Loren Dean Wood, Sr.
Era: World War II
Military Branch: Marines
Loren Dean Wood, Sr. served in World War II, in China, and in the Korean War.
During World War II, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps Field Artillery assigned to L Battery, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division.
His rank was Private First Class.
Mr. Wood was born in 1928 in St. Joseph, Illinois, the son of Mr. and Mrs. John B. Wood.
Source: Veterans’ Memorial Hall veteran history form;
“WWII Vets Loren and Mariann Wood and Gerald Yourczek take Honor Flight,” Cook News-Herald, October 20, 2011, p. 1; veteran’s account (below)
“Enlisted at age seventeen in Spring-field, Illinois, July 20, 1945. Sent to Parris Island, South Carolina, six weeks basic training, then advanced training, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. For advanced training on the 155 Howitzer, went to Camp Pendleton, California.
“Shipped out on SS Young America to Goo, China, and then troop train to Tientsin (now Tianjin). Spent one year in China guarding Japanese prisoners and taking them to work details. I was in the ‘Anping Incident’ in July 29, 1946, in which three Marines were killed and several were wounded by Chinese Communist forces.
“Came home on the USS Breckenridge through the Panama Canal. I got to see a lot of China and to get to our main base. We went by the Great Wall of China. Discharged October 1946.
“I was also called back for the Korean War for a short time.
“I was happy and proud to serve my country.
“I married Mariann Wilson October 31, 1947. Have been happily married for 64 years as of December 2011.
“Honor Flight was a very special memory. I think you for it. Our daughter, Shirley Nicholas, being our guardian was special also.”
