Remarks and Citation at the Medal of Honor Ceremony for Lt. Charles Q. Williams, USA. -

Lieutenant Williams, Secretary Resor, Members of the Cabinet, distinguished Members of the Congress, ladies and gentlemen:

We have come here this morning to honor a very brave American soldier.

The acts of extraordinary courage to which we pay tribute were not performed with any hope of reward. They began with a soldier doing his duty--but they went so far beyond the call of duty that they became a patriot's gift to his country.

Lieutenant Williams and a very small band of Americans and Vietnamese fought for 14 long hours against an enemy that outnumbered them more than five to one.

During those long hours, Lieutenant Williams was wounded five times. Any single one of those wounds might have caused another man to completely abandon the fight. Yet Lieutenant Williams continued to rally his men, to protect his wounded, to hold off the enemy until help could come.

Few men understand what it really means to draw deep from the wellsprings of such bravery. Few have ever made that kind of journey--and far fewer have ever returned.

We have another such man with us here this morning. He is Brigadier General John T. Kennedy, one of the oldest living holders of the Medal of Honor.

General Kennedy, would you please stand?

General Kennedy and Lieutenant Williams have a great deal in common.

Both are natives of the great State of South Carolina.

Both displayed unique valor in distant lands fighting for their country.

Both bear the scars of their heroism.

The presence of General Kennedy here in the White House this morning reminds us all that in the course of human history the optimists are sometimes right.

It was in the year 1909, when I was only 1 year old, when young Lieutenant Kennedy was serving in the Philippines. There were some who could not believe that the Filipinos had any future as a free and independent country. Some of them thought that the only choice was internal anarchy or colonial rule.

Years later--in the 1940's--the Philippines passed through a long night of foreign occupation, and then of Communist guerrilla war. Some thought that a free and confident nation could never emerge from those years of long struggle. But they were wrong.

The people of the Philippines, under imaginative and dedicated leadership, proved that democracy and social reform are stronger than the forces of terror and oppression.

Today, as we meet here, the Philippines is a vital and growing nation true to its own traditions and ambitions--a creative force in the emerging community of Asia.

As we meet here this morning, we are reminded that all over the world many young nations are today struggling to achieve the same kind of results. They seek to be free from outside coercion, to achieve real social and economic progress, to determine their own futures, and to work constructively with their own neighbors.

South Vietnam is such a nation. We are supporting her in her brave struggle to achieve these goals, with the help of men like Lieutenant Williams.

History will note that neither of these two heroes who are here with us today, neither General Kennedy nor Lieutenant Williams, ever fought to promote narrow American interests.

Neither fought to build an American empire.

Neither fought to enslave a single human soul.

They fought, instead, to help make possible a better life for people newly emerged from colonial rule.

They fought, at great personal risk, for a world of peace--a world that might become, however slowly, worthy of the human spirit.

And in the process, each of these men added a new dimension to the Medal of Honor.

Lieutenant Williams, it is hard for your President to find words to tell you of the deep gratitude and admiration that your fellow Americans have for you.

But I do rejoice that I may present to you, in the name of the Congress of the United States and of the grateful people of America, the Medal of Honor--for the bravery and the gallantry that you displayed at the risk of your life, far above and beyond the call of duty.

You don't know how much satisfaction I get out of seeing this lovely lady who has been by your side--this wonderful, typically American family here in the first house of the land to see you receive the award and the recognition that only a courageous, dedicated, devoted American could receive in this house.

Secretary Resor will now read the citation.

[The text of the citation, read by Stanley R. Resor, Secretary of the Army, follows]

THE PRESIDENT of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded in the name of The Congress the Medal of Honor to:

FIRST LIEUTENANT CHARLES Q. WILLIAMS,

UNITED STATES ARMY

for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty:

First Lieutenant Charles Q. Williams (then Second Lieutenant), Infantry, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his own life above and beyond the call of duty while defending the Special Forces Camp at Dong Xoai, Republic of Vietnam, against a violent attack by hostile forces that lasted for fourteen hours, June 9 to 10, 1965.

Lieutenant Williams was serving as Executive Officer of a Special Forces Detachment when an estimated Vietcong reinforced regiment struck the Camp and threatened to overrun it and the adjacent District Headquarters. He awoke personnel, organized them, determined the sources of the insurgents' main effort, and led the troops to their defensive positions on the south and west walls. Then, after running to the District Headquarters to establish communications, he found that there was no radio operational with which to communicate with his commanding officer in another compound. To reach the other compound, he traveled through darkness but was halted in this effort by a combination of shrapnel in his right leg and the increase of the Vietcong gun fire. Ignoring his wound, he returned to the District Headquarters and directed the defense against the first assault.

As the insurgents attempted to scale the walls and as some of the Vietnamese defenders began to retreat, he dashed through a barrage of gun fire, succeeded in rallying these defenders, and led them back to their positions. Although wounded in the thigh and left leg during this gallant action, he returned to his position and, upon being told that communications were re-established and that his commanding officer was seriously wounded, Lieutenant Williams took charge of actions in both compounds. Then in an attempt to reach the communications bunker, he sustained wounds in the stomach and right arm from grenade fragments.

As the defensive positions on the walls had been held for hours and casualties were mounting, he ordered the consolidation of the American personnel from both compounds to establish a defense in the District building. After radio contact was made with a friendly air controller, he disregarded his wounds and directed the defense from the District building, using descending flares as reference points to adjust air strikes. By his courage, he inspired his team to hold out against the insurgent force that was closing in on them and throwing grenades into the windows of the building.

As daylight arrived and the Vietcong continued to besiege the stronghold, firing a machine gun directly south of the District building, he was determined to eliminate this menace that threatened the lives of his men. Taking a 3.5 rocket launcher and a volunteer to load it, he worked his way across open terrain, reached the berm south of the District Headquarters, and took aim at the Vietcong machine gun one hundred and fifty meters away. Although the sight was faulty, he succeeded in hitting the machine gun. While he and the loader were trying to return to the District Headquarters, they were both wounded. With a fourth wound, this time in the right arm and leg, and realizing he was unable to carry his wounded comrade back to the District building, Lieutenant Williams pulled him to a covered position and then made his way back to the District building where he sought the help of others who went out and evacuated the injured soldier.

Although seriously wounded and tired, he continued to direct the air strikes closer to the defensive position. As morning turned to afternoon and the Vietcong pressed their effort with direct recoilless rifle fire into the building, he ordered the evacuation of the seriously wounded to the safety of the communications bunker. When informed that helicopters would attempt to land as the hostile gun fire had abated, he led his team from the building to the artillery position, making certain of the timely evacuation of the wounded from the communications area, and then on to the pickup point. Despite resurgent Vietcong gun fire, he directed the rapid evacuation of all personnel.

Throughout the long battle, he was undaunted by the vicious Vietcong assault and inspired the defenders in decimating the determined insurgents. Lieutenant Williams' conspicuous gallantry, extraordinary heroism, and intrepidity at the risk of his own life above and beyond the call of duty are in the highest traditions of the United States Army and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.