State Funeral for Deceased USMC Medal of Honor Recipient Woody Williams?
Bryan Mark Rigg
President at RIGG Wealth Management/ Historian of World War II and Holocaust Books
Since I am the only biographer of the Marine Corps veteran Woody Williams featured in my book “Flamethrower,” many have asked me the past few days whether or not I support the American Legion’s push to have a state funeral for Woody.?Since Woody was the last Medal of Honor recipient from World War II to die passing away at the age of 98 this past week on the 29th of June, many feel that having such an honor represents what a grateful nation should do in order to display to all those WWII veterans the appreciation they all so richly deserve.?These men and women fought bravely against Hitler’s Nazi Germany and Hirohito’s fascist Japan, and in the end, helped, along with our Allies, to defeat these monstrous regimes.?They did all this while enduring incredible hardships and sacrifices, often witnessing their buddies dying next to them, in protracted warfare. Although there was some controversy about the process of how Woody received his Medal of Honor, there is no doubt that Woody fought bravely in the liberation of the American island of Guam (1944) and the defeat and occupation of the important airbase of the Japanese island of Iwo Jima (1945)—the first piece of Japanese-homeland real-estate America took in WWII.?In short, Woody helped his brother Leathernecks in the 3d Marine Division defeat the Japanese and win two important battles in the Pacific War.?Moreover, he has done a lot of good after World War II once he became a public figure when President Truman awarded him the Medal of Honor in October 1945; most recently, setting up numerous monuments to honor Gold Star Families (these families have lost a relative in the fight for freedom—something to remember this 4th of July).?Giving a state funeral to Woody would be a good faith effort to once again show the appreciation our nation should have for those men and women who served during World War II (16.3 million in total).?If President Biden approves of this funeral (which he should), it will be the first time an enlisted man from a war will be so honored. In the next few weeks, I do hope we see Woody in his casket sitting in honor in the Capitol’s rotunda for not only what Woody did while serving this nation, but also, for all those who served honorably during World War II.???For more information about Woody Williams and the Pacific War, see: Flamethrower: Iwo Jima Medal of Honor Recipient and U.S. Marine Woody Williams and His Controversial Award, Japan's Holocaust and the Pacific War: Bryan Mark Rigg: 9781734534108: Amazon.com: Books ?
Sales Executive
2 年Semper Fi Sir RIP E-4 76/79
This should be a matter of Congressional enactment for him and all future "final" MOH recipients who pass from us, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm (possible award upgrades to MoH in the works), war on terror, etc. An opportunity to remember their war, all the fallen of their conflict. This should not be some kind of fleeting emotional reaction but a carefully considered policy--if our Congress remains capable of such action?
President, Defense Consultants, Inc. Defense Technology Executive
2 年Agreed
Global Marketing Manager - Enterprise Imaging @ AGFA HealthCare | Customer Success, New Business Development
2 年As a son of a WWII vet, who has as many of them have, passed on, I think a state funeral would be a fitting salute to the Greatest Generation.