Louis E. Woods

Infobox Military Person
name= Louis E. Woods
born= birth date|1895|10|7
died= death date and age|1971|10|20|1895|10|7
placeofbirth= Fredonia, New York
placeofdeath= Washington, D.C.
placeofburial=


caption= LtGen Louis E. Woods
nickname= Bullets and Beans [DeChant, "Devilbirds", p.153.]
allegiance= United States of America
branch=United States Marine Corps
serviceyears= 1917-1951
rank= Lieutenant General
commands= 4th Marine Aircraft Wing Tactical Air Force, 10th Army 1st Marine Aircraft Wing 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Aircraft, FMF Atlantic Marine Air, West Coast
unit=
battles= World War II *Battle of Guadalcanal
awards= Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit (4)
laterwork=Lieutenant General Louis E. Woods (7 October, 1895-20 October, 1971), one of the Marine Corps' outstanding aviators, served as Commanding General, Aircraft, Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic, and 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing at the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, prior to his retirement. During World War II, he commanded the Cactus Air Force at Guadalcanal during November and December, 1942, and later, at Okinawa, was Commanding General, Tactical Air Force, Tenth Army, and the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing.

For outstanding services rendered in the former named position he was awarded a Gold Star in lieu of a third Legion of Merit, and in the second capacity a Distinguished Service Medal. His citation for the latter reads in part, "…Continually exposed to terrific fire from enemy ship and shore batteries, as well as bombing and strafing attacks by hostile aircraft, Brigadier General Woods directed the operations of his forces with such daring skill and tenacious determination that a total of twenty-two Japanese surface craft was sunk and sixth-five planes destroyed.

Brigadier General Woods by his dauntless courage and outstanding leadership, contributed in a great measure to the success of our forces in that area."

LtGen Woods retired on 1 July, 1951, after 34 years of Marine Corps service.

Early years

Louis Woods was born on 7 October, 1895, in Fredonia, New York. He attended Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York.

Marine Corps service

1917 - 1940

Woods was commissioned a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps on 4 April, 1917.

Following a course of instruction at the School of Application, Marine Barracks, Norfolk, Virginia, he went to sea duty on board the USS "Georgia". In March 1918, he transferred to the USS "Pittsburgh" where, except for a short period of four months, he remained until ordered ashore in October 1921.

In June 1922, after attending the Aviation School, Pensacola, Florida, he was designated a Naval Aviator. For the next two years he was stationed at Marine Air Station, Quantico, Virginia, performing duties as a pilot.

He was ordered to foreign shore duty in Haiti, where in July 1924, he joined Observation Squadron Two, First Marine Brigade, at Port-au-Prince as Executive Officer of the Squadron.

Shortly after his return to the United States in August 1926, he was ordered to Headquarters Marine Corps, Washington, D.C., for duty in the Aviation Section of the Major General Commandant's Department. Except for a one-year course of instruction at the Air Corps Tactical School, Langley Field, Virginia, he remained at Headquarters until August 1933, when he was detached to overseas duty in Haiti. There he joined the First Marine Brigade as Executive Officer, Observation Squadron Nine-M, at Port-au-Prince.

From August 1934 to June 1937, he was stationed at the Marine Corps Schools, Quantico, Virginia, first as a student in the Senior Course, and later as Chief of the Aviation Section of the Schools.

During the next three years he was Executive Officer, and then Commanding Officer, of the Second Marine Aircraft Group at the Naval Air Station San Diego, California. In June 1940, he became a student in the Senior Course, Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island.

World War II

Upon graduation in May 1941, he joined the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. He accompanied the Wing to the South Pacific in September 1942, where he participated in the Battle of Guadalcanal as the chief of staff for, then Major General, Roy Geiger. He would become commander of the Cactus Air Force on November 7, 1942 [Frank, "Guadalcanal", p. 410.] and lead the men through the lowest point in the campaign until he turned the command over to Brigadier General Francis P. Mulcahy on December 26, 1942. [DeChant, "Devilbirds", p.68.]

He returned to the United States and assumed duties as Director, Division of Aviation, Headquarters, Marine Corps in June 1943, where he received a Gold Star in lieu of a second Legion of Merit.

He went to the war in the Pacific for the second time when he assumed command of the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing based in the Marshall-Gilbert Area and was Commander, Shore Base Force. He was awarded the Legion of Merit for his outstanding service in this area.

On June 11, 1945 he succeeded Mulcahy, who was in ill health, as Commanding General of the Tactical Air Force, Tenth Army and the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, for which he was awarded a Gold Star in lieu of his Third Legion of Merit.

Post-war years

In November 1945, he took command of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing at Tientsin, China, and received an Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a fourth Legion of Merit for his meritorious performance of duty in providing air support for all Allied Forces in North China.

He returned to the United States to become Commander, Marine Air West Coast in August 1946. When that organization was deactivated in September 1947, General Woods was named Commanding General of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing which had just returned to the United States. He was detached to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina on August 1, 1949, where he remained until his retirement in July 1951.

Woods died on October 20, 1971 in Washington, D.C.

Decorations

In addition to the Distinguished Service Medal and Legion of Merit with two Gold Stars and one Oak Leaf Cluster, his decorations and medals include the Presidential Unit Citation with two stars, Guadalcanal 1942, Okinawa 1945; Victory Medal, 1918; Expeditionary Medal Haiti 1924; American Defense Service Medal; American Campaign Medal; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with five Bronze Stars; World War II Victory Medal; Haitian Order of Honor and Merit, rank of Chevalier, with Diploma; Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire; and the Order of the Cloud and Banner with Grand Gordon (Chinese decoration).

ee also

Notes

References

Books

*cite book
title=Devilbirds: The Story of United States Marine Corps Aviation in World War II
author=De Chant, John A.
date = 1947
publisher=Harper and Brothers Publishers
id=

*cite book
last = Frank
first = Richard
authorlink = Richard B. Frank
year = 1990
title = Guadalcanal: The Definitive Account of the Landmark Battle
publisher = Random House
location = New York
id = ISBN 0-394-58875-4

Web

:Marine Corps
*cite web
url=http://www.tecom.usmc.mil/HD/Whos_Who/Woods_LE.htm
title=Lieutenant General Louis E. Woods, USMC
work=Who's Who in Marine Corps History
publisher=History Division, United States Marine Corps
accessdate=2007-09-06