��������

BOB WOODS WILL COMMEMORATE THE 78TH ANNIVERSARY OF LIBERATION DAY. THAT’S THE DAY THE BRITISH SEVENTH ARMORED DIVISION FREED HIM FROM A GERMAN P.O.W. CAMP. AND TODAY, MR. WOODS WAS THE ONE BEING HONORED IN GREENVILLE. OUR JANE ROBELOT TAKES US TO THE MEDAL CEREMONY FOR THE MAN DESCRIBED AS A 97 YEAR OLD AMERICAN HERO. I REACHED OUT TO BOB, AND I LEARNED THAT HE HAD SEVERAL MEDALS THAT HE HAD NOT BEEN AWARDED. 97 YEAR OLD BOB WOODS ENLISTED IN THE ARMY’S 106TH INFANTRY DIVISION WHEN HE WAS 20 YEARS OLD AND WENT TO FIGHT IN GERMANY IN DECEMBER OF 1944. HIS UNIT WAS CAPTURED BY THE GERMANS. HE SPENT 118 DAYS IN CAPTIVITY WITH FORCED MARCHES AND LIFE IN P.O.W. PRISON CAMPS. TWO HONOR A REAL AMERICAN HERO. TODAY, HIS COUNTRY HONORED THAT SACRIFICE. ONE WAS THE MERITORIOUS BRONZE STAR, THE BMW MEDAL AND THE PURPLE HEART. RETIRED MARINE COLONEL MIKE STOLL IS THE SENIOR ADVISOR. IT’S A PLEASURE. AND THIS IS A GREAT DAY. YES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE FOR CONGRESSMAN WILLIAM TIMMONS. HE CONTACTED METALS OF AMERICA TO CREATE THE BOX. THIS IS MY FATHER. HE’S AN ACCOUNTANT. A FATHER OF FIVE CHILDREN. AND I’LL PROUD DAD. HIS SON, CAPTAIN ROBERT WOODS, IS CURRENTLY DEPLOYED WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA NATIONAL GUARD TO DJIBOUTI AND EAST AFRICA. AND THE UNITED STATES MILITARY MADE CERTAIN HE WOULD BE HERE TO HONOR HIS FATHER. I WANT TO SAY THAT TO YOU VERY THANK YOU FOR YOUR COURAGE TO AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. MR. WOODS ACCEPTED THE MEDALS ON BEHALF OF ALL WHO SERVED IN WORLD WAR TWO. WELL. THERE AREN’T MANY OF US LEFT THESE DAYS. AND I MIGHT ADD, FOR EMPHASIS, WE WON THAT WAR AND. WAR VETERANS HONORING THE SERVICE OF THOSE WHO PROCEED WITH THEM ON THE BATTLEFIELDS. I AM A VIETNAM VET WITH SIX PURPLE HEARTS. AND I TAKE HONOR. I TAKE SERVICE TO THE COUNTRY VERY SERIOUSLY. AND I DO THIS MORE FOR THOSE WHO LEFT BEHIND THAN MYSELF. IT IS A PLEASURE TO RECEIVE THEM MEDALS DELIVERED AS PROOF THAT IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO SAY THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO FOUGHT AND WERE MADE CAPTIVES TO ENSURE OUR FREEDOM. JANE R