Marvin Royce Wood
Corporal, U.S. Army

In November 1950, Corporal Marvin Royce Wood was serving as a Medical Aidman with the 13th Engineer Combat Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, in Korea.

On 17 November, CPL Wood's unit was engaged with enemy forces at Soju-ri, North Korea. His platoon was moving out into a narrow valley, with little cover, when the enemy opened a violent cross-fire that caused many casualties in his unit. CPL Wood moved about in the heavy hostile fire, attending the wounded, and assisting in their evacuation. As he dashed toward a wounded man about 100 yards away, he was wounded and knocked to the ground. He crawled the remaining 25 yards to the wounded man, sat astride his patient's back, and was administering first aid when he was wounded a second time and knocked off of the patient. He returned to his position and again began to provide first aid. CPL Wood was then struck a third time and fell, mortally wounded, alongside his comrade. CPL Wood's courageous actions, tenacity, and self-sacrifice earned him the U.S. Army's second highest award for valor, the Distinguished Service Cross.

Medals, Awards and Badges

Distinguished Service Cross
Bronze Star Medal (Merit)
Purple Heart with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Army Good Conduct Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Korean Service Medal
United Nations Service Medal
Republic of Korea War Service Medal
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
Combat Medical Badge

Distinguished Service Cross Citation

The President of the United States of America, under the provisions of the Act of Congress approved July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Corporal Marvin R. Wood (ASN: RA-19322364), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving as a Medical Aidman with the 13th Engineer Combat Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. Corporal Wood distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action against enemy aggressor forces at Soju-ri, Korea, on 17 November 1950. On that date, Corporal Wood's platoon was moving out into a narrow valley affording little cover when the enemy opened a violent cross-fire which resulted in many casualties to his unit. With utter disregard for his personal safety, he moved about in the heavy hostile fire, attending the wounded, and assisting in their evacuation. As he dashed through vicious cross-fire toward a wounded man approximately one hundred yards away, he was wounded by concentrated fire and knocked to the ground. Crawling the remaining twenty-five yards to the wounded man, he unhesitatingly sat astride the back of his patient and administered first aid. He was again wounded and knocked from the wounded man's back, but returned to his position and again attempted to administer first aid. He was struck for the third time and fell mortally wounded alongside his comrade. Corporal Wood's supreme courage, indomitable tenacity, and gallant self-sacrifice reflect the highest credit on himself and the esteemed traditions of the United States Army.

General Orders: Department of the Army: General Orders No. 50 (July 16, 1951)

Burial

Corporal Marvin Royce Wood is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Saint Maries, Benewah County, ID in Section SA.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=55581898