To authorize the President to award the Medal of Honor to Eric Fisher Wood, Jr. for the acts of valor during the Battle of the Bulge.

I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 7835 To authorize the President to award the Medal of Honor to Eric Fisher Wood, Jr. for the acts of valor during the Battle of the Bulge. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JULY 29, 2020 Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania (for himself, Mr. WALTZ, Mr. GONZALEZ of Ohio, Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania, Mr. GAETZ, Mr. RESCHENTHALER, and Mr. MOONEY of West Virginia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services A BILL To authorize the President to award the Medal of Honor to Eric Fisher Wood, Jr. for the acts of valor during the Battle of the Bulge. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. AUTHORIZATION FOR AWARD OF THE MEDAL 3 OF HONOR TO ERIC FISHER WOOD, JR. FOR 4 ACTS OF VALOR DURING THE BATTLE OF THE 5 BULGE IN WORLD WAR II. 6 (a) WAIVER OF TIME LIMITATIONS.—Notwith- 7 standing the time limitations specified in section 7271 of 8 title 10, United States Code, or any other time limitation 9 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:25 Aug 17, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7835.IH H7835 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 7835 IH with respect to the awarding of certain medals to persons 1 who served in the Armed Forces, the President may award 2 the Medal of Honor under section 7271 of such title to 3 Eric Fisher Wood, Jr. for the acts of valor during the Bat- 4 tle of the Bulge described in subsection (b). 5 (b) ACTS OF VALOR DESCRIBED.—(1) The acts of 6 valor referred to in subsection (a) are the actions of Eric 7 Fisher Wood, Jr. in the Ardennes region of Wallonia, Bel- 8 gium, during the Battle of the Bulge, when, as a Lieuten- 9 ant in Battery A, 589th Field Artillery Battalion, 106th 10 Infantry Division, from December 17, 1944, to January 11 22, 1945, he displayed extraordinary heroism in action 12 against the enemy in Belgium. 13 (2) After ordering his artillery battery to fire against 14 enemy tanks in a delaying action, allowing other American 15 units avoid capture, his unit was surrounded and forced 16 to surrender. Rather than accept capture, as enemy fire 17 converged on him from all sides, he raced across a large 18 open field into the woods beyond. 19 (3) Cut off from his own lines, and surrounded by 20 the enemy in the Ardennes forest, Lieutenant Wood rallied 21 a small band of American soldiers who were also separated 22 from their units. Over the course of several weeks, he re- 23 peatedly initiated harassing ambush attacks against 24 enemy communications, supply columns and patrols, ac- 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:25 Aug 17, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7835.IH H7835 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 7835 IH counting for the deaths and wounding of scores of enemy 1 soldiers and further slowing their advance to strategic 2 road intersections and helping other American units from 3 being overrun or captured. 4 (4) Lieutenant Wood continued his offensive actions 5 until a final, fierce engagement with overwhelming enemy 6 forces, where he made the last full measure of service. His 7 body was found surrounded by several enemy dead. Lieu- 8 tenant Wood’s extraordinary heroism and selflessness 9 above and beyond the call of duty in the service of his 10 country are in keeping with the highest traditions of mili- 11 tary service. Lieutenant Wood was posthumously awarded 12 the Distinguished-Service Cross, Silver Star, Bronze Star, 13 and the Purple Heart for his heroism. 14 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:25 Aug 17, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H7835.IH H7835 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS