2nd Lieutenant Arthur Maynard Wood (Service # O-701227) was born on August 17, 1920 in Jacksonville, Florida. He married Mary Freda Stuart on December 26, 1941.

At the time of this story, the author was unable to discover additional information on the early life of 2nd Lt. Wood. Regardless, we honor him…thank you 2nd Lt. Wood.

2nd Lt. Wood registered for the draft on February 15, 1942 in Jacksonville while employed at Seaboard Railway in Jacksonville, and he enlisted on November 28, 1942. After entering the service, he experienced several months of intensive training. After receiving his wings and commission, he was assigned to the Ninth Air Force, 366th Fighter Group. This FG consisted of three Fighter Squadrons – 389th FS, 390th FS, and 391st FS. 2nd Lt. Wood was a member of the 389th FS.

The pilots experienced rigorous training to earn their wings and commissions, and the different stages of training were as follows:

Classification: The stage where it would be decided whether the air cadet would train as a navigator, bombardier, or pilot.

Preflight: Ground training for all cadets. Successful completion meant being assigned to a flying school for training.

Primary: Here they were taught basic flying using two-seat training aircraft. This involved learning formation flying, air navigation, and cross country flying.

Advanced: Single or multi-engine aircraft schools for air cadets becoming fighter, bomber, or transport pilots. After graduation, the air cadet received his wings and was commissioned as second lieutenant.

The 366th FG was created on May 24, 1943 and activated on June 1, 1943 at Richmond Army Air Base in Henrico County, Virginia. The 366th FG trained at Richmond AAB and also at Bluethenthal Air Field in Wilmington, North Carolina. The group shipped out to England in December 1943 and made its first home base at Royal Air Force Base (British Air Force) Membury / United States Army Air Force Station AAF-466 in Lambourn, England from January 10, 1944 to March 1, 1944. The Group moved to RAF Thruxton / USAAF Station AAF- 407 in Andover, England on March 1, 1944 and flew missions from there until June 12, 1944.

After their missions while stationed at RAF Membury and RAF Thruxton - and as the Allies began their push from the beaches of Normandy, France through Continental Europe to Germany, the 366th FG moved their bases to captured airfields - or airfields constructed in key areas - known as Advanced Landing Ground bases:

…Saint-Pierre-du-Mont / ALG A-1, France June 12, 1944 to August 24, 1944

…Dreux / ALG A-41, France August 24, 1944 to September 8, 1944

…Laon-Couvron / ALG A-70, France September 8, 1944 to November 19, 1944

…Asch / ALG Y-29, Belgium November 19, 1944 to April 11, 1945

…Munster-Handorf / ALG Y-94, Germany April 11, 1945 to June 25, 1945

…Bayreuth-Bindlach / ALG R-26, Germ. June 25, 1945 to September 14, 1945

After moving to England, the 366th FG gained experience in combat methods and techniques by training with veteran pilots. After this intense training, the group flew their first combat mission on March 14, 1944 - a fighter sweep mission along the French coast (a fighter sweep is a coordinated mission by fighter planes to seek out and destroy enemy aircraft and/or targets of opportunity). The squadrons participated in and supported several key and strategic missions and operations that helped turn the tide against Germany, including D-Day on June 6, 1944 on the beaches and inland in Normandy, France; the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium – from December 1944 to January 1945; and Operation Market Garden – the Allied airborne landing in Holland in September 1944.

Flying the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt Fighter, a crucial function of these units were bomber escort missions - protecting Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Heavy Bombers, Consolidated B-24 Liberator Heavy Bombers, Martin B-26 Medium Bombers, and Douglas A-26 Light Bombers during their missions from England to Continental Europe. In addition to the protection they provided the bombers, the 366th FG engaged German aircraft in aerial combat and shot down many enemy aircraft during these missions.

Another vital function of these units was bomb/strafe missions across Europe flying the P-47. Among the many operations these groups participated in was flying cover for Allied forces before, during, and after D-Day. These critically important strafing and bombing missions included attacking German targets such as troop concentrations, railyards, bridges, tunnels, gun emplacements, roadways, fuel centers, armored vehicles such as tanks and personnel carriers, ammunition storage facilities, ships, shipyards, submarine bases, radar facilities, buildings housing enemy troops, and airfields.

On June 7, 1944 – on what would be his final mission on the day after the D-Day invasion began – 2nd Lt. Wood took flight in his P-47D-22-RE Thunderbolt Fighter (Serial # 42-26017) with fellow pilots of the 389th FS out of RAF Thruxton/USAAF Station AAF-407, England on an armed reconnaissance mission with a destination in Normandy, France (an armed reconnaissance mission was used to obtain vital information on enemy troop and equipment movements as well as attacking enemy targets of opportunity). Fellow squadron pilot Captain Teddy J. Kerr (O-672628) reported that 2nd Lt. Wood’s plane was hit by intense enemy anti-aircraft fire during the mission and crashed. Capt. Kerr observed 2nd Lt. Wood parachute successfully before the crash and after landing, recover his parachute and make his way into a forested area. This was the last visual contact Capt. Kerr had of 2nd Lt. Wood. It later was determined that 2nd Lt. Wood was likely killed by enemy small arms fire after he initially evaded capture.

2nd Lt. Wood’s remains were discovered after initially being listed as Missing in Action, and the November 23, 1947 edition of The Miami Herald listed him as one of the Fallen Heroes that was transported from France to the United States aboard the transport ship USS Robert Burns. He was then buried in Miami Memorial Park Cemetery in Miami, Florida – Memorial ID 136357917.

2nd Lt. Wood was awarded the Purple Heart for his heroic actions.

The 366th FG was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for meritorious action in the St. Lo area of Normandy, France on July 11, 1944.

Additional information can be sourced from the following sites:

https://www.americanairmuseum.com/archive/unit/366th-fighter-group

https://www.americanairmuseum.com/archive/unit/389th-fighter-squadron

366th Fighter Group Motto > “Audentes Fortuna Juvat” = “Fortune Favors the Brave”

Thank you for your sacrifice and service in fighting to protect freedom and democracy 2nd Lt. Wood….Rest in Peace.

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project (see www.storiesbehindthestars.org). This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 421,000+ of the US WWII Fallen saved on Together We Served and www.Fold3.com . Can you help write these stories? These stories will be accessible via smartphone app at any war memorial or cemetery. If you noticed anything erroneous in this profile or have additional information to contribute to it, please contact me…I would be honored to make changes/additions where requested.

kgm72@comcast.net

Arthur M Wood