HESTER, WILLIAM ★ 10 MAY 49 - 1 JUL 68 LAMBERSON, CARL ★ 9 AUG 46 - 2 JUL 69 DOHERTY, JOHN ★ 20 DEC 44 - 2 JUL 67 OGBURN, FRANK ★ 3 AUG 46 - 2 JUL 66 VAUSE, JAMES ★ 6 FEB 44 - 2 JUL 66 LOPINTO, FRANK ★ 1 OCT 47 - 2 JUL 67 BELL, LEON ★ 2 MAY 46 - 2 JUL 67 TASSEY, MALCOLM ★ 3 JUN 43 - 2 JUL 67 ALBANESE, ROBERT ★ 25 OCT 31 - 3 JUL 69 LAYTON, ROBERT ★ 23 JUL 44 - 3 JUL 69 CATLING, ROBERT ★ 29 JUL 46 - 3 JUL 66 BILENSKI, JOHN ★ 6 JUL 39 - 3 JUL 68 SYDOR, DENNIS ★ 24 JUL 50 - 4 JUL 69 DIXON, CECIL ★ 13 NOV 38 - 4 JUL 67 SCHMUTZ, ANTHONY ★ 28 APR 43 - 4 JUL 67 STEFANIAK, STEPHEN ★ 15 FEB 48 - 4 JUL 68 MICKENS, CARL ★ 9 APR 44 - 4 JUL 70 TERRY, FREDERICK ★ 3 JUN 37 - 4 JUL 68 HICKS, JOSEPH ★ 30 MAR 47 - 4 JUL 67 WOODROW, ROBERT ★ 20 DEC 46 - 4 JUL 67 BORREGO, ANTHONY ★ 25 MAR 42 - 5 JUL 67 LAWRENCE, BRUCE ★ 12 JAN 43 - 5 JUL 68 ALAMO, GABRIEL ★ 18 NOV 18 - 6 JUL 64 NAWROSKY, MICHAEL ★ 18 JUN 41 - 6 JUL 68 ACKERMAN, DAVID ★ 5 OCT 45 - 6 JUL 69 PIASCIK, MICHAEL ★ 28 NOV 45 - 6 JUL 66 BAGLEY, DENNIS ★ 19 MAR 47 - 6 JUL 69 SLATTERY, ROBERT ★ 15 JUL 46 - 6 JUL 67 HOVANEC, DONALD ★ 10 DEC 49 - 7 JUL 69 DAVIS, HARLAND ★ 4 JUN 35 - 7 JUL 72 WEBER, WILLIAM ★ 19 NOV 46 - 7 JUL 68 DODSON, ROBERT ★ 17 MAY 43 - 7 JUL 68 COLEY, BRUCE ★ 30 MAY 48 - 7 JUL 69 COYLE, HUGH ★ 24 MAY 31 - 7 JUL 68 BIBBS, WARREN ★ 2 APR 45 - 7 JUL 68 MCLAUGHLIN, THOMAS ★ 27 AUG 46 - 7 JUL 67 PISCIOTTA, WAYNE ★ 7 DEC 50 - 8 JUL 71 HUMES, FRANK ★ 5 DEC 48 - 8 JUL 69 JOHNSON, ANTHONY ★ 6 OCT 40 - 8 JUL 67 DEVORE, CRAIG ★ 21 JUL 47 - 8 JUL 68 MOSES, DONALD ★ 4 AUG 45 - 9 JUL 66 LUTTGENS, JAMES ★ 7 MAY 49 - 9 JUL 70 STRANGEWAY, JAMES ★ 15 MAR 43 - 9 JUL 68 ANDERSON, STEVE ★ 12 JUL 46 - 10 JUL 69 MANIAS, ROBERT ★ 23 DEC 47 - 10 JUL 71 MCCONNELL, JAMES ★ 13 AUG 46 - 10 JUL 68 CHRISTENSON, WILLIAM ★ 22 MAR 45 - 10 JUL 69 RETZLAFF, ARTHUR ★ 2 DEC 42 - 10 JUL 67 HAYWARD, ARNOLD ★ 4 NOV 32 - 11 JUL 69 LIVELY, WARREN ★ 26 JAN 51 - 