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Local family marks four generations of service since World War II

This image represents four generations of military service in the Wood family. Howard D. Wood of Ishpeming is the commander of the American Legion Post 114. Top left, Howard Wood, Sr., U.S. Army, World War II; top right, Howard D. Wood, Army, Vietnam; second row, left, Howard R. Wood, Army; center, Jeffrey S. Wood, U.S. Air Force; right, Kelly D. (Jones) Wood, Air Force; bottom left, Jeffrey M. Wood, Air Force; and bottom right, Chelsea M. Wood, Army. (Photo courtesy of Howard D. Wood and Globe Printing)

MARQUETTE — President John F. Kennedy once said: “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”

Helping veterans and their families is not just a responsibility for American Legion Post 114 Commander Howard Wood — it is his very personal way of expressing gratitude to the U.S. military and other veterans.

Wood himself represents the second in four generations of his family who have served in the U.S. military, with a 2 ¢-year tour in the Army during the Vietnam War.

Wood followed in the footsteps of his father, Howard Wood Sr., and two uncles, all of whom fought in World War II.

“My dad was pretty tight-lipped about the war,” Wood said. “I know hundreds and hundreds of veterans, and your veterans who truly went through hell don’t talk about it.”

His sons Howard R. Wood (Army) and Jeffrey S. Wood (Air Force), and daughter-in-law Kelly D. Wood (Air Force) continued the family tradition, followed by his grandson Jeffrey M. Wood and granddaughter Chelsea Wood.

“My son Jeffrey and his wife, Kelly, served in Korea,” Wood said. “That’s where they met.”

Wood said his other son Howard R. Wood served at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

His grandson Jeffrey M. Wood serves in the Air Force in New Jersey, and his granddaughter Chelsea is in the National Guard.

Wood and his family members have written the “blank check” that those who enlist in the military write for their country.

“When World War II broke out, my father went into the service — the three brothers went together,” Wood said. “It was pretty hard on the family. Nowadays they don’t do that, they don’t have brothers serving, you know.”

Wood said his uncle Russell Wood was on the Bridge at Remagen in Germany. U.S. forces captured the bridge, as it was one of the last two bridges across the Rhine River.

Once the U.S. captured the bridge, German forces tried to destroy it multiple times.

“He (Russell) was on that bridge when they took it and blew the Germans off of it,” Wood said. “He was so proud.”

Wood said Russell died at the age of 50 during the Vietnam War era, amidst the social controversy over U.S. intervention in the conflict.

There was a break-in at Russell’s camp while he was dying in the hospital, Wood said.

“These kids went to his camp, took his World War II uniform full of medals, took that uniform, took his gun and all the pictures — put them in the middle of the floor and burned them, all day and all night,” Wood said.

Wood said the incident was a blow to the family.

“He was a single guy, and he was so proud,” Wood said. “They burned everything he had left, the camp never burned down. We think it was a protest against a veteran, against Vietnam.”

Wood said his other uncle, Thomas Wood, was held for two years as a prisoner of war in a German concentration camp during the conflict.

Wood himself enlisted in 1964 during the Vietnam War with a specific set of skills — masonry being his military occupational specialty code, or MOS.

“I was a mason here for four years before enlisting, so I went in there as a mason,” Wood said. “I was the only boy, so when I went in the military all my mother would do — every time she would write — would be to say, just don’t tell us you’re going to Vietnam.”

Wood said he had enlisted with another man from National Mine under the Army’s buddy team enlistment option.

Once the two had completed basic training they were sent to Europe.

Wood said after being stationed in Europe for a couple of months his buddy expressed the urge to go into combat.

“He said ‘I want to go to Vietnam, I just want action,'” Wood said. “He’s that type of person, when he got out he was a prison guard for 44 years. So I did something silly, I put in a request to go to a war zone.”

Wood was instead called in by his colonel, who asked him why he requested to serve in the country of Vietnam.

“I told him that I came in on the buddy system, and that my buddy wanted to go to Vietnam,” Wood said.

But the army was in need of masons in France at the time, so Wood’s skill set was in demand. He said the colonel made him an offer he could not refuse.

