Raymond Williams enlisted in the United States Army in late December 1967. After successfully completing basic training, he earned his paratrooper wings and was assigned as an M60 machine gunner. He was deployed to the Central Highlands of Vietnam to serve in the Vietnam War.

On December 31, 1968, during a firefight north of An Khe, Williams was wounded in action. An enemy AK-47 round struck his right arm and shoulder, fracturing the bone in two places and causing severe nerve damage. He was medevac’d from the jungle by helicopter. Because of the permanent disabilities caused by his combat wounds, Williams was medically retired from the Army on August 25, 1969.

Upon returning home, Williams settled in New Hampshire. He worked as a pressman at the Easter Seals printing press, married, and raised three children. In May 2026, following paperwork filed by his family to correct his military records, his earned Purple Heart was officially delivered. On June 2026, 57 years after his injuries, Williams was formally presented with the Purple Heart in a ceremony at the Pentagon.