Medal of Honor recipient is Ona resident

HUNTINGTON —  The VA Medical Center in Huntington was officially renamed in honor of a local Medal of Honor recipient during a ceremony on Sunday.

At a ceremony attended by West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito and U.S. Reps. Alex Mooney and Evan Jenkins, the facility was named in honor of Hershel “Woody” Williams, 94, of Ona.

Williams, a retired U.S. Marine and Department of Veterans Affairs service officer, was described as “a long-time advocate for Veterans and their families, and presently, he supports Gold Star Families.”

Through U.S. House Resolution 3363, the Huntington VA Medical Center was officially renamed for West Virginia native and Medal of Honor recipient Hershel ‘Woody’ Williams. President Donald Trump signed H.R. 3663 June 15, 2018.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Huntington, WV is a fully accredited 80-bed acute medical and surgical care facility offering primary and subspecialty outpatient care, including rehabilitation and mental health services.

The center serves more than 30,000 veterans in a primary service area that includes 10 counties in West Virginia, two counties in southern Ohio, including Lawrence, and 12 counties in eastern Kentucky.

Williams, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his service at the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II, is an active public speaker who last appeared in Lawrence County in fall 2017, when he spoke to students of the Tri-State STEM+M Early College High School.