Donald Charles Wood

Private First Class
E TROOP, 17TH CAVALRY, 173 ABN BDE
Army of the United States
23 October 1949 - 20 May 1968
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Panel 64E Line 010

173 ABN BDE 17TH CAV RGT
Armor

Purple Heart, National Defense, Vietnam Service, Vietnam Campaign

Airborne!

The database page for Donald Charles Wood

25 Oct 2007

To Don, a fellow trooper and friend -
you are always in my prayers and my heart.

Your best friend,
David "the kid" Ellison
AIRBORNE!
1 Midland Avenue, South Amboy N. J.
dj.ellison@yahoo.com

27 May 2008

To Woody from a fellow trooper and friend.

Although I only knew you for two months you made a lasting impression for the rest of my life. Your kindness and gentle spirit is everlasting in my heart forever. God bless you and we will see each other again someday.

Brothers forever,
Paul H. Limon
2851 Rolling Hills Drive #277, Fullerton, Calif. 92835
diana.limon@yahoo.com

A Note from The Virtual Wall

E Troop, 17th Cavalry, was the 173rd Airborne Brigade's ground recon unit. On 20 May 1968 E Troop lost three men:
  • SP4 Larry L. Mitchell, Valdosta, GA;
  • CPL Michael D. Reeves, Absecon, NJ; and
  • PFC Donald C. Wood, Philadelphia, PA.

Pfc. Donald Wood, 18, son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Wood, of 116 Maplewood Ave. in Germantown.
A 1967 graduate of Cardinal Dougherty High School, Pfc. Wood entered the Army eight months ago and trained at Fort Gordon, Ga., and Fort Bragg, N.C.
Besides his parents, he is survived by two brothers, Paul Jr., 21, and John 20, and three sisters, Mary, 24, Theresa, 22, and Virginia, 17.

The Philadelphia Inquirer
24 May 1968
Courtesy of
Jim McIlhenney

The photo and following article is taken from The Philadelphia Daily News, special supplement entitled 'SIX HUNDRED AND THIRTY,' October 26, 1987.

Donald C. Wood
Maplewood Avenue, Germantown

The 1967 Cardinal Dougherty High School graduate enlisted in the Army three months after finishing school and was assigned to Vietnam as a paratrooper. His father recalled him as always being cheerful and never complaining of his hard duty in the war. The 19-year-old private first class, a loader with Troop E of the 17th Cavalry, 173rd Airborne Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, was killed near the Demilitarized Zone on May 20, 1968. He was survived by his parents, two brothers and three sisters.

Contrary to the Daily News article, the engagement was in Binh Dinh Province, several hundred miles south of the Demilitarized Zone. PFC Wood is buried in Site 41A, Section Q, Philadelphia National Cemetery.





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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Memorial first published on 25 Oct 2007
Last updated 08/10/2009