James E. Williams


James Elliott "Willie" Williams was a Cherokee Indian and an honorary United States Navy chief boatswain's mate who was awarded the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War. Boatswain's Mate First Class Williams was one of 32 Native Americans to receive the medal and is considered to be the most decorated enlisted man in the history of the US Navy.

Personal life

Chief Williams was born in Fort Mill, South Carolina and moved two months later 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 1949, Williams married the former Elaine Weaver and they had five children and seven grandchildren.
In 1999, Williams died on the Navy's birthday, October 13, and was buried at the Florence National Cemetery in Florence, South Carolina.

Navy service

Williams enlisted in the United States Navy on August 8, 1947, at the age of 16, and 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. During those years, he served in both the Korean War and Vietnam War. On May 14, 1968, Williams was presented the Medal of Honor by President Lyndon B. Johnson during the dedication ceremony of the "Hall of Heroes" in the Pentagon. In 1977, he received the honorary title of chief boatswain's mate.
During the Korean War, Williams served aboard the destroyer from November 1950 to June 1952. He served off the coast of Korea where he was detached off the destroyer to take raiding parties into North Korea on small boats from March to June 1952.
Petty Officer Williams served aboard from June 1960 through April 1963, reenlisting aboard Little Rock in April 1962.
In Vietnam April 1966, with the enlisted rank of petty officer first class and the rating of boatswain's mate 1st class, Williams was assigned in May to the River Patrol Force, River Squadron Five, in command of River Patrol Boat 105. The force's mission was to intercept Viet Cong and People's Army of Vietnam arms shipments, supplies, and personnel on the waterways of South Vietnam's Mekong Delta and to keep innocent boat traffic on the river and canals safe.
On 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 repeatedly led the PBRs against concentrations of enemy junks and sampans. He also called for support from the heavily armed UH-1B Huey helicopters of HA-3. When that help arrived, he kicked off another attack in the failing light. As a result of the three-hour battle, the U.S. naval force killed 1,000 Viet Cong guerrillas, destroyed over fifty vessels, and disrupted a major enemy logistic operation. For his actions on that date he was awarded the Medal of Honor.

U.S. Marshals Service

After receiving an honorable discharge from the Navy, he worked for the Wackenhut Corporation. In 1969, he was appointed U. S. Marshal for the District of South Carolina, where he served until May 1977. He was then transferred to the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, Glynco, Georgia, as an instructor and National Armorer. He was called back to South Carolina in July 1979 under court appointment as U. S. Marshal for South Carolina and served in that position until April 1980. He was then transferred to U. S. Marshal Service Headquarters, Washington, D. C., as Programs Manager, Health and Safety and In-District Training Officer where he served until his retirement from the U. S. Marshals Service with the grade of GS-1811-15.

Military awards

Williams' decorations and awards include:


|S| Lyndon B. Johnson

Navy Cross citation

Citation:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Boatswain's Mate First Class James Elliott Williams, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism on 15 January 1967 while serving with River Section 531, River Squadron FIVE, Task Force 116, and friendly foreign forces during combat operations against communist insurgent forces on the Mekong River in the Republic of Vietnam. As Patrol Officer of a combat River Patrol Boat patrol, Petty Officer Williams interdicted a major enemy supply movement across the Nam Thon branch of the Mekong River. He directed his units to the suspected crossing area, and was immediately taken under intense hostile fire from fortified positions and from along the river banks. After coordinating Vietnamese artillery support and U. S. Air Force air strikes, Petty Officer Williams courageously led his three PBR's back into the hazardous river to investigate and destroy the enemy sampans and supplies. Blistering fire was again unleashed upon his forces. Frequently exposing himself to enemy fire, he directed his units in silencing several automatic-weapons positions, and directed one PBR to investigate several sampans which could be seen, while the other PBR's provided cover fire. Almost immediately, the enemy renewed their fire in an effort to force the PBR's away from the sampans. Petty Officer Williams ordered the destruction of the sampan and the extraction of all his units. During the fierce firefight following the temporary immobilization of one of the units, Petty Officer Williams was wounded. Despite his painful injuries, he was able to lead his patrol back through the heavy enemy fire. His patrol had successfully interdicted a crossing attempt of three heavy-weapons companies totaling nearly four hundred men, had accounted for sixteen enemy killed in action, twenty wounded, the destruction of nine enemy sampans and junks, seven enemy structures, and 2400 pounds of enemy rice. By his outstanding display of decisive leadership, his unlimited courage in the face of heavy enemy fire, and his utmost devotion to duty, Petty Officer Williams upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

Other honors