Hershel 'Woody' Williams will honor veterans at 2015 2nd Chance Concert

March 01--BLUEFIELD -- The image of five Marines and one Navy Corpsman raising an American flag on Mount Suribachi 70 years ago continues to stand as one of the most enduring images of World War II.

Fairmont native, Hershel "Woody" Williams, was on Iwo Jima when the flag was raised, but he didn't see the flag go up. At the time, he was busy doing his job ... carrying a 70-pound flame-thrower on his back and eliminating one heavily-fortified enemy position after another ... protecting his fellow Marines and saving lives.

Cpl. Williams, now 91, landed on Iwo Jima on Feb. 21, 1945, after serving in the Battle of Guadalcanal in January 1944, and at Guam. Protected by a four-member Marine rifle team, Williams worked to clear out the network of concrete positions one pillbox at a time. He returned to his own lines to get more flame-throwers and explosives, then returned to the fray time and time again.

Williams fought that fight for 12 more days, was wounded on March 6, but survived to remain on the island through the length of the five-week-long battle. He was awarded the Purple Heart for his wounds, and on Oct. 5, 1945, President Harry S. Truman presented the Medal of Honor to Williams during a ceremony at the White House.

Twenty-seven U.S. military personnel were awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions at Iwo Jima. Of that number, 14, were presented posthumously. U.S. Marines received 22 of the 27 Medals of Honor that were awarded, and five were presented to U.S. Navy sailors including four to corpsmen. Williams is the last survivor of the 22 Marines who were awarded a Medal of Honor for their service at Iwo Jima, and on June 20, he will be coming to Bluefield'sMitchell Stadium to recognize veterans during the 5th Annual Second Chance Rocks the two Virginias concert.

"I've been fortunate enough to have gotten to know Woody pretty well," Mark Stowers, who has worked to promote veteran's causes with Second Chance Learning Center director Erik Robinson since the concerts originated. "Woody is the most humble, down-to-earth person I've ever known. When he speaks, he talks about the three-letter word 'Why.' He wonders why he survived the battle when so many others did not.

"He is just a wealth of knowledge," Stowers said. "Woody talks about the sacrifices that the men he served with made that kept him alive. He established the Hershel Woody Williams Medal of Honor Foundation to carry out his vision of recognizing and honoring Gold Star Families all around the country." Stowers explained that a Gold Star Family is a family that has lost a loved one in service to the country in the armed services. He wants to establish at least one Gold Star Family Memorial Monument in every state, Stowers said.

"We have always given away a ton of tickets to veterans and their families," Erik Robinson said. "Veterans have always been an important part of what we do. Every year, putting this concert together is like putting together the pieces of a puzzle. Getting Lynyrd Skynyrd was one piece of the puzzle, and learning that Woody Williams will be with us is another very big piece of the puzzle.

"Every year but one, we had the number one song in the nation here at our concert, and the year we didn't, a song hit number one a couple of weeks later," Robinson said. "So many people help make this concert possible. All of my staff, everyone who helps with Mitchell Stadium, Mike Watson and the town of Bluefield, Tom Cole has always been a part of it, the Comptons at Fincastle on the Mountain, the city of Bluefield and all its employees, Ron Martin and Grant's, the Bluefield Rescue Squad the Recreation Department and so many more help make it happen."

Robinson said that tickets go on sale and can be purchased at TicketMaster, at all Grant's Supermarket locations, at Paper and More and the Greater Bluefield Chamber of Commerce.

-- Contact Bill Archer at barcher@bdtonline.com

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