Uncommon Valor was a Common Virtue
Written bySSgt Kyle C Benz and SSgt Terry C Waters, MCESG DET SOFIA
American Embassy Sofia, Bulgaria. January 1, 2008
Rarely does a Marine get the opportunity to meet a war hero that has fought in one of the most world renowned battles of WWII. The Marines of Detachment Sofia, Bulgaria recently had that chance when they were invited to a sit down dinner at Ambassador Beyrle’s residence. The guest of honor was Erwin Keith “Woody” Wood – a WWII veteran who was wounded during the battle for Iwo Jima. Mr. Wood – a long time friend of Ambassador Beyrle – was gracious enough to take time out of his travels to visit with the Marines.
Dinner began with the Marines introducing themselves and giving a brief introduction into their service history. When time came for Mr. Wood to speak, he openly shared all of his experiences with the Marines. He began with briefly telling why he joined the Corps. “Out of all of my three brothers, I was always the trouble maker. So when they decided to join the other services, I went to the Marines.”
After basic training, Mr. Wood reported to 3rd Bn, Para marines where he fought in Guadalcanal, Vella Lavella, Bougainville, and the Solomon Islands.
Cpl Brandon K Brandt was among the Marines in Bulgaria assigned to the MSG detachment. Brandt is currently serving in Kuwait City, Kuwait as of 2008.
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