[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 98 (Wednesday, July 10, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1039-E1040]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          IN RECOGNITION OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL WILLIE WILLIAMS

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 10, 2013

  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 
Lieutenant General Willie J. Williams, our Nation's third-highest 
ranking Marine, for his distinguished service to the United States of 
America. For nearly 40 years, Lieutenant General Williams has served in 
the Marine Corps and today he will be retiring from his post as the 
Director of Marine Corps Staff and from the Marine Corps. He will be 
honored at a retirement ceremony on Wednesday, July 10, 2013 at 7:00 
p.m. at the Marine Barracks in Washington, DC.
  Lieutenant General Williams was born to the late Herman Jones and the 
late Ella Mae ``Bolden'' Hill in Livingston, Alabama but grew up in 
nearby Moundville, Alabama. After graduating from Moundville Public 
High School, he attended Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama after 
his high school teachers, seeing his talent and high potential but 
limited financial means, helped him obtain a scholarship. Faced with 
many difficult decisions about his future, he reflected on his life 
growing up in the segregated South and he was enticed by a Marine Corps 
recruiter to join an institution where he would be evaluated based on 
merit and not the color of his skin. Lieutenant General Williams was 
commissioned in the Marine Corps in May 1974 and began his career with 
the 11th Marine Artillery Regiment in May 1975, serving as a Battalion 
Supply Officer and later as the Regimental Supply Officer/Assistant S4 
Officer.

[[Page E1040]]

  In October 1977, he served as the Officer-In-Charge of the 3rd Force 
Service Support Group in lwakuni, Japan. After a year, he returned to 
the U.S. to serve as the Ship's Detachment Supply Officer, Pacific 
Ocean Area/Marine Barracks Supply Officer and Barracks Executive 
Officer at Marine Barracks, North Island, San Diego, California. In 
June 1982, he reported to Quantico, Virginia for duty as Platoon 
Commander, Officer Candidate School, and subsequently attended the 
Amphibious Warfare School.
  In May 1983, he became the Supply Officer, Mountain Warfare Training 
Center, Bridgeport, California and from August 1985 to June 1989, he 
was assigned to the 3rd Marine Division in Okinawa, Japan as the 
Assistant Division Supply Officer before attending the Armed Forces 
Staff College. While serving with the 3rd Marine Division, Lieutenant 
General Williams deployed as the Logistics Officer, Contingency Marine 
Air Ground Task Force 3-88 during its Persian Gulf Deployment from May 
to December 1988.
  After completing Armed Forces Staff College, Lieutenant General 
Williams was assigned to joint duty with the Department of Defense 
Inspector General's Office in January 1990. From 1993-94 he studied at 
the Industrial College of the Armed Forces and upon graduation assumed 
command of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations 
Capable) MEU Service Support Group from September 1994 to September 
1996. He then served as the Assistant Chief of Staff G4, 3rd Force 
Service Support Group. In June 1997, he departed Okinawa for duty with 
the 1st Force Service Support Group first as the Assistant Chief of 
Staff, G3 and in 1998, as the Commanding Officer of Brigade Service 
Support Group 1. In July 2000, he returned to Okinawa, Japan as the 
Commanding General, Marine Corps Base, Camp Smedley D. Butler until 
June 2001 and then served as the Commanding General, 3d Force Service 
Support Group, Ill MEF until 2003. From October 2003 to May 2005, 
Lieutenant General Williams served as the Assistant Deputy Commandant, 
Installations and Logistics (Facilities), Headquarters, U.S. Marine 
Corps.
  The Second Congressional District of Georgia gained a respected and 
compassionate leader when Lieutenant General Williams moved to Albany, 
Georgia in June 2005 to take command of the Marine Corps Logistics 
Base, a focal point of the service's worldwide supply chain and 
equipment maintenance efforts. He became a close friend and confidant 
as he served in my district for the next four years, throughout the 
height of the Iraq War and one of the service's busiest periods.
  In 2009, Lieutenant General Williams returned to Washington to pin on 
a third star and ultimately become the Director of Marine Corps Staff. 
In addition to his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Stillman College, 
Lieutenant General Williams holds a Master of Arts Degree from National 
University in San Diego, California and a Master of Science Degree from 
National Defense University, as well as an Honorary Doctorate of Law 
from Stillman College, and an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy from 
Albany State University.
  Lieutenant General Williams' personal awards and decorations include 
the Legion of Merit with gold star, the Defense Meritorious Service 
Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, the Navy and 
Marine Corps Achievement Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, 
the Humanitarian Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and 
the Department of Defense Service Badge.
  Lieutenant General Williams has certainly accomplished many things in 
his life but none of this would have been possible without the love and 
support of his wife of 40 years, Bobbie, and their late daughter, 
Yolanda, who sadly passed away in 2008.
  Mr. Speaker, today I ask my colleagues to join me, my wife, Vivian, 
and the nearly 700,000 people in Georgia's 2nd Congressional District, 
and all Americans, in extending our sincerest appreciation to 
Lieutenant General Willie Williams, an innovative leader who, in 
addition to his selfless service and instrumental role in supporting 
operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, has the respect, admiration, and 
affection of his fellow Marines and leaves behind an outstanding legacy 
of service and leadership in the Marine Corps of the United States of 
America.

                          ____________________