He was a humble boy from Quiet Dell when at age 20 he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps to fight for his country.
Now - after more than 70 years, a Purple Heart and a Congressional Medal of Honor - a U.S. Navy Expeditionary Sea Base bears the name of Hershel "Woody" Williams.
"My life has been blessed with so many miracles, and this is one of them," Williams, now 92, told a crowd gathered at the state Culture Center for Thursday's naming ceremony, the Gazette-Mail's Lori Kersey reported.
Williams is the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient who fought in the Battle of Iwo Jima. He said Thursday's honor was not just about him, but also the two Marines who died protecting him during the battle.
Ron Wroblewski, president of the West Virginia Marine Corps Coordinating Council, worked to get a ship named after Williams. The 20-year effort involved getting groups to pass resolutions, organizing events, sending letters and a petition with 70,000 signatures. The result: the USNS Hershel Woody Williams.
"It's been a long haul, a lot of work," Wroblewski said Thursday. "Woody, it's all for you."
Congratulations to Woody Williams, who has lived a life worthy of honor and celebration.
