In the history of the United States Navy, only seven men have earned all of the big three valor awards: Medal of Honor, Navy Cross, and Silver Star. Six were World War II officers, including one aviator. The seventh was James Elliott “Willy” Williams – considered the most decorated enlisted man in the history of the Navy.
Williams, a Cherokee Indian, was born November 13, 1930, in Fort Mill, South Carolina. Two months later he moved with his parents to Darlington, South Carolina where he spent his early childhood and youth. He attended the local schools and graduated from St. John’s High School.
In August 1947, at the age of 16, Williams enlisted in the United States Navy with a fraudulent birth certificate. He completed basic training at Naval Training Center San Diego. He served for almost twenty years, retiring on April 26, 1967, as a Boatswain’s Mate First Class (BM1). During those years, he served in both the Korean War and Vietnam War.
During the Korean War, he was stationed aboard the Destroyer USS Douglas H Fox (DD-779) from November 1950 to June 1952. He was detached off the Destroyer and operated off the coast of Korea by taking raiding parties into North Korea on small boats. From 1953 to 1965 he served tours on a variety of naval vessels.
In 1966, with only a year before he was to retire from the Navy, the burly man, 5-foot-8 and 210 pounds Williams volunteered for combat duty in Vietnam.
Williams arrived in Vietnam in April 1966 as a BM1. He was assigned in May to the River Patrol Force, River Squadron Five, in command of River Patrol Boat 105 (PBR-105). The force’s mission was to intercept Viet Cong and North Vietnamese arms shipments, supplies, and personnel on the waterways of South Vietnam’s swampy Mekong Delta and to keep innocent boat traffic on the river and canals safe.
On July 1, 1966, Williams led a patrol that came under fire from the Vietcong sampan. His deft maneuvers and accurate fire killed five VC and resulted in the capture of the enemy boat, earning Williams a Bronze Star Medal with a V for Valor. Twenty-two days later his crew captured another sampan, earning Williams a second Bronze Star Medal for Valor.
Less than a month later, he received his Silver Star and the first of three Purple Hearts he would eventually receive.
On the night of October 31, 1966, Williams was commanding PBR 105 alongside another PBR searching for Viet Cong guerrillas operating in an isolated area of the Mekong Delta. Suddenly, Viet Cong manning two sampans opened fire on the Americans. While Williams and his men neutralized one sampan, the other one escaped into a nearby canal. The PBRs gave chase and soon found themselves in a beehive of enemy activity as the VC opened fire on them with rocket-propelled grenades and small arms from fortified river bank positions.
Williams, who knew the area well from months of patrols, directed his two boats in a high-speed detour to a spot he knew the fleeing sampan would eventually emerge. Both threaded an alternative channel too narrow for the boats to reverse course. At nearly 35 knots they roared up the twisting passage, the heavily jungled bank passing in a green blur. Then as they rounded a bend to an area of more open water, to the surprise of all aboard, they stumbled into a major staging area for the North Vietnamese Army. Thirty to forty sampans were crossing the channel, each loaded to the gunwales with NVA troops and supplies.
The enemy was equally surprised and sprang to their guns. Along the shore, the familiar “thonk” of mortars could be heard. Williams had no choice but to gun his engines straight at the enemy! Tracers streaked across the water. Williams ran his boat directly at several sampans, splitting them in half under the sharp bow of his rocketing speedboat. The PBR’s twisted and jinked blazed their weapons and spilled hundreds of dead and dying NVA troops into the water. The speed and maneuverability of the Americans kept them ahead of the enemy return fire. They blasted through the enemy formation and back into the narrow channel beyond.
Momentarily safe, the PBR’s sped onward. Williams called in heavily armed UH-1B Huey helicopters from the Navy Helicopter Attack (Light) Squadron 3 “Seawolves” for air support, but as his speedboats rounded another bend they found themselves smack in the middle of a second staging area as big as the first. Again, the narrow channel determined their fate, and both PBR’s sped boldly at the enemy. For a second time, their machine guns blazed and splinters flew from enemy sampans and NVA soldiers spilled into the water. And for a second time, the two American gunboats sliced through the enemy, blasting and ramming as they went. Secondary explosions from several of the larger junks confirmed Williams’ suspicion that they were ammunition and supply vessels.
