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Remains of a previously unidentified World War II soldier will soon be buried in Tallahassee

A young man in a black and white photograph wears a military uniform.
Provided by the U.S. Army Human Resources Command
SSG William O. Wood will be buried in Tallahassee 79 years after his plane was shot down near Romania.

A World War II Soldier from Valdosta, Georgia will soon find a final resting place in Tallahassee. The remains of a soldier who died during the war were recently identified.

U.S Amy Air Force Staff Sergeant William Wood was serving as the gunner on a B-24 Liberator in August of 1943. The 25-year-old's plane crashed after being hit by enemy anti-aircraft fire. Following the crash, Wood’s remains could not be identified. His body was buried with other unidentified remains in a Civilian Military Cemetery of Bolovan, Ploiesti, Prahova, Romania.

SSG William O. Wood, a native of Valdosta, Georgia, was assigned to the 328th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 93rd Bombardment Group (Heavy), 8th Air Force.
Provided by the U.S. Army Human Resources Command
SSG William O. Wood, a native of Valdosta, Georgia, was assigned to the 328th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 93rd Bombardment Group (Heavy), 8th Air Force.

After the war, the U.S. exhumed many of the remains, including Wood's, but experts were only able to identify about 80 of the individuals who had been buried there. Wood's remains were then buried again with other "unknowns" until his remains were exhumed once again in 2017.

In May of this year, experts at an Air Force base in Nebraska identified Wood's body. He'll be buried at the Tallahassee National Cemetery on August 1st—79 years after his death.

 

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Regan McCarthy covers healthcare and government in Tallahassee, Florida. She is the Assistant News Director for WFSU Public Media.

Phone: (850) 645-6090 | rmccarthy@fsu.edu

Find complete bio, contact info, and more stories here.