President Donald Trump signed legislation Thursday authorizing the National Medal of Honor Museum to build a monument in Washington, D.C., honoring recipients of the nation’s highest military award.
Trump signed the “Hershel ‘Woody’ Williams National Medal of Honor Monument Location Act” during a visit to the National Medal of Honor Museum in Dallas, Texas, where he toured the facility and met with a number of Medal of Honor recipients.
“Very shortly… I’ll sign into law the Hershel ‘Woody’ Williams National Medal of Honor Monument Location Act,” Trump said.
“It’s a long name… but it’s an important name, authorizing the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation to establish a brand new monument in Washington, D.C., which is now one of the safest cities,” he added.
The legislation is named for Hershel Woody Williams, a Marine who died in 2022 as the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient from World War II. Williams operated a flamethrower during the battle of Iwo Jima, and Trump described him as “one of the most beloved Medal of Honor recipients.”
“In the battle of Iwo Jima, he carved a path to American victory—literally carved a path so soldiers could get in and win through a deadly gauntlet of enemy strongholds, and back and forth he went. He just kept going back and forth.”
The monument will be built on the National Mall and paid for through private donations, according to Trump. During the visit, the museum presented Trump with its “Champion of Honor” award.
Recipients on hand
Before his remarks, Trump met with Medal of Honor recipients spanning conflicts from the Korean War through the Global War on Terror.
His first group included Army Major Gen. Patrick Brady (Vietnam), Navy Capt. Royce Williams (Korea), Army Col. Paris Davis (Vietnam), Army Specialist Four Mike Fitzmaurice (Vietnam), Army Command Sgt. Major Gary Littrell (Vietnam), Army Command Sergeant Major Terry Richardson (Vietnam), Army Lt. Col. Al Rascon (Vietnam), and Army Specialist Five Dwight Birdwell (Vietnam).
Later in the tour, Trump met with recipients who served in the Global War on Terror: Army Lt. Col. Will Swenson, Army Command Sgt. Major Matt Williams, Navy Command Master Chief Britt Slabinski, Army Master Sergeant Earl Plumlee, Army Staff Sgt. David Bellavia, Army Sgt. Major Pat Payne, Army Captain Flo Groberg, and Navy Master Chief Ed Byers. Museum CEO Troy Bertram was also present for that stop.
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