The Veteran Community and The Nation have lost a true hero, marking a grim milestone as the last WWII Medal of Honor recipient passes away.

A Statement from the Woody Williams Foundation reads:

Yesterday at 3:15 a.m., Hershel Woodrow Williams, affectionately known by many as Woody, went home to be with the Lord. Woody peacefully joined his beloved wife Ruby while surrounded by his family at the VA Medical Center, which bears his name.

Details about the funeral and memorial services will be shared as that information becomes available.

Woody’s family would like to express their sincere gratitude for all of the love and support. They would also like to share that Woody’s wish is that people continue to carry on his mission.

All correspondence and condolences may be sent to the Woody Williams Foundation via email at contact@woodywilliams.org or via mail at:

Woody Williams Foundation
12123 Shelbyville Rd. Suite 100
Louisville, KY 40243

Honor-Recognize-Serve,

-The Woody Williams Family and Foundation

His passing is personal to TeamVetCV and our hometown of Pensacola, FL. Back in 2020, Hershel Williams attended the Gold Star Families Memorial Monument dedication ceremony at Veterans Memorial Park Pensacola, of which VetCV CEO Niels Andersen is a foundation board member. Members of the Veterans Memorial Park of Pensacola Foundation Board and the Veteran Community of Northwest Florida are grateful to have met a warfighter with such a noble and generous spirit as Hershel “Woody” Williams.

Williams joined the U.S. Marine Corps in May 1943 and was present at Guadalcanal, Guam, and Iwo Jima with 1st Battalion, 21st Marines, 3rd Mar Div. For his actions on the fourth day of the Battle of Iwo Jima, he received the Congressional Medal of Honor.

His Citation reads as follows:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as Demolition Sergeant serving with the First Battalion, Twenty-First Marines, Third Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Island, 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, Corporal Williams 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 and repeatedly returned to his own lines to prepare demolition charges and obtain serviced flame throwers, struggling back, frequently to the rear of hostile emplacements, to wipe out one position after another. On one occasion he daringly mounted a pillbox to insert the nozzle of his flame thrower through the air vent, kill the occupants and silence 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 in enabling his company to reach its’ [sic] objective. Corporal Williams’ aggressive fighting spirit and valiant devotion to duty throughout this fiercely contested action sustain and enhance the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

/S/ HARRY S. TRUMAN

Williams, 98, was the last of the 473 American service members who received a Medal of Honor in WWII. Of combat and his service, Hershel told The Washington Post in 2020,

“It’s one of those things you put in the recess of your mind. You were fulfilling an obligation that you swore to do–to defend your country. Anytime you take a life, there’s always some aftermath to that if you’ve got any heart at all.”

The Promise

Memorial Day is a time set aside for remembrance of those we’ve lost in the service of our nation. Many of us will be thinking of friends or family members who are no longer with us, while others will reflect on the freedoms we enjoy thanks to those sacrifices. These themes of sacrifice and the rebirth of freedom are at the foundation of why we observe Memorial Day. It’s us holding up our end of the bargain–the sacred promise made by a nation and her citizenry to those who risk their lives in its defense. A promise that a grateful nation will provide for those who return and will honor and remember those who do not.

This Memorial Day, TeamVetCV hopes that no matter how you celebrate, whether through quiet reflection or by getting together with friends and family, you keep the people we’ve lost with you as you do so. We live in freedom because of them. Let us enjoy that life and freedom for them.

Respectfully, 

TeamVetCV

Learn How We Can Support the Children and Family of Service Members and Veterans

April is the Month of the Military Child and, as your go-to hub for Military & Veteran resources, Team VetCV would like to let you know about an upcoming webinar from the Combined Arms Institute. Join their panel discussion to learn about the unique needs of children in military families and how to best manage them. You’ll also hear about Combined Arms’ Family Collaboration Committee, where you can have a say in how organizations serving Military and Veteran families develop their strategies.

The livestream starts at 4 pm EST, April 21, 2022 ← Click here to save the date

PTSD & Personal Relationships

Maintaining healthy and positive relationships can be difficult even under the best of circumstances. This holds true for survivors of trauma and those with PTSD, as well as their loved ones. The symptoms of PTSD can often affect the way a survivor acts with others. In turn, the way a loved one responds to him or her affects the trauma survivor. A circular pattern can develop that may sometimes harm relationships.

For many, the eureka moment comes from the realization that these are symptoms of a solvable problem and not some inherent, personal flaw. Recognizing these feelings in oneself or a loved one as something that can be managed and treated is a step toward improvement.

We at VetCV thank you for trusting us to continue to do our part in supporting our Nation’s active military, Veterans, and their families.

If your organization is hiring – Post your Jobs on VetCV. Email or call us at teamvetcv@vetcv.com, 850.441.2008 – We’ll help get the word out!

Don’t have a your own VetCV account yet? Start by logging into your VetCV Vault, creating a new account, or email us at teamvetcv@vetcv.com.

We at VetCV thank you for trusting us to continue to do our part in supporting our Nation’s active military, Veterans, and their families.

If your organization is hiring – Post your Jobs on VetCV. Email or call us at teamvetcv@vetcv.com, 850.441.2008 – We’ll help get the word out!

Don’t have a your own VetCV account yet? Start by logging into your VetCV Vault, creating a new account, or email us at teamvetcv@vetcv.com.