WW II uncovered
AtrprSiripl Sd1mo1aoae aet 9:ntso1sh8nruseolad AdM ·
🇺🇲Remembering the Heroes of D-Day: Waverly Woodson Jr.
Staff Sergeant Waverly Woodson, Jr., of Philadelphia Pennsylvania,
registered for service with the US Army at the age of 19 on June 30,
1942. SSgt Woodson served as a medic on Omaha Bach during Operation
Overlord in 1944. He was assigned to the 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion. During the Normandy invasion Woodson was detached from his battalion and attached to the 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division of the British Army
as a combat medic.
"While coming ashore at Omaha Beach as part of the third wave, Woodson's landing craft tank hit a naval mine and lost power, drifting ashore with
the tide. While drifting, the LCT was hit by a shell and Woodson
suffered multiple shrapnel injuries.'
'Upon reaching the shore and having his wounds treated, Woodson set up a
first aid station and began treating other wounded soldiers. He worked continuously from 10:00 AM until 4:00 PM on the following day. Woodson
was subsequently hospitalized due to his wounds and after three days on
a hospital ship he requested to return to the front." (history.com)
Shortly after the Battle of Normandy, the 320th Barrage Balloon
Battalion was redeployed to the United States, where it served on bases
in Georgia followed by Hawaii. Upon the end of World War II in 1945,
Woodson was moved to the United States Army Reserve. SSgt Woodson was reactivated into the Army during the initiation of the Korean War.
"While in the Army during his initial enlistment and subsequent
re-enlistment, Waverly completed tours of duty in England, France and
the Pacific. He also was assigned to Fort George G. Meade, Valley Forge
General Hospital, the Communicable Disease Center, Chamblee, Georgia;
and Walter Reed Army Hospital, Washington, D.C. where he served as the Sergeant-In-Charge-Morgue, performing all autopsies. Mr. Woodson served
his country with distinction and was awarded many military decorations
and citations for his service in the Army. He received the Purple Heart (wounded June 6, 1944, D-Day), Bronze Star Medal, Good Conduct Medal,
American Campaign Medal, European, African, Middle Eastern Campaign
Medal with Arrow Head and two Bronze Stars, Asiatic Pacific Campaign
Medal, National Defense Medal, World War II Medal, Korean Service Medal
and the United Nations Medal." (ancestry.com and army.mil)
Waverly Woodson, Jr. passed away on August 12, 2005 at the age of 83.
Lest We Forget.
#ww2uncovered #GreatestGeneration #ww2 #WorldWarII #worldwar2 #WWII
#WWIIHero #ww2history #ww2veteran #ww2vet #worldwar2veteran #wwiihistory
#DDay #WWIIveteran #WWIIVet #lestweforget #blackhistory #WorldWarHeroes
#Hero
Original description and photo sourced by army.mil, history.com and ancestry.com

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)