11 JUL 70 USILTON, JOHN ★ 29 JUN 41 - 12 JUL 69 YOHNNSON, GEORGE ★ 10 APR 47 - 12 JUL 66 JUDGE, CHARLES ★ 30 SEP 46 - 12 JUL 67 COSTA, MARIO ★ 9 FEB 50 - 12 JUL 68 MORRIGGI, JOSEPH ★ 15 AUG 48 - 13 JUL 69 MOORE, JEROME ★ 29 JAN 47 - 14 JUL 67 MCCALL, GERALD ★ 13 JUN 40 - 14 JUL 68 COWEN, CHRISTOPHER ★ 6 JUL 47 - 15 JUL 68 VIEHMANN, GEORGE ★ 5 AUG 47 - 15 JUL 69 TENCZA, ANTHONY ★ 13 MAY 19 - 15 JUL 62 BERG, JOHN ★ 16 MAY 46 - 15 JUL 67 GOLDBERG, JOSEPH ★ 27 SEP 30 - 15 JUL 62 HAAS, LEON ★ 3 APR 43 - 17 JUL 72 CUCCINELLI, ROBERT ★ 30 APR 49 - 17 JUL 68 BACON, ROBERT ★ 3 JUL 45 - 17 JUL 69 VARS, JONATHAN ★ 28 SEP 43 - 17 JUL 69 HARTMAN, RICHARD ★ 1 MAY 35 - 18 JUL 67 ANASIEWICZ, RICHARD ★ 26 OCT 45 - 18 JUL 66 ZUKOV, STEPHEN ★ 22 OCT 46 - 19 JUL 66 BESCHEN, JAMES ★ 1 JAN 45 - 19 JUL 66 RIGGINS, SIM ★ 12 DEC 46 - 19 JUL 66 ALFONSO, JOHN ★ 22 SEP 46 - 19 JUL 67 GERTSCH, JOHN ★ 29 SEP 44 - 19 JUL 69 HEGGAN, DONALD ★ 17 AUG 44 - 20 JUL 68 OUTWATER, ALBERT ★ 25 MAR 46 - 21 JUL 67 GILCH, JAMES ★ 6 MAY 45 - 21 JUL 66 JAMES, RODNEY ★ 30 MAR 46 - 22 JUL 66 ORTIZ-BURGOS, JOSE ★ 1 MAR 49 - 23 JUL 68 VOLPONE, DANTE ★ 3 MAR 47 - 23 JUL 67 EUCKER, FRANKLIN ★ 24 OCT 45 - 24 JUL 66 VIRGILIO, LAWRENCE ★ 16 APR 42 - 24 JUL 67 JENNINGS, MICHAEL ★ 24 FEB 50 - 25 JUL 69 CHAMBERS, HILLMAN ★ 30 OCT 48 - 26 JUL 68 ASMUTH, ROBERT ★ 29 OCT 48 - 26 JUL 70 MAJESKI, MICHAEL ★ 30 NOV 49 - 27 JUL 68 RENCEVICZ, CHESTER ★ 16 OCT 49 - 27 JUL 68 CAMPBELL, DONALD ★ 31 MAY 36 - 28 JUL 68 SMOYER, WILLIAM ★ 2 OCT 45 - 28 JUL 68 SHOOK, BOYD ★ 10 APR 52 - 28 JUL 70 KRUPINSKI, FREDERICK ★ 19 JAN 45 - 28 JUL 68 VALLONE, RICHARD ★ 22 DEC 45 - 29 JUL 67 CAMPEAU, FRANCIS ★ 28 MAY 45 - 29 JUL 67 FELVER, GALE ★ 2 JUL 46 - 29 JUL 66 KEIN, ROBERT ★ 19 MAY 49 - 29 JUL 69 AMENDOLA, JAMES ★ 13 OCT 44 - 29 JUL 69 LAVELLE, JOHN ★ 30 SEP 50 - 29 JUL 70 BERZINEC, WILLIAM ★ 11 DEC 30 - 30 JUL 68 BATES, RONALD ★ 4 NOV 49 - 31 JUL 69 HESTER, WILLIAM ★ 10 MAY 49 - 1 JUL 68 LAMBERSON, CARL ★ 9 AUG 46 - 2 JUL 69 DOHERTY, JOHN ★ 20 DEC 44 - 2 JUL 67 OGBURN, FRANK ★ 3 AUG 46 - 2 JUL 66 VAUSE, JAMES ★ 6 FEB 44 - 2 JUL 66 LOPINTO, FRANK ★ 1 OCT 47 - 2 JUL 67 BELL, LEON ★ 2 MAY 46 - 2 JUL 67 TASSEY, MALCOLM ★ 3 JUN 43 - 2 JUL 67 ALBANESE, ROBERT ★ 25 OCT 31 - 3 JUL 69 LAYTON, ROBERT ★ 23 JUL 44 - 3 JUL 69 CATLING, ROBERT ★ 29 JUL 46 - 3 JUL 66 BILENSKI, JOHN ★ 6 JUL 39 - 3 JUL 68 SYDOR, DENNIS ★ 24 JUL 50 - 4 JUL 69 DIXON, CECIL ★ 13 NOV 38 - 4 JUL 67 SCHMUTZ, ANTHONY ★ 28 APR 43 - 4 JUL 67 STEFANIAK, STEPHEN ★ 15 FEB 48 - 4 JUL 68 MICKENS, CARL ★ 9 APR 44 - 4 JUL 70 TERRY, FREDERICK ★ 3 JUN 37 - 4 JUL 68 HICKS, JOSEPH ★ 30 MAR 47 - 4 JUL 67 WOODROW, ROBERT ★ 20 DEC 46 - 4 JUL 67 BORREGO, ANTHONY ★ 25 MAR 42 - 5 JUL 67 LAWRENCE, BRUCE ★ 12 JAN 43 - 5 JUL 68 ALAMO, GABRIEL ★ 18 NOV 18 - 6 JUL 64 NAWROSKY, MICHAEL ★ 18 JUN 41 - 6 JUL 68 ACKERMAN, DAVID ★ 5 OCT 45 - 6 JUL 69 PIASCIK, MICHAEL ★ 28 NOV 45 - 6 JUL 66 BAGLEY, DENNIS ★ 19 MAR 47 - 6 JUL 69 SLATTERY, ROBERT ★ 15 JUL 46 - 6 JUL 67 HOVANEC, DONALD ★ 10 DEC 49 - 7 JUL 69 DAVIS, HARLAND ★ 4 JUN 35 - 7 JUL 72 WEBER, WILLIAM ★ 19 NOV 46 - 7 JUL 68 DODSON, ROBERT ★ 17 MAY 43 - 7 JUL 68 COLEY, BRUCE ★ 30 MAY 48 - 7 JUL 69 COYLE, HUGH ★ 24 MAY 31 - 7 JUL 68 BIBBS, WARREN ★ 2 APR 45 - 7 JUL 68 MCLAUGHLIN, THOMAS ★ 27 AUG 46 - 7 JUL 67 PISCIOTTA, WAYNE ★ 7 DEC 50 - 8 JUL 71 HUMES, FRANK ★ 5 DEC 48 - 8 JUL 69 JOHNSON, ANTHONY ★ 6 OCT 40 - 8 JUL 67 DEVORE, CRAIG ★ 21 JUL 47 - 8 JUL 68 MOSES, DONALD ★ 4 AUG 45 - 9 JUL 66 LUTTGENS, JAMES ★ 7 MAY 49 - 9 JUL 70 STRANGEWAY, JAMES ★ 15 MAR 43 - 9 JUL 68 ANDERSON, STEVE ★ 12 JUL 46 - 10 JUL 69 MANIAS, ROBERT ★ 23 DEC 47 - 10 JUL 71 MCCONNELL, JAMES ★ 13 AUG 46 - 10 JUL 68 CHRISTENSON, WILLIAM ★ 22 MAR 45 - 10 JUL 69 RETZLAFF, ARTHUR ★ 2 DEC 42 - 10 JUL 67 HAYWARD, ARNOLD ★ 4 NOV 32 - 11 JUL 69 LIVELY, WARREN ★ 26 JAN 51 - 