World War II Honoree

Jack Weston Wood

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Fairbault, Minnesota

Honored By

James O. Travis

ASSUMED COMMAND OF THE 27TH BOMB SQUADRON, 30TH BOMB GROUP AT NEW ORLEANS ARMY AIR BASE, LOUISIANA IN JULY 1941. IN DECEMBER 1941 MOVED THE SQUADRON TO MUROC FIELD, CALIFORNIA AND IN FEBRUARY 1942 MOVED THE SQUADRON TO MARCH FIELD, CALIFORNIA AND ASSUMED COMMAND OF THE 30TH BOMB GROUP IN AUGUST 1942. IN JUNE 1943, HE TOOK THE 389TH BOMB GROUP (HEAVY) TO ENGLAND AND ASSUMED COMMAND OF THE 20TH COMBAT BOMB WING, 8TH AIR FORCE IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS. IN NOVEMBER 1943, NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE 14TH COMBAT BOMB WING. IN DECEMBER 1944, PROMOTED TO BRIGADIER GENERAL AND APPOINTED CHIEF OF THE BRITISH-AMERICAN AIR COMPONENT, SUPREME HEADQUARTERS ALLIED EXPEDITIONARY FORCES (SHAEF) MISSION TO FRANCE. AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS, DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, BRONZE STAR MEDAL, AIR MEDAL WITH OAK LEAF CLUSTER, COMMENDATION RIBBON, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN RIBBON, DISTINGUISHED UNIT CITATION, CROIX DE GUERRE WITH PALM AND LEGION OF HONOR (FRENCH).