Allegiance United States Battles and wars Vietnam War Years of service 1967–1968 Rank Private first class | Battles/wars Vietnam War Unit 2nd Battalion 1st Marines Name Dewayne Williams | |
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Born September 18, 1949
Brown City, Michigan ( 1949-09-18 ) Died September 18, 1968, Quang Nam Province, Vietnam Service/branch United States Marine Corps Awards Medal of Honor, Purple Heart | ||
Private First Class Dewayne Thomas Williams (September 18, 1949 – September 18, 1968) was a United States Marine who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for heroism in the Vietnam War in September 1968.
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Biography
Dewayne Williams was born on September 18, 1949, in Brown City, Michigan. He attended Bell Elementary School, St. Clair Elementary, Intermediate, and High Schools at in St. Clair, Michigan, and Capac High School, in Capac, Michigan.
On December 18, 1967, Williams enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve, and was discharged to enlist in the active Marine Corps on January 2, 1968. He completed recruit training with the 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego in March 1968; individual combat training with Company Y, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Training Regiment, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, in April; and weapons training with Weapons Company, Basic Infantry Training Battalion, 2nd Infantry Training Regiment at Camp Pendleton, in May 1968.
Williams was promoted to private first class on June 1, 1968. Upon his arrival in the Republic of Vietnam later that month, he was assigned duty as automatic rifleman with Company I, 3rd Battalion, 27th Marines, 1st Marine Division, and served in this capacity until August 1968. He was then assigned duty as anti-tank assault man with Company H, 2nd Battalion 1st Marines. On September 18, 1968, he was killed in action while on patrol in the Quảng Nam Province.
Awards and honors
Williams awards include: