NAVY WILL NAME SHIP FOR WV'S IWO JIMA MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT

(01/09/2016)

The Navy is going to name a ship after the last living Medal of Honor recipient from the Battle of Iwo Jima, a victory that proved to be a turning point in World War II. The Navy will officially announce its plans to honor Hershel "Woody" Williams at a Jan. 14 ceremony in Charleston, W. Va. Williams, 91, from the West Virginia's Cabell County, was presented with the valor award for clearing a series of Japanese pill boxes with a flamethrower under heavy fire during the bloody 1945 battle that claimed the lives of more than 6,800 U.S. service members and wounded another 19,000. He then refused evacuation despite shrapnel wounds. The battle was immortalized in the iconic "flag-raising" photo by The Associated Press. READ REST OF STORY: Navy to name ship after Iwo Jima Medal of Honor recipient

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