World War II Honoree

Virgil William 'Bill' Wood

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

SERVED FROM 1944-46, INCLUDING IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS CAPE ESPERANCE (CVE-88). ASSIGNED TO THE PACIFIC FLEET, HIS SHIP MADE TWO VOYAGES FROM THE WEST COAST TO SOUTH PACIFIC BASES BETWEEN MAY 26-SEPTEMBER 20, 1944. THE SHIP CARRIED NEW AIRCRAFT OUT, AND RETURNED WITH PLANES NEEDING REPAIRS. SAILED FROM SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA ON OCTOBER 5, 1944 AND SUPPORTED 3RD FLEET AIR STRIKES ON LEYTE AND LUZON, IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, BEGINNING NOVEMBER 2, 1944. THE CARRIER OPERATED FROM ULITHI ATOLL IN THE CAROLINE ISLANDS AND GUAM IN THE MARIANA ISLANDS THROUGH JANUARY, 1945 CARRYING REPLACEMENT AIRCRAFT FOR STRIKES ON JAPANESE AIR BASES ON FORMOSA AND THE CHINA COAST. RETURNED TO THE WEST COAST IN FEBRUARY, 1945 TO LOAD NEW AIRCRAFT FOR GUAM. THIS WAS THE FIRST OF A SERIES OF SUCH VOYAGES IN WHICH THE CARRIER BROUGHT A LARGE NUMBER OF AIRCRAFT TO THE WESTERN PACIFIC FOR USE AGAINST IWO JIMA IN THE BONIN ISLANDS, OKINAWA IN THE RYUKYU ISLANDS, AND THE JAPANESE HOME ISLANDS, IN THE LAST MONTHS OF THE WAR. AT THE CLOSE OF THE WAR, SAILED FROM SAN DIEGO TO PEARL HARBOR, AND RETURNED TO SAN FRANCISCO ON SEPTEMBER 11, 1945 WITH AIRCRAFT AND PASSENGERS AS PART OF OPERATION ‘MAGIC CARPET’. THIS WAS THE CODE NAME FOR THE RAPID RETURN OF SERVICE PERSONNEL BY WARSHIPS AND TRANSPORT VESSELS FROM THEATER TO THE U.S.A. HIS SHIP MADE SIMILAR VOYAGES IN 1945-46. AWARDED THE AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. ALSO AWARDED THE PHILIPPINE LIBERATION MEDAL FOR SERVICE IN THE LIBERATION OF THE PHILIPPINES. HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN 1946 AS A LIEUTENANT AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN.