Blue Ridge
Official Publication of the
80th Division Veterans Asssociation, Inc.

Post Reunion 2005 - v86, #346

A change has been made on the Chaplains Burial in Arlington Cemetery. The date is still October 26, but the time of the burial has been changed from 3PM to 11AM.

REV. COLONEL JOHN O. WOODS, U.S. Army 80th Infantry Division retired, 97 of St. Paul Homes, West Salem Township, died at 4:50 am. Sunday August 7, 2005 at UPMC Horizon, Greenville, PA. He was born September 20, 1907, in Laramie, Wyo., to the Rev. Oscar and Frederica (Prahl) Wood.

A 1924 graduate of Elderton, PA, High School, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Ibid College, Greenville, in 1928. In 1931, he earned a master of divinity degree from Chicago Lutheran Theological Seminary. Thiel College awarded him an honorary doctor of divinity degree.

Following his ordination, he served as pastor of St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Coudersport, PA., from 1931 to 1935. Throughout his retirement, he enjoyed serving as a supply pastor to congregations throughout the Northwestern Pennsylvania Synod.

In 1935, he was called to active duty as a Reserve Army chaplain, attached to the Civilian Conservation Corps in Virginia, where he served until 1939, when he was commissioned into the regular Army. In 1942, he joined the 80th Infantry Division, went to Europe with this outfit and remained with the 80th Infantry for 3½ years.

During World War II he was awarded four battle stars, including the Battle of the Bulge in the winter of 1944.

His tours of duty included Fort Lee, VA, Frankfort, Germany, Fort Meade, MD.; Korea, and Fort Knox, KY. From 1956 through 1962, he was XVIII Airborne Corps Chaplain with headquarters at Fort Bragg, NC.

A cross-country runner for most of his life, at the age of 49 he earned his parachutist wings, and also the Master Parachutist Badge. During this time, he made more than 90 military jumps from military aircraft.

From 1962 to 1966, he was stationed at Heidelburg, Germany, as senior Chaplain of the U.S. Army Europe. He was retired as a chaplain at the rank of Colonel in October 1967 by the U.S. Army at Valley Forge General Hospital, Phoenixville, PA.

His awards and Decorations include the legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal and various campaign and theater medals and ribbons from WW II, Korea and Vietnam eras. He loved the military and people, no matter where he lived. He was especially fond of people of Greenville where he retired.

He was a member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Greenville. He participated in many local organizations, including Kiwanis Club, American Legion Post 140, Cpl. James O. Jordan Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3374, all of Greenville, PA. 80th Division Veterans Association, Greenville Ministerial Association, Thiel College Alumni Board, Penn Lakes Girl Scout Council. Korean Bible Society. Food Pantry and many others.