West Virginia commission meets to plan Woody Williams statue for U.S. Capitol

The Hershel “Woody” Williams Statue Commission held its inaugural meeting in Charleston to begin the process of placing a statue of the World War II hero in the National Statuary Hall Collection at the U.S. Capitol.

Williams, a Marion County native and the last surviving World War II Medal of Honor recipient, served in the U.S. Marine Corps and was recognized for his actions at Iwo Jima. The commission was established following a legislative resolution to honor his legacy. To make room for the new statue, Governor Patrick Morrisey announced that the existing statue of John Kenna will be moved to the West Virginia Culture Center in Charleston.

The commission is composed of 10 citizen members and is chaired by Department of Tourism Secretary Kayla Kessinger. The group is tasked with selecting an artist and securing financing through the Governor’s Civil Contingency Fund.