Despite three hours of intense combat, Williams’ crew received only two casualties–one gunner was shot through the wrist, and Williams himself was wounded by shrapnel. For his conspicuous bravery above and beyond the call of duty he was put in for the Medal of Honor – which he received from President Lyndon B. Johnson on May 14, 1968, during the dedication ceremony of the Pentagon’s “Hall of Heroes.”
On January 9, 1967, the Navy dredge Jamaica Bay was blown up by mines and PVR-105 arrived to pick up seven of the survivors. Another man was wrapped in the rapidly sinking dredge. Williams dove into the water and, with a rope attached to a nearby tree, pulled clear and obstruction, then swam through a hatch to recover the Sailor. For this, he was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal.
Six days later Williams was wounded while leading a three-boat patrol that interdicted a crossing attempt by three VC heavy weapons companies and 400 fighters. He and his boat accounted for 16 VC killed, 20 wounded in the destruction of nine sampans and junks. Williams was awarded the Navy Cross and his third Purple Heart.
Williams transferred to the Fleet Reserve in April 1967 and returned to his native South Carolina with a list of awards unmatched by any enlisted man in Navy history. His awards included the Medal of Honor, the Navy Cross, two Silver Stars and the Legion of Merit, three Bronze Stars, and the Navy Commendation Medal. He also received three Purple Hearts and was twice awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for rescue operations under fire.
He retired after 20 years of service and was appointed in 1969 by President Richard M. Nixon as a United States Marshal, serving more than a decade in the Marshals Service. His initial assignment was U.S. Marshal for the District of South Carolina where he served until May 1977. He then transferred to Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia as an instructor and National Armorer. He was called back to South Carolina in July 1979 to resume his appointment as U.S. Marshal and functioned in that position until April 1980. His next assignment was with the U.S. Marshal service Headquarters, Washington, D.C. as Program Manager, Health and Safety and In-District Training Officer where he performed his assigned duties until his retirement from the U.S. Marshal Service.
In the fall of 1999, he was in Florence, South Carolina where he suffered a heart attack and died on the Navy’s birthday, October 13th. He was buried with full military honors at the Florence National Cemetery in Florence, South Carolina. The procession of dignitaries at his funeral included seven Medal of Honor recipients and state and national legislators.
In addition to his wife Elaine, he was survived by three sons, James Jr., of Darlington, S.C.; Steven, of Dorchester, S.C., and Charles, of Charlotte, N.C.; two daughters, Debbie Clark of Palm Coast and Gail Patterson of Florence, and seven grandchildren.
Navy Guided Missile Destroyer USS James E. Williams (DDG-95) was named and christened in his honor on June 28, 2003, at Pascagoula, Mississippi. His widow Elaine was present at the ceremony.
Thank you, Brother – RIP !!!
This article originally appeared in the July 2017 edition (minus several photos that I added) of “Dispatches” – a monthly newsletter for the group, “Together We Served” of which I am a member. I’ve included the general website address for this group: https://togetherweserved.com/ Take a look around and join-up – it’s free!
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Amazing heroism and a superb description by the author!
Great job, what a hero that I’d never heard of before.
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Amazing heroism and a superb description by the author!
Great job, what a hero that I’d never heard of before.
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Great story of a true American Hero. RIP James Elliot Williams, you served your Country well.
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WOW! What a man. What a story. Chief Williams, I am in awe of you. You were and still are an true American hero. God’s speed and may you rest in peace.
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God Bless this man and what he did to protect our country.
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This soldier is a true AMERICAN hero!!! May GOD bless him & his family!!
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Love it. Great job. Anything about Col. David Hackworth, decesed US Army? Another US highly decorated army hero buried at Allington. Erwin Cheldin, erkie@roadrunner.com
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OUTSTANDING! WALT CLAMPFFER RD 3 USS D.H. FOX 55-57.
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written very well. Thanks for sharing information most don’t hear.
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Is a real hero. Fast like a soldier and principal like a indian. All indian nation have to be prowd of him. Like a veteran from war in Africa ,Bosnië and Afghanistan. Him story tache me deep in a hart. Long live for the INDIAN. Legio patria nostra.
