Williams gets medals 62 years after World War II

Mirror Photo / Mary L. Kirby CONGRESSMAN LOUIS Gohmert holds the Distinguished Flying Cross, left, and Don Williams hold the Air Medal and the American flag which Gohmert presented him on Saturday in ceremonies at his daughter’s home.

U.S. Rep. Louis Gohmert (R-Tyler) presented Don Williams with the Air Medal with 3rd-5th awards and the Distinguished Flying Cross Saturday in front of almost 40 family members.

He was honored belatedly for flying a mission to protect sailors from a downed aircraft carried upon completion of an 11-hour flight.

Before presenting the D.F.C. to Williams, Gohmert pointed out how that particular medal is not handed out casually. While the Air Medal is based upon the number of hours and missions flown in combat status, to earn a Distinguished Flying Cross an individual, or in this case a member of a flight crew, must do something extraordinary.

At the conclusion of the ceremonies, Gohmert thanked the Williamses for allowing him to be part of the commemoration. The appreciation was mutual.

For Don Williams, it was a humbling experience which he quickly wanted to defer to others, especially the members of his crew.

“They were the best bunch of people I have ever seen,” Williams quickly said, with tears in his eyes. “Anyone in uniform would have done the same thing we did.”

But Gohmert interrupted with his own qualifier.

“The other crew had not showed up,” the second-term congressman for the first congressional district pointed out. “Not anyone would have done it.”

“I just happened to be there. We had just finished a mission,” Williams explained. “We had been out 11 hours. When we got in, we saw a plane prepared on the runway and they told us what had happened.”

Upon learning an aircraft carrier had sunk, Williams told his crew to board the other plane.

“In an hour and half we were there and a submarine was shooting at the men in the water,” Williams continued.

“Flying after an 11-hour mission is above and beyond the call of duty,” Gohmert inserted into the narrative. “And you picked that crew 10th out of 12.”

“I got what was left,” Williams chuckled.

“And you inspired those men to give their best,” Gohmert added.

“I did work the men kind of hard,” said the former Navy lieutenant.

“He still does,” added one of the Williams men in the audience, which gave the gathered family a good laugh. “The young ensign you talked about,” Williams said to Gohmert, “was the best man I ever met.”

“In the Navy, we shoot the stars to tell where we are. He said to me one time that I made him shoot the stars more than any other pilot. I told him one day you are going to save my life,” Williams continued.

One night when it was cloudy, Williams saw a break in the cloud cover and told the navigator to shoot the stars. Usually that required three stars, but the break in the cover only lasted for two.

Based on his calculations, Williams changed directions 24 degrees and came back to the island in the Azores where they were to land with just 30 minutes of fuel remaining. After the story, Gohmert gave Williams and his wife “space pens” which will work in any environment, including lying on your back.

After Steve Williams thanked the congressman for his visit, his mother Mattie Ruth Williams pointed out a profound fact. “You were the only one who was born when he left,” said Mattie Ruth as his three siblings, their children and the numerous grandchildren and spouses shared the laugh.

mlkirby@etex.net