11 JUL 70 USILTON, JOHN ★ 29 JUN 41 - 12 JUL 69 YOHNNSON, GEORGE ★ 10 APR 47 - 12 JUL 66 JUDGE, CHARLES ★ 30 SEP 46 - 12 JUL 67 COSTA, MARIO ★ 9 FEB 50 - 12 JUL 68 MORRIGGI, JOSEPH ★ 15 AUG 48 - 13 JUL 69 MOORE, JEROME ★ 29 JAN 47 - 14 JUL 67 MCCALL, GERALD ★ 13 JUN 40 - 14 JUL 68 COWEN, CHRISTOPHER ★ 6 JUL 47 - 15 JUL 68 VIEHMANN, GEORGE ★ 5 AUG 47 - 15 JUL 69 TENCZA, ANTHONY ★ 13 MAY 19 - 15 JUL 62 BERG, JOHN ★ 16 MAY 46 - 15 JUL 67 GOLDBERG, JOSEPH ★ 27 SEP 30 - 15 JUL 62 HAAS, LEON ★ 3 APR 43 - 17 JUL 72 CUCCINELLI, ROBERT ★ 30 APR 49 - 17 JUL 68 BACON, ROBERT ★ 3 JUL 45 - 17 JUL 69 VARS, JONATHAN ★ 28 SEP 43 - 17 JUL 69 HARTMAN, RICHARD ★ 1 MAY 35 - 18 JUL 67 ANASIEWICZ, RICHARD ★ 26 OCT 45 - 18 JUL 66 ZUKOV, STEPHEN ★ 22 OCT 46 - 19 JUL 66 BESCHEN, JAMES ★ 1 JAN 45 - 19 JUL 66 RIGGINS, SIM ★ 12 DEC 46 - 19 JUL 66 ALFONSO, JOHN ★ 22 SEP 46 - 19 JUL 67 GERTSCH, JOHN ★ 29 SEP 44 - 19 JUL 69 HEGGAN, DONALD ★ 17 AUG 44 - 20 JUL 68 OUTWATER, ALBERT ★ 25 MAR 46 - 21 JUL 67 GILCH, JAMES ★ 6 MAY 45 - 21 JUL 66 JAMES, RODNEY ★ 30 MAR 46 - 22 JUL 66 ORTIZ-BURGOS, JOSE ★ 1 MAR 49 - 23 JUL 68 VOLPONE, DANTE ★ 3 MAR 47 - 23 JUL 67 EUCKER, FRANKLIN ★ 24 OCT 45 - 24 JUL 66 VIRGILIO, LAWRENCE ★ 16 APR 42 - 24 JUL 67 JENNINGS, MICHAEL ★ 24 FEB 50 - 25 JUL 69 CHAMBERS, HILLMAN ★ 30 OCT 48 - 26 JUL 68 ASMUTH, ROBERT ★ 29 OCT 48 - 26 JUL 70 MAJESKI, MICHAEL ★ 30 NOV 49 - 27 JUL 68 RENCEVICZ, CHESTER ★ 16 OCT 49 - 27 JUL 68 CAMPBELL, DONALD ★ 31 MAY 36 - 28 JUL 68 SMOYER, WILLIAM ★ 2 OCT 45 - 28 JUL 68 SHOOK, BOYD ★ 10 APR 52 - 28 JUL 70 KRUPINSKI, FREDERICK ★ 19 JAN 45 - 28 JUL 68 VALLONE, RICHARD ★ 22 DEC 45 - 29 JUL 67 CAMPEAU, FRANCIS ★ 28 MAY 45 - 29 JUL 67 FELVER, GALE ★ 2 JUL 46 - 29 JUL 66 KEIN, ROBERT ★ 19 MAY 49 - 29 JUL 69 AMENDOLA, JAMES ★ 13 OCT 44 - 29 JUL 69 LAVELLE, JOHN ★ 30 SEP 50 - 29 JUL 70 BERZINEC, WILLIAM ★ 11 DEC 30 - 30 JUL 68 BATES, RONALD ★ 4 NOV 49 - 31 JUL 69

