thedrifter
05-21-09, 06:40 AM
Thursday, May. 21, 2009
Tri-City Marines meet 4-star general
By Michelle Dupler, Herald staff writer
Retired Gunnery Sgt. Marvin "Woody" Wood has been connected with the Marine Corps since enlisting in 1950.
But he never met a four-star general until Wednesday, when Marine Corps Gen. James N. Mattis, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation for NATO and commander of the U.S. Joint Forces Command, showed up at his doorstep in Kennewick.
Mattis has been in the news occasionally while leading combat forces in Afghanistan and Iraq, once remarking about combat being "fun" in the context of the people he was fighting in Afghanistan.
But the man who arrived at Wood's home Wednesday evening wearing casual desert brown camouflage was easygoing and full of smiles as he chatted and shook hands with the 76-year-old veteran's friends and neighbors.
Wood was told about four days ago that the general wanted to pay him a visit to thank him for his 20 years in the Marines, including two tours of duty in the Korean War and one tour in Vietnam.
The visit was set up by several old school friends of Mattis, who grew up in Richland and came home on leave recently.
Ed Ruff, one of Mattis's chums, said Wood is known for his commitment to the Marines and for the way he's kept in touch with other veterans even though he retired nearly 40 years ago.
"It fits well with this Memorial weekend that we remember Gunny Wood and others like him," Ruff said.
Wood is disabled by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which has reduced his lung capacity to 20 percent and keeps him on oxygen. He also has heart problems and trouble walking, he said.
Despite those setbacks, he beamed with pride as he drove his scooter down a ramp to his front lawn Wednesday evening to greet the general.
"I heard about this jarhead here," Mattis said as he shook Wood's hand. "I had to come and see him."
The two chatted about Wood's military service, which found him running a radio on the front lines in Korea and working with security forces in Vietnam.
In between wars, duty took him from his native Florida to Japan, Turkey and several spots within the United States before he retired and settled in Las Vegas for awhile.
Wood and his wife, Jean, moved to the Tri-Cities 19 years ago to be near their daughters. The entire clan, including three daughters, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, now live in the area, the couple said.
"It's the longest we've lived anywhere," Marvin Wood said.
"This is heaven on Earth, isn't it?" Mattis said, gesturing at the clear blue sky and setting sun. "I love this place. I'm thinking about deserting."
Wood said in an interview before the visit that he hoped it would call attention to the older generation of veterans -- the generation that is disappearing.
"The old-timers are kind of forgotten," he said.
But the brotherhood of the Marine Corps can't be broken, and Wood recently has located through the internet men he knew in the service 50 years ago.
"Once a Marine, always a Marine," he said.
Mattis said with Memorial Day approaching, it's important to remember the sacrifices made by those in uniform -- not only those who have died, but those who still are living, like Wood.
"The only reason we have freedom of the press, freedom of religion, freedom of speech is because these people have fought for them," he said. "This is a big experiment to see if government by the people for the people is going to survive. It is only so long as we have people willing to put up with danger and discomfort, and disruption of their lives, that we will keep this experiment alive."
w Michelle Dupler: 582-1543; mdupler@tricity herald.com
Ellie
Tri-City Marines meet 4-star general
By Michelle Dupler, Herald staff writer
Retired Gunnery Sgt. Marvin "Woody" Wood has been connected with the Marine Corps since enlisting in 1950.
But he never met a four-star general until Wednesday, when Marine Corps Gen. James N. Mattis, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation for NATO and commander of the U.S. Joint Forces Command, showed up at his doorstep in Kennewick.
Mattis has been in the news occasionally while leading combat forces in Afghanistan and Iraq, once remarking about combat being "fun" in the context of the people he was fighting in Afghanistan.
But the man who arrived at Wood's home Wednesday evening wearing casual desert brown camouflage was easygoing and full of smiles as he chatted and shook hands with the 76-year-old veteran's friends and neighbors.
Wood was told about four days ago that the general wanted to pay him a visit to thank him for his 20 years in the Marines, including two tours of duty in the Korean War and one tour in Vietnam.
The visit was set up by several old school friends of Mattis, who grew up in Richland and came home on leave recently.
Ed Ruff, one of Mattis's chums, said Wood is known for his commitment to the Marines and for the way he's kept in touch with other veterans even though he retired nearly 40 years ago.
"It fits well with this Memorial weekend that we remember Gunny Wood and others like him," Ruff said.
Wood is disabled by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which has reduced his lung capacity to 20 percent and keeps him on oxygen. He also has heart problems and trouble walking, he said.
Despite those setbacks, he beamed with pride as he drove his scooter down a ramp to his front lawn Wednesday evening to greet the general.
"I heard about this jarhead here," Mattis said as he shook Wood's hand. "I had to come and see him."
The two chatted about Wood's military service, which found him running a radio on the front lines in Korea and working with security forces in Vietnam.
In between wars, duty took him from his native Florida to Japan, Turkey and several spots within the United States before he retired and settled in Las Vegas for awhile.
Wood and his wife, Jean, moved to the Tri-Cities 19 years ago to be near their daughters. The entire clan, including three daughters, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, now live in the area, the couple said.
"It's the longest we've lived anywhere," Marvin Wood said.
"This is heaven on Earth, isn't it?" Mattis said, gesturing at the clear blue sky and setting sun. "I love this place. I'm thinking about deserting."
Wood said in an interview before the visit that he hoped it would call attention to the older generation of veterans -- the generation that is disappearing.
"The old-timers are kind of forgotten," he said.
But the brotherhood of the Marine Corps can't be broken, and Wood recently has located through the internet men he knew in the service 50 years ago.
"Once a Marine, always a Marine," he said.
Mattis said with Memorial Day approaching, it's important to remember the sacrifices made by those in uniform -- not only those who have died, but those who still are living, like Wood.
"The only reason we have freedom of the press, freedom of religion, freedom of speech is because these people have fought for them," he said. "This is a big experiment to see if government by the people for the people is going to survive. It is only so long as we have people willing to put up with danger and discomfort, and disruption of their lives, that we will keep this experiment alive."
w Michelle Dupler: 582-1543; mdupler@tricity herald.com
Ellie