Hershel “Woody” Williams was born on a dairy farm in 1923 in Quiet Dell, West Virginia. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and served in the Battle of Iwo Jima with the 21st Marines, 3d Marine Division. During the battle, Mr. Williams displayed “valiant devotion to duty” and service above self as he “enabled his company to reach its objective”. Mr. Williams’ actions, commitment to his fellow service members, and heroism were recognized on October 5, 1945, when he received the Congressional Medal of Honor from President Truman at the White House. Mr. Williams is the sole surviving Marine from WWII, to wear the Medal of Honor.

Medal of Honor Citation

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as demolition sergeant serving with the 21st Marines, 3d Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano

We’ve all seen them, the iconic and commanding images of a woman clad in anything but traditional, WWII period garb, rebelling by flexing her arm in resistance to the mechanical, German army and maybe even privately to American men, as well.  This celebrated image is of “Rosie the Riveter”, a stubborn symbol of the woman who can work to support herself, “her man” at war, and the rest of her family, too.

According to History.com, American women “entered the workforce in unprecedented numbers during World War II, as widespread male enlistment left gaping holes in the industrial labor force.”  From the perspective of women in the late thirties and early forties and from that of women today, perhaps the rise of the Germans served them positively.  Had they not had the chance to show the men in control that they really could “do it”, they would likely not have been given