About a month ago, I had the privilege of interviewing Medal of Honor recipient Hershel “Woody” Williams about his experiences as a war veteran from West Virginia for the Voices of War documentary. Williams received his Medal of Honor for action on Iwo Jima during World War II. He took out seven Japanese pillboxes defending an airstrip. Four Marines were detailed to support and protect him as he used a flamethrower to destroy the enemy emplacements. Two of the Marines protecting him died doing their jobs. I found him to be a remarkable man and was awed by the visit.
Yesterday, I watched the ceremony as Staff Sergeant Clinton L. Romesha received his Medal of Honor, the latest recipient of the highest military honor this country bestows and only the fourth to receive the honor from the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I was struck by the similarity between what Sergeant Romesha said compared to Williams.
The following video is a short excerpt from the interview with Williams talking about the Medal of Honor.