The last remaining Medal of Honor recipient from World War II was honored at the U.S. Capitol on Thursday.
Hershel 'Woody' Williams was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Truman in 1945 for his heroics at the Battle of Iwo Jima. He died in late June at the age of 98.
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On Thursday, Williams lay in honor in the Capitol Rotunda - an honor that only six other private citizens have shared in U.S. history!
"Woody was a hero and an inspiration," Chris Cassidy, the president and CEO of the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation said. "His selfless service to his country, both in the U.S. Marine Corps and as an advocate for veterans and Gold Star Families, distinguished him as one of America's greatest. As the last living Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, his final act of service will be to Lie in Honor to recognize all who served in WWII, just as he wore the Medal of Honor to commemorate all those he fought alongside during the action that earned him the Medal. This tribute is reserved for only a few great Americans, and Hershel 'Woody' Williams is without a doubt one of them. He exemplified the legacy of the 'Greatest Generation' - a legacy of courage, sacrifice and service that has already inspired so many and will continue to inspire generations of Americans to come."