Sammie Womack was born on August 8, 1944, in Virginia. He enlisted in the U.S. Army on July 7, 1964, and completed basic training at Fort Gordon, Georgia, in September 1964. Pvt Womack next attended Advanced Individual Training as an Infantryman at Fort Gordon from September to December 1964, followed by service as an Infantryman with Company C, 2nd Battalion of the 27th Infantry Regiment at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, from December 1964 to January 1966, and then deployed with his unit to South Vietnam from January 1966 until he was captured and taken as a Prisoner of War on October 8, 1966. After spending 139 days in captivity, Sgt Womack was released by his viet cong captors on February 23, 1967. He was briefly hospitalized to recover from his injuries at Kenner Army Hospital on Fort Lee, Virginia, from March to May 1967, and he left active duty and transferred to the U.S. Army Reserve on July 6, 1967. Sgt Womack returned to active duty on September 16, 1968, and then served as a Team Leader with Company C, 2nd Battalion of the 54th Infantry Regiment in West Germany from October 1968 to September 1970, and then with Headquarters Company of the Berlin Brigade in West Berlin from September 1970 to October 1971. His next assignment was as a Squad Leader with Company B, Headquarters Company, and then Company C, 1st Battalion of the 23rd Infantry Regiment in South Korea from October 1971 to November 1972, followed by service as a Squad Leader with Company A, 1st Battalion of the 58th Infantry Regiment at Fort Benning, Georgia, from December 1972 to October 1974. SSG Womack served as a Squad Leader with Company B, 3rd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment of the Berlin Brigade in West Berlin from October 1974 to October 1977, and then as a Senior Instructor with Company E, 1st Battalion of the U.S. Army Quartermaster School at Fort Lee, Virginia, from October 1977 to September 1979. SFC Womack's next assignment was as Platoon Sergeant with Company A, 1st Battalion of the 35th Infantry Regiment at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, from October 1979 to October 1982, followed by service as an Instructor with Headquarters Company at Fort Knox, Kentucky, from November 1982 until his retirement from the Army on October 3, 1984. Sammie Womack died on May 13, 2014, and was buried at the Mercy Seat Baptist Church Cemetery in FarmVille, Virginia.

His Bronze Star Medal for Valor Citation reads:

Sergeant Sammie N. Womack, a member of Company C, 2d Battalion, 27th Infantry, 26th Division, distinguished himself by heroic achievement in connection with military operations against a hostile force in Vietnam from October 1966 to February 1967. Sergeant Womack was assistant squad leader of his squad when it was ambushed on the night of 8 October 1966. His squad was apparently wiped out in a short fire fight. Determining that the rest of the squad members had been killed, Sergeant Womack attempted to escape the ambush area but was captured. His courageous actions during the fire fight were exemplary. While in captivity he was subjected to unusual physical and mental ordeals designed to break his will and spirit. Through his cool courage, fortitude and fine physical stamina Sergeant Womack was able to endure these hazards until he was released from captivity on 23 February 1967. Sergeant Womack's unwavering adherence to the provisions of the military Code of Conduct while a prisoner of war is in the highest traditions of the United States Army and reflects distinct credit upon himself and the military service.