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A Veteran's Story of Sacrifice, Grief and Surprise 40 years later

All Gave Some, Some Gave All Veteran’s Day holds a uniquely special significance to our family as we remember the sacrifice my wife, Lori’s great uncle, John Gilbert Woodward made.
John Gilbert Woodward004

All Gave Some, Some Gave All

Veteran’s Day holds a uniquely special significance to our family as we remember the sacrifice my wife, Lori’s great uncle, John Gilbert Woodward made.  Gilbert was killed in May of 1944 during WWII on a training flight in the Gulf of Mexico.  He was the son of Henry and Mamie Woodward of Stilson.  His sister Edith Hutchison, who is now 94, explained that he was two weeks away from getting his “wings”.  He was only 22. 

The accident involved Gilbert and his flight instructor, who miraculously survived the crash.  Surprisingly, Gilbert’s funeral was open casket.  The only visible injury was a bruise on his temple, Edith recalled.  She was his only sibling and was pregnant with her second child at the time.  Her husband Harold was from Pennsylvania and New York.  Edith and Harold met when he was stationed in Savannah.  After Gilbert’s death, Harold decided to stay in the south and not take Edith back north where his family was.  He always said that he couldn’t leave Mr. and Mrs. Woodward all alone after Gilbert’s death.

Gilbert attended the University of Georgia.  He was one quarter shy of graduating.  Like most brave men back then, he enlisted with a group of his friends.  Edith said he made that decision while he was home on Christmas break in 1942.

A Mother Grieves

After Gilbert’s death, his dad Henry put in a well at the grave site at Old Fellowship Baptist Church in Stilson so his mother Maimie could water the flowers that she planted there.  The pipe is still there today, but after their deaths the hand pump was removed.  When we visit the grave and see the pipe, we can imagine this heartbroken mother pumping water for the flowers.  What a loving act honoring the death of her only son. 

40 Years Later A Surprise

One of Henry’s most cherished possessions was his UGA class ring.  He wore it everywhere.  In fact, the day he was killed he was wearing it.  When they returned his body and possessions the ring was gone.  They predicted it was knocked off his hand during the impact.  It was thought to be lost forever.

That was until his parents received a phone call in the mid-eighties from the University of Georgia.  A group of scuba divers were diving at the crash site and found Gilbert’s class ring at the bottom of the ocean.  They contacted UGA and using the fraternity letters, graduation year and his initials that were etched inside the ring, they were able to identify him and find his parents.  Over 40 years after her son’s death, his mother was given back one of her son’s most prized possessions.  Once they received it, they were amazed at how incredibly preserved it was after being on the floor of the ocean for over 40 years.  

His mother, Mamie gave the ring to Edith’s son, Rick Hutchison, (Lori’s dad).  It fit him perfectly.  He wore it daily until, one day while doing yard work, he took it off and put it into his pocket for ”safe keeping”.  Later, when he went to put it back on, it was GONE!  After a full-out search the ring was nowhere to be found.  They called a relative with a metal detector and miraculously located the ring again.  When they found it, it was totally buried in the dirt.  Rick was so relieved that he didn’t have to tell his grandmother that he had re-lost the ring!  We now keep the ring in a display case at our home.

Our family and so many others, who had lost loved ones in the War, looked forward to seeing the beautiful wooden cross with the fallen soldiers names.  It is a powerful statement to the sacrifice our community made to ensure the freedoms we enjoy today.  We are grateful for the Statesboro Fire Department for reviving this tribute to the fallen.  It is with pride again on this Veteran’s Day that we pause to remember John Gilbert Woodward and all of his comrades from our community and the incredible sacrifices so many members of this “greatest generation” made for us.