Woody Williams Statue Approved For Capitol

The statue of Williams will replace one of John Kenna, a Confederate veteran who represented West Virginia in the U.S. House and Senate.

A black hearse pulls up in front of the white steps of the U.S. Capitol against a clear blue sky on a summer day.

During its special session this week, the legislature passed a resolution to honor one of West Virginia’s most notable veterans.

Both chambers of the legislature approved a resolution to place a statue of Hershel “Woody” Williams inside the U.S. Capitol.

That resolution came up during the regular session earlier this year but didn’t make it to the finish line.

Williams, who died in 2022 at age 98, was the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient from World War II. Williams, who lived in Barboursville, was a Marine Corps veteran who served in combat in the Pacific.

The statue of Williams will replace one of John Kenna, a Confederate veteran who represented West Virginia in the U.S. House and Senate.

Kenna’s statue, which has stood in the Capitol’s Statuary Hall since 1901, will be moved to the Culture Center in Charleston.

Author: Curtis Tate

Curtis is our Energy & Environment Reporter, based in Charleston. He has spent more than 17 years as a reporter and copy editor for Gannett, Dow Jones and McClatchy. He has written extensively about travel, transportation and Congress for USA TODAY, The Bergen Record, The Lexington Herald-Leader, The Wichita Eagle, The Belleville News-Democrat and The Sacramento Bee. You can reach him at ctate@wvpublic.org.

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