Boatswain's Mate First Class Williams was one of 32 Native Americans to receive the Medal of Honor and is considered to be the most decorated enlisted man in the history of the U.S. Navy.

Chief Boatswain’s Mate James Elliott Williams, a native of South Carolina, enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1947, and retired in 1967 as one of the most highly decorated sailors in U.S. Navy history, having received the Navy Cross, Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and Navy and Marine Corps Medal among other commendations. Williams received the Medal of Honor in 1968 for actions in the Mekong Delta, Republic of Vietnam. On October 31, 1966, Williams’s patrol was attacked and during the three-hour battle, he exposed himself to the enemy to direct the counter-fire. Williams’s patrol took out 65 enemy boats and, that day, defeated guerilla forces. He died October 13, 1999, and is buried in Section F, Site 177.

*The preceding content is not intended as a comprehensive biography, but it highlights their significance as a result of military or civilian distinction, lasting achievements, or association with impactful national events.

JAMES ELLIOTT WILLIAMS

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34.18440867, -79.75336921

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