EDWARD H. WOOD, LCDR, USNR
Edward Wood '51
Lucky Bag
From the 1951 Lucky Bag:
Edward Harris Wood
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Woody . . . everything he does, he does with all his might ... no slash . . . but no bucket either . . . when he sleeps, it takes a radio, a formation bell, and four men to drag him out . . . can sleep anytime, any place, in any position . . . he started fencing here at Navy . . . third class year found him number three sabre man . . . one of the best dancers at Goat Tech . . . if he sees a new step he wants to learn it . . . he's had rhythm in his feet ever since he's had them . . . as for dragging, he's a Red Mike . . . he'd rather make airplanes . . . he wants to see Navy life through a bird's eye . . . once your friend . . . your friend for life.
Edward Harris Wood
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Woody . . . everything he does, he does with all his might ... no slash . . . but no bucket either . . . when he sleeps, it takes a radio, a formation bell, and four men to drag him out . . . can sleep anytime, any place, in any position . . . he started fencing here at Navy . . . third class year found him number three sabre man . . . one of the best dancers at Goat Tech . . . if he sees a new step he wants to learn it . . . he's had rhythm in his feet ever since he's had them . . . as for dragging, he's a Red Mike . . . he'd rather make airplanes . . . he wants to see Navy life through a bird's eye . . . once your friend . . . your friend for life.
Loss
Edward was lost on August 5, 1966 when the aircraft he was aboard crashed on a training flight between New Orleans, Louisiana and El Paso, Texas. He was a reservist on active duty training with Attack Squadron (VA) 776.
Other Information
From the August-September 1966 issue of Shipmate:
We were saddened during August by the loss of a classmate. E. H. WOOD (LCdr. USNR-R) was killed in an aircraft accident on 5 Aug. He had resigned from the Navy in May 1960 but retained his reserve status. He began two weeks active duty for training on 25 July, and was on a training flight from New Orleans to El Paso when the accident took place.
Woody was originally from Baton Rouge, La. but he and his family were living at 3230 Acacia St., Lemon Grove, Calif, at the time of his death. Interment was on 12 Aug. at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego. We all express our sympathy to Frances Louise and their four children.
From researcher Kathy Franz:
Edward graduated from Catholic High School in Baton Rouge.
His children were: Chris, 13; Suzanne, 12; Randy, 9, and Lisa 7. He was also survived by his grandfather, Edward McGuire of Baton Rouge.
Ed is buried in California.
Remembrances
From A-4 Skyhawk:
Wood was the squadron executive officer and (Lt.) Feldman was flying with him and two others, returning from a cross country at New Orleans. The flight got incredibly disoriented flying VFR in the clouds resulting in Feldman bailing out and breaking his neck, and Wood heading straight down. When he tried to pull out, the excessive g forces extended one of his slats and the high speed wind tore it off, turning the aircraft into a corkscrew. Wood couldn't bail out because he had a bad back and used to fly with parachute straps unconnected at the top (I don't exactly remember how you could do this) to allow him movement to ease his stiffness. I was supposed to be number five of this gaggle but my plane crapped out on me on our original departure from Yuma and I had to miss the trip. Good thing for me I did. Feldman was flying number 3 position and Wood #4. #5 was not a good place to be.
Both were great guys and I remember Joe [Feldman] at the O Club with his beautiful young wife and child one Sunday afternoon after our squadron drill weekend. I was a crossover from the Air Force and always walking around in a sea of confusion about Navy ways. I got to buy drinks one day for forgetting to remove my hat in the club bar. I wound up with Wood's g-suit bag which I carried with me for years on my airline flights (TWA) as a dirty clothes bag. Each time I looked at it, I promised myself I wouldn't get into a situation like Ed did!
A4s, and memories of those flown west, forever! Bob Sackett
Related Articles
Jerome Stuart '51 was also on the fencing team.
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of alumni in Memorial Hall.
