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The The Globemaster II C 124-A was a heavy-life military transport aircraft.
flight
I’m
glad I
missed
The day a simple decision changed a life
R By Diane Klutz from high school in Cleveland, Ohio. He didn’t want the Army to get him, so he
etired Air Force Master Sergeant was college bound instead – that is, until decided to join the Navy. Unfortunately,
John Wood and his wife Barbara June 25, 1950, when more than 78,000 when he arrived at the navy recruitment
moved to Sun City Texas in De- North Korean troops surged over the RIÀFHKHIRXQGLWZDVFORVHGIRUOXQFK
cember 1997. After spending more than 38th parallel toward the South Korean Looking around, Wood noticed another
25 years in the Austin area, capital of Seoul. open recruiting door and entered without
both decided it was time to
RIÀFLDOO\UHWLUHDQGKDYHIXQ :RRGÀJXUHGDZDURIVRPHVRUWZDVLQ- hesitation. If he wasn’t meant
Wood has actually retired evitable, so he checked his draft number to be in the navy, then he’d
WZLFHÀUVWLQIROORZLQJ with the draft board. Sure enough, he join the next best thing - the
20 years active duty in the was soon to be called. As he tells it, he newly formed United States
Air Force, and second after Air Force.
20 years with the Texas Com-
mission for the Blind. Wood was just beginning boot
camp in July 1950 when the
Wood’s military specialty 8QLWHG6WDWHVRIÀFLDOO\MRLQHG
was in the USAF Air Police. the battle in South Korea.
Performing defense and law Two years later, he was on a
enforcement duties, the Air WURRSVKLSÀOOHGZLWK
Force sent him to such far- other souls bound for combat
away places as Korea, France, in South Korea.
Germany, Thailand, South
Vietnam and even some- The Korean War is often
times stateside. However, it referred to as the Forgotten
is Wood’s tour in the Korean War. One major reason is
War that is the focus of this Memorial because war was never de-
Day tribute. FODUHGLWZDVVLPSO\FDOOHG
a Police Action. Secondly,
A young John Wood was not consider- the Korean War was relatively short in
ing a military career as he graduated GXUDWLRQLQUHODWLRQWRRWKHUFRQÁLFWV
and wars the United States had been
involved in. Three years and one month
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