Matthew Williams is a United States Army Sergeant Major who was awarded the Medal of Honor as a Sergeant, the highest military decoration in the United States, for his exceptional bravery and heroism during a combat operation in Afghanistan. Williams was born on April 3, 1981, in Boerne, Texas.
On April 6, 2008, Sergeant Williams, serving as a weapons sergeant in the 3rd Special Forces Group, was part of a joint U.S. and Afghan commando team conducting a mission in the Shok Valley, Nuristan Province, Afghanistan. The team’s objective was to capture or eliminate a high-value target.
As the team approached the target area, they came under heavy and accurate enemy fire from multiple directions. Williams’ team was quickly pinned down and facing a significant threat. Despite being wounded early in the engagement, Williams demonstrated extraordinary courage and leadership.
With complete disregard for his own safety, Williams repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire to move between different positions, providing covering fire and allowing his teammates to take up more advantageous positions. He engaged the enemy with accurate and effective fire, suppressing their positions and enabling the team to maneuver and evacuate casualties.
When one of the team members fell from a cliff and suffered critical injuries, Williams, under intense enemy fire, disregarded his own injuries and climbed up the near-vertical terrain to reach and provide medical aid to the wounded soldier. Despite the extreme physical exertion and continuous enemy fire, Williams successfully stabilized the casualty and facilitated his evacuation.
Throughout the intense firefight, Williams coordinated close air support, directing helicopter gunships and aircraft to engage the enemy positions, which significantly contributed to gaining the upper hand in the battle.
For his exceptional heroism and selflessness, Sergeant Matthew Williams was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Donald J. Trump in a White House ceremony on October 30, 2019. Williams’ actions exemplify the highest standards of military service, reflecting the unwavering commitment to duty, honor, and the protection of his fellow soldiers. He is a true hero and an inspiration to all members of the United States Army and the entire military community.
Medal of Honor Citation
For Services as Set Forth in the Following Citation: Sergeant Williams distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty on 6 April 2008, while serving as a Weapons Sergeant, Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha 3336, Special Operations Task Force-33, in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. Sergeant Williams was part of an assault element inserted by helicopter into a location in Afghanistan. As the assault element was moving up a mountain toward its objective, it was engaged by intense enemy machine gun, sniper, and rocket-propelled grenade fire. The lead portion of the assault element, which included the ground commander, sustained several casualties and became pinned down on the sheer mountainside. Sergeant Williams, upon hearing that the lead element had sustained casualties and was in danger of being overrun, braved intense enemy fire to lead a counter-attack across a valley of ice-covered boulders and a fast-moving, ice cold, and waist-deep river. Under withering fire, Sergeant Williams and his local national commandos fought up the terraced mountainside to the besieged element. Arriving at the lead element’s position, Sergeant Williams arrayed his Afghan commandos to provide suppressive fire, which kept the insurgent fighters from overrunning the position. When the Team Sergeant was wounded, Sergeant Williams braved enemy fire once again to provide buddy-aid and to move the Team Sergeant down the sheer mountainside to the casualty collection point. Sergeant Williams then fought and climbed his way back up the mountainside to help defend the lead assault element that still had several serious casualties in need of evacuation. Sergeant Williams directed suppressive fire and exposed himself to enemy fire in order to reestablish the team’s critical satellite radio communications. He then assisted with moving the wounded down the near-vertical mountainside to the casualty collection point. Noting that the collection point was about to be overrun by enemy fighters, Sergeant Williams led the Afghan commandos in a counter-attack that lasted for several hours. When helicopters arrived to evacuate the wounded, Sergeant Williams again exposed himself to enemy fire, carrying and loading casualties onto the helicopters while continuing to direct commando firepower to suppress numerous insurgent positions. His actions enabled the patrol to evacuate wounded and dead comrades without further casualties. Sergeant Williams’ complete disregard for his own safety and his concern for the safety of his teammates ensured the survival of four critically wounded soldiers and prevented the lead element of the assault force from being overrun by the enemy. Sergeant Williams’ actions are in keeping with the finest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan, Special Operations Command Central, and the United States Army.
For Services as Set Forth in the Following Citation: Sergeant Williams distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty on 6 April 2008, while serving as a Weapons Sergeant, Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha 3336, Special Operations Task Force-33, in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. Sergeant Williams was part of an assault element inserted by helicopter into a location in Afghanistan. As the assault element was moving up a mountain toward its objective, it was engaged by intense enemy machine gun, sniper, and rocket-propelled grenade fire. The lead portion of the assault element, which included the ground commander, sustained several casualties and became pinned down on the sheer mountainside. Sergeant Williams, upon hearing that the lead element had sustained casualties and was in danger of being overrun, braved intense enemy fire to lead a counter-attack across a valley of ice-covered boulders and a fast-moving, ice cold, and waist-deep river. Under withering fire, Sergeant Williams and his local national commandos fought up the terraced mountainside to the besieged element. Arriving at the lead element’s position, Sergeant Williams arrayed his Afghan commandos to provide suppressive fire, which kept the insurgent fighters from overrunning the position. When the Team Sergeant was wounded, Sergeant Williams braved enemy fire once again to provide buddy-aid and to move the Team Sergeant down the sheer mountainside to the casualty collection point. Sergeant Williams then fought and climbed his way back up the mountainside to help defend the lead assault element that still had several serious casualties in need of evacuation. Sergeant Williams directed suppressive fire and exposed himself to enemy fire in order to reestablish the team’s critical satellite radio communications. He then assisted with moving the wounded down the near-vertical mountainside to the casualty collection point. Noting that the collection point was about to be overrun by enemy fighters, Sergeant Williams led the Afghan commandos in a counter-attack that lasted for several hours. When helicopters arrived to evacuate the wounded, Sergeant Williams again exposed himself to enemy fire, carrying and loading casualties onto the helicopters while continuing to direct commando firepower to suppress numerous insurgent positions. His actions enabled the patrol to evacuate wounded and dead comrades without further casualties. Sergeant Williams’ complete disregard for his own safety and his concern for the safety of his teammates ensured the survival of four critically wounded soldiers and prevented the lead element of the assault force from being overrun by the enemy. Sergeant Williams’ actions are in keeping with the finest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan, Special Operations Command Central, and the United States Army.