World War II Honoree

Vernon Dewey Wood, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Harlem Township, Illinois

Honored By

Robert L. Wood and Mary L. Wood Fiecko

Relationship

Brother and Sister

HE WAS AN AVIATION MECHANIC IN THE SECOND MATERIAL SQUADRON. AS A MEMBER OF THE CREW ON A B-17E FLYING FORTRESS WHICH WAS EN ROUTE TO REPAIR A DOWNED AIRCRAFT, HIS PLANE OVERSHOT THE AIRFIELD AND CRASHED ON JULY 16, 1942, KILLING ALL MEMBERS OF THE CREW. ORIGINALLY BURIED ON THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC ATOLL HORN ISLAND NEAR THE SCENE OF THE CRASH, HE WAS LATER RE-INTERRED IN THE U.S. CEMETERY NO. 1 IN TOWNSVILLE, AUSTRALIA. FINALLY IN MARCH, 1948, HIS REMAINS WERE RETURNED TO ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.