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| Photo Credit: AP. |
Hershel W. “Woody” Williams who is the last remaining World War II Medal of Honor recipient has died at the age of 98 on Wednesday. Williams foundation announced on Twitter and Facebook that the war veteran died at Veterans Affairs medical center bearing his name in Huntington, The Associated Press reports.
Williams who
was a young Marine corporal during the Second World War went ahead of his unit
during the Battle of Iwo Jima in the Pacific Ocean in February 1945 and eliminated
a series of Japanese machine gun positions, according to The Associated Press.
Williams was
awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest award for military valor, from
President Harry Truman at the White House the following year after his feat. He
was 22 at the time.
“For me,
receiving the Medal of Honor was actually the lifesaver because it forced me to
talk about the experiences that I had, which was a therapy that I didn’t even
know I was doing,” Williams said during a 2018 Boy Scouts recognition ceremony
in Fairmont, The Associated Press cited a report by the Times West Virginian.
The American
forces later planted the American flag on Mount Suribachi in Iwo Jima.
According to
The Associated Press, Williams’ actions in battle to clear the way for American
tanks and infantry were detailed on the military’s Medal of Honor website:
He was
“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. Williams daringly went forward alone to
attempt the reduction of devastating machinegun fire from the unyielding
positions.”
Williams who
reportedly faced small-arms fire, fought for four hours and returned repeatedly
to prepare demolition charges and obtain flamethrowers.
“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,” the website said,
according to The Associated Press.
The brave
soldier remained in the Marines after the war and served a total of 20 years
and later worked for the Veterans Administration for 33 years as a veterans
service representative.
William was born on October 2, 1923 on a dairy farm in the Harrison County community of Quiet Dell. He was the youngest of a family of 11 and before joining the military, he served in the Civilian Conservation Corps and worked as a teenage taxi driver in Fairmont, and sometimes delivered Western Union telegrams to the families of Fallen soldiers, The Associated Press said.