MyNorthwest

News

Opinion

Sports

Tools

Connect

Last remaining WWII Medal of Honor recipient dies at 98

CORRECTS SPELLING OF FIRST NAME TO HERSHEL, NOT HERSCHEL - Law enforcement officers lead a procession for Hershel W. “Woody” Williams, the last remaining Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, Wednesday, June 28, 2022, in Huntington, W.Va. Williams, 98, died Wednesday at the Veterans Affairs medical center bearing his name in Huntington. As a young Marine corporal, Williams 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. (Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch via AP)

CORRECTS SPELLING OF FIRST NAME TO HERSHEL, NOT HERSCHEL - Law enforcement officers salute as a procession for Hershel W. “Woody” Williams, the last remaining Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, Wednesday, June 28, 2022, in Huntington, W.Va. Williams, 98, died Wednesday at the Veterans Affairs medical center bearing his name in Huntington. As a young Marine corporal, Williams 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. (Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch via AP)

CORRECTS SPELLING OF FIRST NAME TO HERSHEL, NOT HERSCHEL - Law enforcement officers lead a procession for Hershel W. “Woody” Williams, the last remaining Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, Wednesday, June 28, 2022, in Huntington, W.Va. Williams, 98, died Wednesday at the Veterans Affairs medical center bearing his name in Huntington. As a young Marine corporal, Williams 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. (Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch via AP)

CORRECTS SPELLING OF FIRST NAME TO HERSHEL, NOT HERSCHEL - Cabell County Courthouse employees pay their respects as law enforcement officers lead a procession for Hershel W. “Woody” Williams, the last remaining Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, Wednesday, June 28, 2022, in Huntington, W.Va. Williams, 98, died Wednesday at the Veterans Affairs medical center bearing his name in Huntington. As a young Marine corporal, Williams 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. (Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch via AP)

CORRECTS SPELLING OF FIRST NAME TO HERSHEL, NOT HERSCHEL - Cabell County Courthouse employees pay their respects as law enforcement officers lead a procession for Hershel W. “Woody” Williams, the last remaining Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, Wednesday, June 28, 2022, in Huntington, W.Va. Williams, 98, died Wednesday at the Veterans Affairs medical center bearing his name in Huntington. As a young Marine corporal, Williams 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. (Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch via AP)

CORRECTS SPELLING OF FIRST NAME TO HERSHEL, NOT HERSCHEL - Law enforcement officers salute as a procession for Hershel W. “Woody” Williams, the last remaining Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, Wednesday, June 28, 2022, in Huntington, W.Va. Williams, 98, died Wednesday at the Veterans Affairs medical center bearing his name in Huntington. As a young Marine corporal, Williams 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. (Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch via AP)

CORRECTS SPELLING OF FIRST NAME TO HERSHEL, NOT HERSCHEL - Law enforcement officers lead a procession for Hershel W. “Woody” Williams, the last remaining Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, Wednesday, June 28, 2022, in Huntington, W.Va. Williams, 98, died Wednesday at the Veterans Affairs medical center bearing his name in Huntington. As a young Marine corporal, Williams 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. (Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch via AP)

CORRECTS SPELLING OF FIRST NAME TO HERSHEL, NOT HERSCHEL - Cabell County Courthouse employees pay their respects as law enforcement officers lead a procession for Hershel W. “Woody” Williams, the last remaining Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, Wednesday, June 28, 2022, in Huntington, W.Va. Williams, 98, died Wednesday at the Veterans Affairs medical center bearing his name in Huntington. As a young Marine corporal, Williams 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. (Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch via AP)

CORRECTS SPELLING OF FIRST NAME TO HERSHEL, NOT HERSCHEL - Law enforcement officers lead a procession for Hershel W. “Woody” Williams, the last remaining Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, Wednesday, June 28, 2022, in Huntington, W.Va. Williams, 98, died Wednesday at the Veterans Affairs medical center bearing his name in Huntington. As a young Marine corporal, Williams 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. (Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch via AP)

CORRECTS SPELLING OF FIRST NAME TO HERSHEL, NOT HERSCHEL - Law enforcement officers lead a procession for Hershel W. “Woody” Williams, the last remaining Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, Wednesday, June 28, 2022, in Huntington, W.Va. Williams, 98, died Wednesday at the Veterans Affairs medical center bearing his name in Huntington. As a young Marine corporal, Williams 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. (Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch via AP)

CORRECTS SPELLING OF FIRST NAME TO HERSHEL, NOT HERSCHEL - Cabell County Courthouse employees pay their respects as law enforcement officers lead a procession for Hershel W. “Woody” Williams, the last remaining Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, Wednesday, June 28, 2022, in Huntington, W.Va. Williams, 98, died Wednesday at the Veterans Affairs medical center bearing his name in Huntington. As a young Marine corporal, Williams 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. (Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch via AP)

