Disclaimer, Pledge.
As it’s coming up on the Marine Corps birthday and Veteran’s Day, I decided to try a themed workout ala Big Pappy.
Hershel Woodrow “Woody” Williams (born October 2, 1923) is a retired United States Marine Corps warrant officer and United States Department of Veterans Affairs veterans service representative who received the United States military’s highest decoration for valor—the Medal of Honor—for heroism above and beyond the call of duty during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. Since the death of Charles H. Coolidge on April 6, 2021, Williams is the only living Medal of Honor recipient from World War II.
Williams, the youngest of eleven children, was born and raised on a dairy farm in Quiet Dell, West Virginia, on October 2, 1923. By the time he was 11, his father had died of a heart attack and several of his siblings had died of a flu pandemic.
Based on the loss of this family members at age eleven:
Elevens-Freddie Mercuries & Iron Hulks. Lots of mumble chatter here (especially from Freight).
Williams was drawn to the Marines by their dress blue uniforms that he had seen several men in his community wear. He disliked the Army’s brown wool uniform that he considered “… the ugliest thing in town … I decided I did not want to be in that thing. I want to be in those dress blues.” Aside from the appearance of the uniform, Williams knew nothing of the Marines. Standing 5-foot-6, when Williams tried to enlist in the Marine Corps in 1942, he was told he was too short for service. After the height regulations were changed in early 1943, he successfully enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve in Charleston, West Virginia, on May 26.
Being 66 inches tall:
Route 66-Bobby Hurleys
Williams received his recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California. Upon completion, he was sent to the Camp Elliott training center in San Diego, where he joined the tank training battalion and was later transferred to the training center’s infantry battalion for instruction as a demolition man and in the use of flamethrowers.
Upon completion of training in January 1944, he joined Company C, 1st Battalion, 21st Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division at Guadalcanal, where his unit later fought the Japanese during the battle of Guam.
In honor of the 21st Marine Regiment:
Twentyones-Shoulder Taps IC
Williams’ next and final campaign was at the Battle of Iwo Jima, where he distinguished himself with actions “above and beyond the call of duty”, for which he would be awarded the Medal of Honor.
The President of the United States in the name of The Congress takes pleasure in presenting the
MEDAL OF HONOR
to
CORPORAL HERSHEL W. WILLIAMS
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS RESERVE
for service as set forth in the following
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 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
These actions occurred on the same day that two flags were raised on Mount Suribachi, and Williams, about one thousand yards away from the volcano, was able to witness the event. He fought through the remainder of the five-week-long battle even though he was wounded on March 6 in the leg by shrapnel, for which he was awarded the Purple Heart.
Five weeks = 35 days:
Thirty-five Mountain Climbers IC
In September 1945, he returned to the United States, and on October 1 he joined Marine Corps Headquarters in Washington, D.C. He and thirteen other servicemen were presented the Medal of Honor by President Harry S. Truman on October 5, 1945, at the White House.
Two of the four riflemen covering Williams were killed. In 2020 Williams said, “Once I found out that this happened, this Medal of Honor took on a different significance. I said, from that point on, it does not belong to me. It belongs to them. I wear it in their honor. I keep it shined for them, because there is no greater sacrifice than when someone sacrifices their life for you and me.” In 2017, UPS executive Pat O’Leary and one of Williams’s grandchildren discovered through documentaries the identity of the two Marines who sacrificed their lives for Williams during the Battle of Iwo Jima. They were identified as 24-year-old Corporal Warren Harding Bornholz, of New York City, and 20-year-old Private First Class Charles Gilbert Fischer, of Somers, Montana. They were killed in action while protecting Williams from Japanese enemy fire on February 23, 1945.
Four riflemen with two KIA
Escalating 4 Corners (2 Burpees-4 LBC-6 Merkins-8 Squats)
On October 20, 1954, he joined the Organized Marine Reserve when the 98th Special Infantry Company was authorized by Headquarters Marine Corps to be located at Clarksburg, West Virginia.
He was advanced through the warrant officer ranks during his time in the Marine Corps Reserve until reaching his final rank of Chief Warrant Officer 4 (CWO4). Although CWO4 Williams technically did not meet retirement requirements, he was honorarily retired from the Marine Corps Reserve in 1969 after approximately 17 years of service.
Seventeen years of service:
17 Flutter Kicks IC
On February 4, 2018, Williams along with 14 other living Medal of Honor recipients was honored at the Super Bowl LII during the coin toss. He is the only living Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipient from World War II. Williams was selected to do the official coin toss for the game. The coin toss ceremony set a record for most coin toss participants as Super Bowl LII was dedicated to them.
14 other living Medal of Honor recipients:
14 Hipslappers
Named in his honor:
• Hershel “Woody” Williams VA Medical Center
• Hershel “Woody” Williams VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) Post 7048
• West Virginia National Guard Armory
• USS Hershel “Woody” Williams (ESB-4), a Mobile Landing Platform built by General Dynamics NASSCO at their San Diego shipyard.
• In a 2020 Washington Post interview remembering the 75th anniversary of the Iwo Jima battle, Williams credits his religious awakening with ending his nightmares and transforming his life.
75th anniversary of the Iwo Jima battle:
75 SSH IC
Back to the flag for Mary. All got to call 25 ab exercises IC except for Purple Haze as time ran out. Or we didn’t wish to find out if he really is gas powered.
Announcements
Extinction Run the 6th
Blood Drive the 10th
Christmas Party next month
Rudolph’s Q at Gashouse the 13th
Service project (fill bags)
Prayers
Freight’s grandmother (going to hospice)
Mayor’s M
Sister Act
GSM co-workers
Virus
Others not mentioned
YHC took us out.
Afterwards, discussed the joys of chemistry: how to cook meth, make nerve gas, explosives, napalm, moonshine and other assorted substances.
Thanks for allowing me to lead.