Congressman Ellzey, State Funeral for World War II Veterans present the American Flag from Funeral of Last MOH WW2 Man
In the 246-year history of our country, no enlisted man had ever lain in honor in our Capitol. On July 3, 2022, American history was changed for the better.
DALLAS, TEXAS, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, January 20, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ -- On January 18, 2023, Congressman Jake Ellzey joined The State Funeral for World War II Veterans Organization to present the American Flag from the Funeral of the last Medal of Honor holder from WWII, Hershel "Woody" Williams, to the National Medal of Honor Museum.
"It was a privilege to join Lee William "Bill" McNutt and his daughter Rabel Josephine McNutt in presenting the flag that flown over the Capitol to honor the life of Hershel "Woody" Williams." said Congressman Ellzey "In the 246-year history of our country, no enlisted man had ever lain in honor under the dome of our Capitol. But, on July 3, 2022, American history was changed for the better. Even in death, Woody served his county, for his funeral gave all Americans the opportunity to salute the 16 million men and women who served in our Armed Forces during the Second World War."
Chris Cassidy, a former U.S. Navy Seal, and Astronaut, and current President & CEO of the Medal of Honor Museum Foundation, said this about the addition of the flag to their collection.
“It’s important, as a nation, we make a special effort to preserve and share the lives, the heroism, and the values of Medal of Honor recipients,” “It’s an honor to receive this flag, but it’s our solemn obligation to keep the sacrifices of the ‘Greatest Generation’ and heroes like Hershel ‘Woody’ Williams fresh in the national memory.”
"26 of our 51 state chairman and national leaders traveled to Washington on July 14, 2022 for the historic funeral. There was not a dry eye in our delegation as Corporal Woody's flag-draped coffin was carried into the rotunda," said National Chair Bill McNutt.
Vietnam Medal of Honor recipient James McCloughan, a member of the National Board for State Funeral for War Veterans, said, "My friend Woody Williams had two services that day. One in the rotunda of the Capitol and another that afternoon attended by over 1,000 people at the National World War II Memorial. These two events served as a final salute to the 16 million men and women who served in the Armed Forces of the United States from 1941-1945."
The beautifully framed flag now resides at the National Medal of Honor Museum across the street from the Dallas Cowboys Stadium. The display includes a letter from Congressman Ellzey to Charlotte Jones, the Chairman of the Museum, and two military challenge coins. One from the USS Hershel "Woody" Williams ship and another from the State Funeral for World War II Veterans organization.
The idea for a State Funeral for the last Medal of Honor recipients from American wars came from an unlikely source, a Dallas Hockday school Texas student, Rabel McNutt. She was preparing to attend the funeral of her Godfather, Walt Ehlers. Ehlers had received his Medal of Honor fighting the Germans in Normandy, France following D-Day in 1944. Rabel and her father had watched military funerals on YouTube. Every Presidential Funeral has been a military funeral, since the President is the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces. Rabel turned to her father, Bill McNutt, and said, “They should do a big State Funeral in Washington D.C. for Uncle Ehlers' Medal of Honor friends.”
About State Funeral for War Veterans
Originally established as State Funeral for World War II Veterans, today the organization exits to convince Congress to pass legislation to designate a single state funeral for the last Medal of Honor holder from Korea and another for the last MOH recipient from Vietnam, as a final salute to the 3.5 million who served in Korea and the 2.6 million who served in Vietnam
The successful effort for State Funeral for World War II took 5 years and was driven by the organizations 50 State Chairs who achieved the following:
- 16 state legislatures passed our resolution to encourage the final MOH recipient from WWII to have a national funeral at the Capitol in Washington, D.C.
- 15 state Congressional Delegation letters of support
- 11 letters of endorsement from state Governors
- Resolution of support passed by the American Legion at their 100th convention
- Letters of support from the Marine Corps League, Military Order of the Purple Heart, many VFW posts and other Veteran’s organizations
- The Executive Committee of the Board includes Scott Mexic of New Orleans, Ronald Ramseyer of Duxbury, MA, Morris Kahn of New Orleans, Adam Crepelle of Arlington, Virginia and Lee William "Bill" McNutt, Corsicana, Texas.
The State Funeral for War Veterans Organization is recruiting a board of directors in all 50 staters. Patriotic Americans who wish to honor Korean and Vietnam Veterans should contact our National Leadership recruitment chairman, Dr. Danny Reeves at danny@fbccorsicana.org
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Lee McNutt
State Funeral for World War II Veterans
+1 214-537-9311
email us here
1 http://ellzey.house.gov/about
2 http://WorldWar2Salute.org
3 http://woodywilliams.org
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