagan is nearby!
Please! next time, give a spew alert! Thank you, one and all for the replies.
And to add to the festivities,
HOOOAH, Devil Dog! Semper Fi!
He’s 92, Woodman. If he can lift the champagne bottle to whack the ship’s bow, they can name it after him.
He’s fit as a fiddle and active as hell–and I don’t mean geriatric exercise at the Y or shuffleboard. The man gets around, and is Gold Star connected in a big way.
IT’S ABOUT TIME they went back to naming Warships after Warriors instead of politicians!
What was the life expectancy of a flamethrower guy on IwoJim? I’d say he crushed the odds living to 92
Although he is now deceased, my friend, Bernie Fisher, was alive, and with his family, toured this ship that was named in his honor:
http://www.msc.navy.mil/inventory/ships.asp?ship=87
If you Google, “MV MAJOR BERNARD F. FISHER”, you’ll find a lot more articles and photographs of the ship.
Here’s his story:
http://www.cmohs.org/recipient-detail/3275/fisher-bernard-francis.php
He also received the Silver Star for his actions on the previous day in that same battle.
He retired as a colonel, and had a farm in Kuna, Idaho.
I first met him in 1968 when I was stationed at Spangdahlem Air Force Base in Germany, and attended Mormon church services at Bitburg Air Force Base, where Colonel Fisher lived with his family.
I was an Assistant Scoutmaster for the Boy Scout Troop that his boys were in.
(Bernie and all of his boys were Eagle Scouts.)
He and I participated in the same veterans organizations and activities, and when I was taking medical training in Boise, he let me camp on his farm, as I had no money for a hotel room.
MoH recipients are all bad asses, endowed with brass balls and have more guts/courage then most could ever imagine.
Here is one such example:
http://www.cmohs.org/recipient-detail/3222/ballard-donald-e.php
Every Corpsman I saw with Marines had balls as big as a 16″ shell.
Never could understand how they could walk like that. Nothing but respect and admiration.
Is it the LHA-8 being named after him or is another class?
Semper BadAss, MOS, Flame Thrower Operator, his dick must me 3 feet long.
Nah – probably just of Holmesian proportions. (smile)
Hershel “Woody” Williams also happens to be the last surviving MoH awardee from the Battle of Iwo Jima.
He has the valor that is truly being stolen by others named on this site and others.
god bless
Holden
The look in his eyes says it all. I will FuckingKillYou. With Fire.
Badass isn’t a word even close to being appropriate for this dude.
Williams received the Medal of Honor in 1945 from Harry S Truman. He is on record as saying that two Marine lost their lives protecting him on Iwo and that the Medal of Honor is theirs. “It really doesn’t belong to me,” he said, solemnly, in a video interview several years ago.
And so it is with men such as Williams. The SV types scratch and claw for undeserved and unearned honors while the real heroes–some of whom, due to circumstances, will never be known to us–can’t give enough credit to others.