State Funeral for World War II Veterans Announces “Mission Finalized” State Funeral for Last Medal of Honor on July 14

Hershel “Woody” Williams, U.S.M.C
MOH Recipient World War II
Services in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capital
and at World War II Memorial on July 14, 2022

WASHINGTON, DC, USA, July 12, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — State Funeral for World War II Veterans, organized in all 50 States, is pleased to announce it has accomplished its five year long mission of obtaining a National Funeral in Washington, DC for the Last Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, Hershel “Woody” Williams, Iwo Jima 1945.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, House Minority Leader, Kevin McCarthy, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, and other Members of the Congressional leadership will participate in the service in the Rotunda of the United States Capital, at 11:00am on Thursday July 14, 2022. After lying in honor in the Rotunda for 5.5 hours, a horse drawn caisson will move the coffin of the 98 year old West Virginia native through the streets of our Nation’s Capital to the National World War II Memorial, where a second service will take place at 4pm EST. The public is encouraged to attend.

“Of the 16 million men and women who served in World War II, 473 men received the Congressional Medal of Honor. “ said Vietnam Medal of Honor holder James C. McCloughan, a member of the National Board. “Our State Chairman in all 50 states and Mr. Bill McNutt, our Chairman, believe that the last Medal of Honor (MOH) holder’s funeral from WWII should be on a scale befitting his position in history. And now our dream has come true.” Mr. McCloughan will sing the National Anthem at the service at the World War II Monument at 4pm

On Labor Day of 2017, State Funeral for World War II Veterans launched a nationwide petition drive to convince the Congress and the President to designate a state funeral in Washington D.C. for the last surviving Congressional Medal of Honor recipient from World War II. “The services on July 14 will provide special recognition and serve as a final salute to the 16 million men and women who served in our armed forces from 1941 to 1945, “ said Ron Ramseyer, one of the founding national board members.

The impetus for this national movement came from, then 10-year-old public school student Rabel McNutt of Dallas, Texas and her father Lee William “Bill” McNutt. Rabel was preparing to attend the funeral of her Godfather Walter Ehlers when she originated the idea. Mr. Ehlers received the Medal of Honor fighting the Germans in the hedgerows of Normandy in June of 1944.

Quickly the idea became a national cause with volunteer efforts conducted in all 50 states. The results were 16 State Legislatures that passed resolutions, 15 Congressional Delegations that wrote letters of support, 11 state Governors who wrote to the White House, the American Legion which unanimously supported us at their 100th convention, the backing from the Military Order of the Purple Heart, the Marine Corps League, the National World War II Museum, the Nation Medal of Honor Museum, and so many other patriotic groups that contacted their Washington representatives and state governors.

“No enlisted man has ever lain in State / Honor under the dome of our nation’s capital in Washington, DC,” said Texas State Chairwomen Susana McNutt. “This was the cornerstone of our effort at State Funeral for World War II Veterans. This oversight will be corrected on July 14, 2022, when Woody Williams’s coffin is brought into the Capitol’s rotunda.“

Today, 35 million American families claim a parent, grandparent, or close family member among those who defeated Nazism, Imperialism, and Fascism to give us the world we enjoy today.

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About State Funeral for World War II Veterans
State Funeral for World War II Veterans exists to convince the President of the United States to designate a single state funeral for the last Medal of Honor holder from World War II, as a final salute to the 16 million men and women of the Greatest Generation who served in our armed forces from 1941 to 1945. For more information on how to join us in this mission please visit www.worldwar2salute.org.

David Oates
State Funeral for World War II Veterans
+1 858-750-5560
email us here