“‘I’ll tell you what,'” Wood said the colonel told him. “‘You are just 18 years old, you’re a young man and you’ve got a good MOS here being a mason and we’ve got a job for you right now. I guarantee you, he said, you’re only a private right now, but I’ll put this in writing. If you go where I am asking to send you, they’ll make you a PFC or private first class immediately.'”

Wood’s first task was to help to build a non-commissioned officer, or NCO, club near Paris.

“Then, you name it, I was in Turkey, Tripoli, Africa,” Wood said. “I was in the Vietnam era, but I was not right in Vietnam. I want to be truthful about that.”

Wood said he was very proud with the one stripe, but he was promised a higher rank if he stuck with his MOS, rising to the level of buck sergeant, which is just what happened.

“People ask me at the meetings why I wear my buck sergeant stripes, and I tell them, because I was one,” Wood said. “And when they ask me why I still wear them I say it’s because I am proud of them.”

The stripes might have been all that was left to remember his service if not for The Marquette County Veterans Affairs Service officer Craig Salo.

Wood’s home was one of the 20 homes that were destroyed during a forest fire on Marquette County Road 581 just west of Ishpeming in May 2009.

“We had nine minutes to get out,” Wood said. “We raised our kids in that house and it burned to the ground — took everything with it, all our memories, my uniform, my medals, burnt to a crisp.”

Salo said he located a replacement uniform for Wood, and it should be in Ishpeming by the end of this month.

“The loss of the Wood family home and all of their belongings is tragic. The resilience the family has demonstrated over the past eight years inspired me to reach out to some of my old Army contacts and secure a replacement Army Class A uniform for Howard,” Salo said “Howard is rightfully proud of his service in our Army and the replacement uniform can serve as a lasting memory and tribute to his service.”

Wood said he is happy to have Salo in the area helping veterans.

“People like Craig Salo is what we need around here. He’s a very nice honest person,” Wood said. “And so many people don’t even realize he has an office right in Ishpeming.”

Wood said he was especially touched by the American Veterans Traveling Tribute Vietnam Wall when the Marquette County Veterans Alliance brought it to the Superior Dome in June.

“World War II, they didn’t show much recognition when those veterans came back.

Vietnam was worse, there was so much protesting with Vietnam,” Wood said. “I think they turned their head on that Vietnam bunch.”

Wood said although he was never in combat he had several friends who died during the conflict.

“I spent two or three days down there at the wall, I got to know a lot of people,” Wood said. “They were really proud that we did that.”

Salo and Wood are working on another project together to help all veterans.

The Marquette County Department of Veterans Affairs will conduct a veterans’ benefits presentation at 2 p.m. Jan. 28 at the American Legion Post 114 in Greenwood location.

“Topics to be discussed include service connected disability compensation, pensions, education benefits, the Marquette County Veterans Relief Program, Michigan Veterans Trust Fund, burial benefits, counseling assistance, and other topical veterans’ issues,” Salo said.

Wood said any veteran or member of the public who is interested in veterans affairs can come to the presentation.

“You don’t have to be a member of the Legion,” Wood said. “Anyone can come at that time. The whole purpose of this is to help the veterans.”

Wood said he would recommend the military to anyone who had graduated high school and cannot find a good job locally.

“Personally, I would recommend it, absolutely,” Wood said. “To me, I was a different person when I got out. You learn how to take orders, you learn how to respect people.”

Wood said he feels so strongly he would re-enlist today if he were asked to do so.

“I respect the military 110 percent,” Wood said. “Even at my age right now, 70, if war broke out and they asked me to enlist, I would be all for it.”

Salo said he admires the Wood family’s dedication to military service throughout the generations.

“It is absolutely amazing to see the continuation of service to the nation with the Wood family,” Salo said. “Today young men and women have so many options upon graduation from high school and it special when they decide to enlist to serve our country in the Armed Services. This is clearly a family tradition and it is humbling to see the sacrifice that the Wood family has provided to our community and our country.”

Lisa Bowers can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 242. Her email address is lbowers@miningjournal.net.

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