President Trump signed the Hershel “Woody” Williams National Medal of Honor Monument Location Act on September 10, 2026, at the National Medal of Honor Museum.

The legislation authorizes the Monument to be located within the Reserve—the protected central area of the National Mall that is home to many of the nation’s most significant monuments and memorials. It passed with bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress before arriving at the President’s desk.

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The location carries special significance. The Medal of Honor was established under President Abraham Lincoln, with the first Medals presented in 1863. More than 160 years later, the National Medal of Honor Monument will stand near the Lincoln Memorial, creating a place to reflect on the ordinary Americans who took extraordinary action in the service of others and the nation.

The legislation bears the name of Hershel “Woody” Williams, a Marine Corps veteran, Medal of Honor Recipient and lifelong advocate for veterans and Gold Star families.

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Williams received the Medal of Honor for his actions on Iwo Jima on February 23, 1945. Serving as a demolition sergeant with the 21st Marines, 3rd Marine Division, Corporal Williams volunteered to move forward against a network of heavily fortified Japanese positions that had pinned down American tanks and infantry.

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For four hours, with four riflemen providing cover, Williams repeatedly advanced under intense enemy fire, returning to his lines for demolition charges and spent weaponry before moving forward again. His actions helped neutralize a series of fortified positions and allowed his company to continue its advance.

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His service did not end there.

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For decades after World War II, Williams remained committed to serving others. He worked with veterans and veterans’ organizations and became a tireless advocate for Gold Star families, helping establish monuments and programs across the country to honor families who lost loved ones in military service.

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Williams continued that work until his death in 2022 at the age of 98. At the time, he was the last living Medal of Honor Recipient from World War II. He later became only the seventh American to lie in honor in the US Capitol Rotunda.

Although Congress authorized the National Medal of Honor Monument and its location on federal land, no federal funds will be used to build it.

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The National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and is responsible for raising the funds needed to bring the Monument to life. Support from individuals, foundations, corporations, and other donors will help create a permanent place in our nation’s capital to honor Medal of Honor Recipients and carry their stories forward for generations to come.

There's more work ahead. With the location legislation signed into law, the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation can continue the process of bringing the Monument to life in Washington, DC.

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In the coming months, the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation will launch a design competition that considers the surrounding viewsheds and other site-specific details once the National Park Service awards the site.

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As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the Foundation needs the support of individual donors, sponsors, and partners to ensure the stories and legacies of Medal of Honor Recipients have a permanent place in our nation’s capital.