James Woods - Private First Class (PFC)

Hometown:
New Milford
D.O.B.:
June 5, 1950
County:
Bergen
Rank:
Private First Class (PFC)
Branch:
Army
Date of Casualty:

September 24, 1969

Casualty Status:
Killed In Action
Country of Incident:
South Vietnam

James B. Woods, Jr. was born on June 5, 1950. James was one of ten children. After his death, his youngest brother was named after him.

James attended New Milford High School. He loved old cars. James was the manager of the first McDonald’s in River Edge, NJ, in 1968.

Woods enlisted in the US Army in January 1969, from New Milford, NJ. He attained the rank of Private First Class (PFC). He served as the gunner on a two-man combat helicopter.

On August 26, 1969, while participating in a reconnaissance flight, Woods’ helicopter was shot at by ground fire. After being hit, Woods saw a smoke grenade ignite in the pilot’s compartment and despite his painful wounds he was able to grab and throw the grenade out of the helicopter, according to the citation awarding him the Air Medal for heroism. Additionally, he was awarded the Air Medal, Bronze Star and Purple Heart.

James’ parents received a telegram within 24 hours of his being wounded. They received constant updates and were able to call Washington, DC to track their son’s progress. But as the days passed, Woods, Sr., was receiving differing information about his son’s progress. He decided he needed to go and see for himself, and contacted his congressman, who helped get his passport in order.

On September 15, 1969, Woods, Sr. took a TWA airplane, flying out of Kennedy airport to California, on the first leg of his journey to Vietnam. The flight cost $1200.00 and the airline lost his luggage, but he didn’t care. He would soon be with his son.

In Saigon, he learned that his son was being cared for in an evacuation hospital in
Da Nang, on the central eastern coast of Vietnam. Representatives from the Red Cross met Woods, Sr. in Saigon and helped him arrange for a small airplane to fly him to
Da Nang. He learned in flight that he was flying through the war zone.

After Woods, Sr. arrived in Da Nang, a colonel directed him to a sergeant, who gave him boots and military fatigues to wear. He was given a place in a “hootch” to sleep. Then it was time to see his son.

He quickly learned from the doctors that his son’s condition was not good. He couldn’t move. The bullet had severed the seventh vertebra in his spine and his breathing was assisted by a tracheotomy. After sitting by his son’s bedside for 10 days, James took a turn for the worse and required emergency surgery. He slipped into a coma from which he would never awake. On September 24, 1969, James Woods, Jr. died.

It was decided that Mr. Woods would accompany his son’s casket home. He would be traveling on a large military cargo aircraft. There was nothing in the back but his son’s and six other caskets.

James was buried in Pinelawn Veteran Cemetery in Long Island, NY.

In their hometown of New Milford, a street was named in his honor – James B. Woods, Jr. Place.

After James’ death, his mother who had never been politically active nor had ever voted, decided to start a movement dedicated to Peace on Earth Day. It would be celebrated on James’ birthday. Several states, including New Jersey, have now declared June 5 to be Peace on Earth Day, thanks to the tireless efforts of one bereaved mother.

Sources: James B. Woods, Sr. (father), Karen Darling (sister), James B. Woods, Jr. and NJVVMF.
12/17/2024

Other Heros From New Milford

Grix, Thomas - Specialist 4

Hometown: New Milford