CORRECTS SPELLING OF FIRST NAME TO HERSHEL, NOT HERSCHEL - Cabell County Courthouse employees pay their respects as law enforcement officers lead a procession for Hershel W. “Woody” Williams, the last remaining Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, Wednesday, June 28, 2022, in Huntington, W.Va. Williams, 98, died Wednesday at the Veterans Affairs medical center bearing his name in Huntington. As a young Marine corporal, Williams 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. (Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch via AP)

CORRECTS SPELLING OF FIRST NAME TO HERSHEL, NOT HERSCHEL - An Army veteran wipes a tear from his eye as a procession for Hershel W. “Woody” Williams, the last remaining Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, Wednesday, June 28, 2022, in Huntington, W.Va. Williams, 98, died Wednesday at the Veterans Affairs medical center bearing his name in Huntington. As a young Marine corporal, Williams 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. (Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch via AP)

CORRECTS SPELLING OF FIRST NAME TO HERSHEL, NOT HERSCHEL - Law enforcement officers lead a procession for Hershel W. “Woody” Williams, the last remaining Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, Wednesday, June 28, 2022, in Huntington, W.Va. Williams, 98, died Wednesday at the Veterans Affairs medical center bearing his name in Huntington. As a young Marine corporal, Williams 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. (Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch via AP)

CORRECTS SPELLING OF FIRST NAME TO HERSHEL, NOT HERSCHEL - Law enforcement officers salute as a procession for Hershel W. “Woody” Williams, the last remaining Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, Wednesday, June 28, 2022, in Huntington, W.Va. Williams, 98, died Wednesday at the Veterans Affairs medical center bearing his name in Huntington. As a young Marine corporal, Williams 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. (Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch via AP)

CORRECTS SPELLING OF FIRST NAME TO HERSHEL, NOT HERSCHEL - Law enforcement officers lead a procession for Hershel W. “Woody” Williams, the last remaining Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, Wednesday, June 28, 2022, in Huntington, W.Va. Williams, 98, died Wednesday at the Veterans Affairs medical center bearing his name in Huntington. As a young Marine corporal, Williams 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. (Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch via AP)

CORRECTS SPELLING OF FIRST NAME TO HERSHEL, NOT HERSCHEL - Cabell County Courthouse employees pay their respects as law enforcement officers lead a procession for Hershel W. “Woody” Williams, the last remaining Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, Wednesday, June 28, 2022, in Huntington, W.Va. Williams, 98, died Wednesday at the Veterans Affairs medical center bearing his name in Huntington. As a young Marine corporal, Williams 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. (Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch via AP)

CORRECTS SPELLING OF FIRST NAME TO HERSHEL, NOT HERSCHEL - Cabell County Courthouse employees pay their respects as law enforcement officers lead a procession for Hershel W. “Woody” Williams, the last remaining Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, Wednesday, June 28, 2022, in Huntington, W.Va. Williams, 98, died Wednesday at the Veterans Affairs medical center bearing his name in Huntington. As a young Marine corporal, Williams 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. (Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch via AP)

CORRECTS SPELLING OF FIRST NAME TO HERSHEL, NOT HERSCHEL - An Army veteran wipes a tear from his eye as a procession for Hershel W. “Woody” Williams, the last remaining Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, Wednesday, June 28, 2022, in Huntington, W.Va. Williams, 98, died Wednesday at the Veterans Affairs medical center bearing his name in Huntington. As a young Marine corporal, Williams 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. (Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch via AP)

FILE - Woody Williams, 94, the only living Marine Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, gets ready to assist with the coin toss, before the NFL Super Bowl 52 football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots, Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018, in Minneapolis. Williams, the last remaining Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, died Wednesday, June 29, 2022. He was 98.
Williams' foundation announced on Twitter and Facebook that he died at the Veterans Affairs medical center bearing his name in Huntington. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)

FILE - Hershel "Woody" Williams, center, the sole surviving U.S. Marine to be awarded the Medal of Honor during World War II, poses with fellow Marines at the Charles E. Shelton Freedom Memorial at Smothers Park, Saturday, April 6, 2019, in Owensboro, Ky. Williams, the last remaining Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, died Wednesday, June 29, 2022 He was 98. Williams' foundation announced on Twitter and Facebook that he died at the Veterans Affairs medical center bearing his name in Huntington. (Greg Eans/The Messenger-Inquirer via AP, File )

Last remaining WWII Medal of Honor recipient dies at 98