UT Army ROTC Cadets participated in the Medal of Honor documentary premiere on 31 March 2014 in downtown Knoxville. Cadets met with Medal of Honor recipients SGT Sammy Davis and Cpl Hershel “Woody” Williams. Cadets served as ushers, escorts, assisted veterans and also provided a saber arch on the red carpet.
SGT Sammy Davis hailed as the real “Forrest Gump,”earned his Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War. On November 18, 1967, even though he was extensively injured and unable to swim, Davis picked up an air matters and crossed a deep river to rescue three wounded comrades. After reaching the men, he stood up and fired at the advancing Vietcong until it was safe to transport them across the water.
Cpl Hershel “Woody” Williams earned his Medal of Honor during World War II. On Feb. 23, 1945 in Iwo Jima, the Marine spent four hours armed with a flamethrower and four riflemen wiping out Japanese defenses that were organized around a series of pillboxes. Williams’s bravery helped create an opening in Japanese lines that enabled the Americans to advance. He is now chaplain emeritus of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.