James E . Williams James Elliott Williams ( November 13 , 1930 – October 13 , 1999 ) was a sailor of the United States Navy during the 1950s and 1960s . He was the most highly decorated enlisted man in the history of the United States Navy . Williams was born in Fort Mill , South Carolina and moved two months later with his parents to Darlington , South Carolina where he spent his early childhood and youth . He attended the local schools and graduated from St . John ' s high school . He was married to the former Elaine Weaver and they had five children and seven grandchildren . He is buried at the Florence National Cemetery in Florence , South Carolina . He has a son James Williams , granddaughter Sarah Caroline Williams , and great granddaughter Ava Bianca Svaton who are all from Darlington , SC . Navy service . In July 1947 , at the age of 16 , he entered the United States Navy where he served for twenty years , retiring in April 1967 . During those twenty years he served in both the Korean and Vietnam War . In Vietnam , the petty officer was assigned to the River Patrol Force whose mission was to intercept Viet Cong arms shipments on the waterways of South Vietnam ' s Mekong Delta . On October 31 , 1966 , Boatswain ' s Mate 1st Class Williams , patrol commander for his boat , " River Patrol Boat 105 " , and another PBR were searching for Viet Cong guerrillas operating in an isolated area of the Mekong Delta . Suddenly , Communist guerrillas manning two sampans opened fire on the Americans . When Williams and his men neutralized one boat crew , the other one escaped into a nearby canal . The PBR sailors gave chase and soon found themselves in a beehive of enemy activity as Viet Cong guerrillas opened fire on them with rocket propelled grenade s and small arms from fortified river bank positions . Against overwhelming odds , Williams led his PBRs several times against concentrations of enemy junks and sampans . He also called for support from the heavily armed UH - 1B Huey helicopter s of Navy Helicopter Attack ( Light ) Squadron 3 , the " Seawolves . " When that help arrived , he kicked off another attack in the failing light , cleverly turning on his boats ' searchlights to illuminate enemy forces and positions . As a result of the three - hour battle , the American naval force killed numerous Viet Cong guerrillas , destroyed over fifty vessels , and disrupted a major enemy logistic operation . BM1 Williams not only displayed great courage under fire , but a keen understanding of how his sailors , weapons , and equipment could be used to achieve victory . Military decorations . On May 14 , 1968 , President Lyndon Johnson , in the name of Congress , presented Williams the Medal of Honor . His other awards include the Navy Cross , Silver Star ( with one gold award star ) , the Legion of Merit with " V " device , the Navy and Marine Corps Medal with gold award star , Bronze Star with " V " device and two gold award stars , Purple Heart with two gold award stars , Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with " V " device and gold award star , Navy and Marine Corps Presidential Unit Citation with bronze service star , the Navy Good Conduct Medal with four bronze service stars , the Navy Expeditionary Medal , the National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star , the Korean Service Medal with two bronze stars , the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and the Vietnam Service Medal with two bronze service stars . His foreign decorations include the Korean Presidential Unit Citation , Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Gold Star and Palm , United Nations Korean Medal , the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal , and ( not shown ) the Korean War Service Medal . U . S . Marshal service . Williams retired from active service in 1967 and was employed with the Wackenhut Corporation . In 1969 , he was appointed U . S . Marshal for the District of South Carolina where he served until May 1977 . He was then transferred to Federal Law Enforcement Training Center , Glynco , Georgia as an instructor and National Armorer . He was called back to South Carolina in July 1979 under court appointment as U . S . Marshal for South Carolina and served in that position until April 1980 . He was then transferred to U . S . Marshal service Headquarters , Washington , D . C . as Programs Manager , Health and Safety and In - District Training Officer where he served until his retirement from the U . S . Marshals Service with the grade of GS - 1811 - 15 . Honors . was named in his honor .