[2] Williams, the youngest of eleven children, was born in Quiet Dell in Marion County, West Virginia,[1] southeast of Fairmont, on October 2, 1923, and raised on a dairy farm in the area.

After the height regulations were changed in early 1943, he successfully enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve in Charleston, West Virginia, on May 26.

In October, he rejoined Company C.[9][11] Williams' next and final campaign was at the Battle of Iwo Jima, where he distinguished himself with actions "above and beyond the call of duty", for which he would be awarded the Medal of Honor.

Williams, by then a corporal, distinguished himself two days later when American tanks, trying to open a lane for the infantry, encountered a network of reinforced concrete pillboxes.

[9] Pinned down by machine-gun fire, his company commander asked one of his men to attach a high explosive charge to a pole and, supported by Williams, his flamethrower and several Marine riflemen, shoved the improvised weapon into an opening in the enemy's pillbox.

[6][9][10][12] Covered by only four riflemen, he fought for four hours under intense enemy small-arms fire and repeatedly returned to his own lines to prepare demolition charges and obtain serviced flame throwers.

[9] At one point, a wisp of smoke alerted him to the air vent of a Japanese bunker, and he approached close enough to put the nozzle of his flamethrower through the hole, fire and kill the occupants.

[10] On another occasion, he was charged by enemy riflemen who attempted to stop him with bayonets; he fired at them with a burst of flame from his weapon and in a PBS America documentary "The Seabees on Iwo Jima" recounted how "It took all the oxygen from them..." which killed them.

Quick to volunteer his services when our tanks were maneuvering vainly to open a lane for the infantry through the network of reinforced concrete pillboxes, buried mines and black, volcanic sands, Corporal Williams daringly went forward alone to attempt the reduction of devastating machine-gun fire from the unyielding positions.

Covered only by four riflemen, he fought desperately for four hours under terrific enemy small-arms fire and repeatedly returned to his own lines to prepare demolition charges and obtain serviced flame throwers, struggling back, frequently to the rear of hostile emplacements, to wipe out one position after another.

His unyielding determination and extraordinary heroism in the face of ruthless enemy resistance were directly instrumental in neutralizing one of the most fanatically defended Japanese strong points encountered by his regiment and aided in enabling his company to reach its' [sic] objective.

Corporal Williams' aggressive fighting spirit and valiant devotion to duty throughout this fiercely contested action sustain and enhance the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

[10] In a 2020 Washington Post interview remembering the 75th anniversary of the Iwo Jima battle, he credited his religious awakening with ending his nightmares and transforming his life.

[6]In 2021, Woody Williams attended his great-grandson Cedar Ross's graduation from Boot Camp in the United States Marine Corps.

He received the 2014 Founder's Award for extraordinary contributions to the mission of the Pritzker Military Museum & Library and the preservation of the heritage of the Citizen Soldier.

In his hometown of Fairmont, West Virginia, the 32 million dollar Hershel “Woody” Williams Armed Forces Reserve Center is the only National Guard facility in the country named after a Marine.

Named in his honor: This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.