| James Elliott Williams | |
| Nickname: | "Willie" |
| Birth Date: | 13 June 1930 |
| Birth Place: | Fort Mill, South Carolina, US |
| Death Place: | Florence, South Carolina, US |
| Placeofburial: | Florence National Cemetery |
| Allegiance: | United States |
| Branch: | United States Navy |
| Serviceyears: | 1947–1967 |
| Rank: | Honorary chief boatswain's mate |
| Unit: | River Squadron Five |
| Battles: | Korean War Vietnam War |
| Awards: | Medal of Honor Navy Cross Silver Star (2) Legion of Merit Navy and Marine Corps Medal (2) Bronze Star Medal (3) Purple Heart (3) Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (2) |
| Laterwork: | U.S. Marshal |
James Elliott Williams (June 13, 1930 – October 13, 1999) was an American law enforcement officer and 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 United States Navy.[1] Williams completed his career as the United States Marshal for South Carolina.
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. He claims to be of Cherokee descent.[2]
Williams enlisted in the United States Navy on August 8, 1947, at the age of 17, 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.[3] In 1977, he received the honorary title of chief boatswain's mate.[4]
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.[5]
Petty Officer Williams served aboard from June 1960 through April 1963, reenlisting aboard Little Rock in April 1962.[6]
In April 1966, with the enlisted rank of petty officer first class and the rating of boatswain's mate 1st class (BM1), Williams was assigned in May to the River Patrol Force, River Squadron Five, in command of River Patrol Boat 105 (PBR-105).[7] 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.[8]
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 two heavily armed UH-1B Huey helicopters of HA(L)-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.
After retiring from the navy in April 1967,[9] Williams 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. Marshals 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.
In 1949, Williams married the former Elaine Weaver and they had five children (daughter, Debbie, sons, James E. "Jr.", Stephen Michael, Charles E., and daughter, Gail) and seven grandchildren.
Williams died on October 13, 1999; he was buried at the Florence National Cemetery in Florence, South Carolina.[10]
Williams' decorations and awards include:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Boatswain's Mate First Class James Elliott Williams (NSN: 9908934), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action on 22 August 1966, in connection with operations against the Viet Cong while serving as Patrol Officer for River Patrol Boats (PBR's) 101 and 105, on the Mekong River in the Republic of Vietnam. During the early evening hours, Petty Officer Williams' patrol came under heavy enemy fire on four occasions from nearly one hundred Viet Cong gun emplacements on both banks of the river. He courageously directed suppressive fire against the enemy and neutralized a number of the automatic-weapons emplacements. During the height of the battle, Petty Officer Williams detected and intercepted a motorized sampan with two, high-ranking Viet Cong passengers. He directed PBR 101 to cover his south flank, while PBR 105 engaged the north bank and he salvaged the contents of the sampan. Although wounded in the face during the salvage operation, he courageously continued in complete command, directing suppressive fire while withdrawing with the sampan from the kill zone. Petty Officer Williams' aggressiveness and calmness under fire were an inspiration to all in his patrol. His determination and daring, despite overwhelming enemy fire, directly resulted in the capture of thirty-one Viet Cong top secret, twelve secret, and fifty-eight confidential documents. By his initiative and courageous actions, Petty Officer Williams upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.[11]
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal to Boatswain's Mate First Class James Elliott Williams (NSN: 9908934), United States Navy, for heroism at the risk of life not involving conflict with an armed enemy on 9 January 1967, while serving with River Patrol Section 531 and friendly foreign forces on the Mekong River in the Republic of Vietnam. As the Patrol Officer and Boat Captain of River Patrol Boat (PBR) 105 on combat patrol near My Tho when the dredge JAMAICA BAY was mined, Petty Officer Williams immediately directed his boat toward the rapidly sinking dredge and supervised his crew members in picking up two survivors from the dredge and five exhausted survivors attempting to swim in the rapidly ebbing tide current. After administering first aid, Petty Officer Williams maneuvered his boat to the sinking dredge where a metallic tapping was heard coming from within the hull. Fully aware of the dangers involved, he unhesitatingly plunged into the dark, debris-clogged river to effect the rescue of the trapped man. The man was guided to a hatch sixty feet away and four feet beneath the waterline where Petty Officer Williams repeatedly dived under the water to clear the hatch which was blocked by two pipes firmly wedged into place. Upon learning that little air remained in the heavily listing dredge, Petty Officer Williams called for a line and bent it around the pipes so that a tug could pull the obstructions free. He quickly swam through the hatch with his crewmember, located the victim, and pulled him back through the hatch to the surface, thus saving the man's life. Petty Officer Williams' courageous, competent, and efficient actions and forceful leadership in directing the rescue effort, and in particular, in effecting the rescue of an elderly man trapped within the sinking dredge, at great risk to his own life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.[12]
