Born October 2, 1923, in Quiet Dell, West Virginia, Hershel Woodrow “Woody” Williams grew up on a dairy farm as the youngest of eleven children. From an early age, he developed a strong work ethic and a deep sense of responsibility that would define his later military service. At 18, he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps and soon after enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1943, determined to serve his country despite being initially rejected because of his height.
Williams’ defining moment came during the Battle of Iwo Jima on February 23, 1945. Armed with a flamethrower, he single-handedly assaulted seven enemy pillboxes over four grueling hours, clearing the way for his company to advance. His extraordinary courage under fire earned him the Medal of Honor, which he received from President Harry S. Truman later that year, making him one of World War II’s most celebrated Marines.
After the war, Williams dedicated his life to helping fellow veterans, serving for 33 years as a veterans service representative for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. He also co-founded the Woody Williams Foundation, honoring Gold Star families and preserving the legacy of American military service.
Williams passed away on June 29, 2022, at the age of 98 at the Hershel “Woody” Williams Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Huntington, West Virginia. As the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, his life remains a lasting testament to bravery, selflessness, and devotion to country.

Born February 7, 1919, in Lynchburg, Virginia, Desmond Thomas Doss was shaped by a stern faith and a simple rule: he would not take a life. Quiet, steady, and stubbornly principled, he answered his country’s call in World War II not with a rifle but with a medic’s kit — determined to heal rather than harm.
Assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 307th Infantry, 77th Division, Doss saw combat at Guam and Leyte, but it was on the jagged slope of Okinawa — later named Hacksaw Ridge — that his courage became legend. Under relentless artillery and machine-gun fire, often nursing his own wounds, he crawled into open ground again and again to drag, carry, or lower wounded men to safety. Time after time he turned back for “one more” soldier; by most accounts he saved roughly seventy-five comrades. That calm, prayerful bravery stunned commanders and comrades alike and earned him the Medal of Honor in 1945.
After the war he returned to a modest life of faith, accepting honors without spectacle; his story later inspired books and the 2016 film Hacksaw Ridge, bringing his example of unarmed heroism to new generations. He passed away on March 23, 2006, at his home in Piedmont, Alabama, and was buried with full military honors.

Born November 4, 1916, in Buffalo, New York, John Basilone grew up in a spirited Italian-American household before moving with his family to Raritan, New Jersey. From a young age, he showed courage, determination, and skill with machines, traits that would later define him as a Marine. After a brief stint in the Army, he enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1940, seeking both adventure and the chance to serve his country. Known for his calm under fire, precise marksmanship, and leadership, Basilone quickly earned the respect of his fellow Marines.
His defining moment came during the battle for Henderson Field on Guadalcanal in October 1942. Facing waves of Japanese attackers, he manned machine guns, repaired defenses under fire, and led exhausted Marines to repel repeated assaults. His heroism earned him the Medal of Honor and nationwide recognition. Returning home, he toured the country promoting War Bonds but soon requested to return to combat.
Basilone joined the 5th Marine Division and landed on Iwo Jima on February 19, 1945. In the first hours, he charged ahead to neutralize enemy positions, exposing himself to relentless fire. Killed in action that day, he was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross, becoming the only enlisted Marine in World War II to receive both the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross. His life remains a symbol of courage, leadership, and selfless service.

Born on June 20, 1925, near the small town of Kingston, Texas, Audie Leon Murphy grew up in poverty as the son of a sharecropper, dreaming of something greater than the hard rural life that surrounded him. When World War II broke out, that dream turned into a calling. Enlisting in the U.S. Army at just seventeen, Murphy quickly proved himself to be one of the most courageous and resourceful soldiers on the battlefield.
Fighting with the 3rd Infantry Division across North Africa, Italy, and France, he earned nearly every medal for valor that the United States could bestow. His most legendary act of heroism came on January 26, 1945, near Holtzwihr, France, when—wounded and outnumbered—he climbed onto a burning tank destroyer and single-handedly held off waves of German troops. For this extraordinary bravery, he received the Medal of Honor and became a symbol of American courage.
When the war ended, Murphy brought his story home. His memoir, To Hell and Back, became a bestseller, and he later starred as himself in its 1955 film adaptation. Transitioning to Hollywood, he appeared in over forty movies, balancing fame with the quiet struggles of a veteran.
Audie Murphy’s life ended tragically on May 28, 1971, in a plane crash near Roanoke, Virginia — but his legacy as America’s most decorated

Born May 29, 1917, in Garner, Texas, Jack Llewellyn Knight grew up in a family that valued service and duty. After graduating from Weatherford Junior College in 1938, he enlisted in the Texas National Guard with his brothers. His unit, the 124th Cavalry Regiment, trained across Texas and Louisiana before deploying overseas in 1944 as part of the Mars Task Force, tasked with clearing Japanese forces from northern Burma and reopening the Burma Road to China.
On February 2, 1945, near Loi-Kang, Burma, First Lieutenant Knight led his cavalry troop against heavy enemy fire. After securing their initial objective, he spotted Japanese pillboxes and foxholes to the right front. Preceding his men, he attacked alone, destroying two pillboxes and killing the occupants of several foxholes. While attempting a third, he was blinded by a grenade but continued to rally and lead his platoon until he was mortally wounded. His bravery and leadership directly contributed to the success of the mission and inspired all who fought with him.
For his extraordinary courage, Knight was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on June 25, 1945. He was laid to rest in Holders Chapel Cemetery in Cool, Texas, near his hometown. First Lieutenant Jack L. Knight’s life and sacrifice remain a lasting symbol of selflessness, leadership, and heroism in the face of overwhelming danger.