Major Carrol S. Woods

Carrol S. Woods
1919 – November 20, 2007
Class: 43-H-SE 8/30/1943 2nd Lt. 0811294 Valdosta GA
Unit: 99th Fighter Squadron
Pilot roster listing

Carrol Woods was born in Valdosta the 10th of 12 children to James H. Woods Sr. and Fannie Williams Woods.

Woods was drafted into the Army. In 1942, he was selected for flight training at the Tuskegee Army Air Base and, as a second lieutenant, became one of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen.

During World War II, Woods became part of the 99th Fighter Squadron in Italy. There, he flew 107 combat missions. He was shot down over Greece and was taken as a prisoner of war for seven months. Woods was not released until April 28, 1945, to Gen. George S. Patton’s Third Army.

Learn more about the 32 captured Tuskegee Airmen POWs.

Fliers of a P-51 Mustang Group of the 15th Air Force in Italy `shoot the breeze’ in the shadow of one of the Mustangs they fly. Left to right: Lt. Dempsey W. Morgan, Jr.; Lt. Car roll S. Woods; Lt. Robert H. Nelson, Jr.; Capt. Andrew D. Turner; and Lt. Clarence P. Lester. Photo courtesy U.S. Air Force Historical Research Agency, Maxwell AFB, Alabama

In this interview, Wood talks about his graduating class, medals received and the type of planes the Tuskegee Airmen piloted.

Sources:

• Findagrave.com
• Valdosta Daily Times

The CAF Red Tail Squadron is a volunteer-driven organization dedicated to educating audiences across the country about the history and legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen, America’s first black military pilots and their support personnel. Learn more at www.redtail.org.