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Reblogged this on joekiddone's wordpress blog… and commented:
James Elliott “Willy” Williams, a #KoreanWar and #VietnamWar Combat #Veteran…
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I think the article is great but I was always wondering why the Navy is very seldom ever mention. Sometimes I think we ( the Navy ) didn’t do much. I know out of 4 yrs I spent 3 of them in and out of Vietnam water. Blue and Brown. I just wish I could hear something that would make me feel like I did my part. I was on the USS Gunston Hall LSD-5
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In the early ’70s, my company commander in boot camp was a BM1 who had come from the Swifties in Viet Nam. He never talked about himself but I once saw the scars from an injury. He rode us hard and we learned well.
I served on a flat-top out of Norfolk and never went to combat. After Saigon fell, I thought our nation betrayed the servicemen who fought and those of us who didn’t felt even worse that we couldn’t help.
Here’s what I gained from this story. That a man from someplace most folks never knew existed, did a hero’s job that remained hidden from my view for forty years. But now I know and I am grateful and my heart grew for knowing about BM1 Williams.
Even though he was a Medal of Honor recipient, who served just before I joined, I had not heard of him. Nobody in my Navy ever said, “squid, you should be more like Bos’n Williams.” And nobody on my ship even tried.
Of the more than 3,500 Medal of Honor recipients, there have only been 749 from the Navy. At the time BM1 Williams received his, there were probably many fewer. This makes his accomplishment stand out among all sailors. I’m glad they named the USS Williams after him. I’m sure the sailors serving on her are proud and his memory lives there.
Fair winds and following seas, Petty Officer Williams.
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Hi John,
Brother, you keep plugging along with one great story after another. You bring homage to the Veterans and in this case a real deserving hero. Thanks for sharing a terrific post.
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Great, great articles, was in the delta at the same time on the BenewahAPB-35
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Amazing story, in so many ways.
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As a female and hopefully will become a first time author of my story about my journey home from losing my fiancé in Vietnam in 1968 what I found most inspiring about this story ( this true story ) of this hero is very simple for me to define. When inspired me the most about this Navy hero,is the fact that he was Indian an American Indian. So many of our American Indians who fought in wars were never recognized nor given citizenship after fighting many major wars one of which being Vietnam. This story is the exception to the rule because they overlooked the fact that he was born a American I Indian and instead saw him for the Warrior he was. Not only in Vietnam but a other wars going back to the Civil War, this was not the case. The one thing that separates Vietnam from all wars our country has been involved in is the fact that they have such a strong brotherhood. This is strictly my opinion because I was taught as a child not only not to see color but also not to judge a person by his race or what religion they desired to believe in. If my book becomes a success you’ll see that I lived for just one year in Escanaba, Michigan. Unfortunately I had signed the lease thinking I was moving to Mackinac Island but instead found myself about 200 miles from where I had thought I had signed the lease to this beautiful apartment complex. The name of my county when I went to change my drivers license was the Hiawatha forest. This was my first introduction to the American Indian and person and was surrounded by many reservations. They still practice like they did from decades ago with there Tribal rules. The American Indian owned this nation Well before white men and women migrated here from other countries. Then, many were forced to move to other parts where they were told to go in our country.Many many suffered through the trail of tears to other parts of our country. I guess the point I’m trying to make it some survived by thousands didn’t. Again this brings me back to Vietnam and when we got involved. The American Indian was very accepted into a brotherhood of all races ,colors ,and creeds. This is why I know the man I was supposed to marry is behind that big wall in DC with the best brotherhood that I can think of, a generation of Veterans that served proudly in Vietnam especially during the early sixties when we had so many draft dogers who left our country because I didn’t believe in that war which is yet to be declared an actual War! In my mind and in my heart and I taught my grandchildren and my children that it was a War when I would ask them what are you learning in school now that you’re in middle school about Vietnam and their response would be nothing Nana what is Vietnam? All five of my grandchildren now know with the exception of my youngest grandson who is autistic and can’t understand what Nana is trying to tell him but he tries so hard. Again this is just a woman’s opinion of what Vietnam was and how I taught my children and my grandchildren to remember someone I love very much when I met him my sophomore year and he was a senior when he was drafted while in college like so many other college students and young interns because they need a doctor so badly. I could go on and on but I won’t. This story really really inspired me since I’ve lived with the American Indian in Escanaba and absolutely loved the way they still live today with their own tribal laws. Very sincerely, Cheryl Markovich 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
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Thanks for the commentary! Good luck on your book! I hope you sell a million!
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Well Done Sir! RIP
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Wow what a story of courage
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