Silver Star, 51 years later

[David]

Korean War vet gets Silver Star, 51 years later


Associated Press


CHARLESTON, W.Va.? Robert Wood was nominated for a Silver Star more than 50 years ago after he led his fellow soldiers through attacking North Korean and Chinese soldiers during the Korean War. But the honor never came.
The Point Pleasant man, now 74, thought he had been forgotten. He was not, thanks to the efforts of Col. Brarry Cox, director of training for the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs in Washington, D.C.

Wood finally received his Silver Star, the third highest honor given to American military personnel, during a ceremony Tuesday at Arlington National Cemetery.

?I?m kind of dumbfounded,? Wood said.

?I feel I?m accepting it for some of the boys we lost,? Wood said. ?It?s hard to brag about anything when you have boys lost.?

On the night of Feb. 11, 1951, Wood?s artillery battery was attacked by a larger enemy force. Wood jumped out of his armored vehicle and pulled two wounded men to safety. He later saw enemy soldiers setting up a heavy machine gun and again left his vehicle to direct artillery gun fire at them.

?If anyone deserves the award, he does,? said Wood?s first sergeant, Frank Mcguire, who had nominated Wood for the Silver Star after the battle. ?He was a fighter.?

Cox learned of the battle during a chance conversation with Wood and gathered information to help him get his medal.

?I think it?s important to right wrongs,? Cox said.