On June 6, 1944, a 21-year-old Army corporal named Waverly B. Woodson, Jr. stormed Omaha Beach not as a fighter, but as a healer — a combat medic in the 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion, the only all-Black U.S. unit to land on D-Day. That day, amidst the deafening roar of German 88mm guns and the deadly chaos of mortar fire, Woodson became a lifeline for hundreds.
“The tide brought us in, and that’s when the 88s hit us,” Woodson recalled in 1994, describing the scene as German shells tore through their landing craft. “They were murder. Of our 26 Navy personnel, there was only one left. They raked the whole top of the ship and killed all the crew. Then they started with the mortar shells.”
On the blood-soaked sands of Omaha Beach, Woodson’s courage and skill were nothing short of heroic. He set broken limbs, removed bullets, amputated a soldier’s right foot, mended gaping wounds, transfused blood, and dispensed plasma — all while his own injuries worsened. By the end of the day, he had saved an estimated 200 lives.
For decades, his bravery went largely unrecognized. Though his commander at the time intended to recommend him for the Medal of Honor, the paperwork never came through. Woodson was awarded the Bronze Star, and only in August 2023 was the Combat Medic Badge added to his record.
Now, nearly 80 years later, the Army has announced that Woodson will be posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, its second-highest award for valor. Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland highlighted Woodson’s heroism, saying, “Waverly Woodson earned a place among the most noble of American war heroes for his courageous display of valor on D-Day, but he has never received the full recognition that his actions clearly merited — largely due to the color of his skin.”
“Waverly would have felt honored to be recognized for what he knew was his duty,” his widow Joann Woodson said. “But we all know it was far more than duty; it was his desire to always help people in need.”
Though wounded that fateful day, Woodson survived the war and lived until 2005. His heroism has inspired generations of Army medics and soldiers alike. In April 2022, the Rock Island Arsenal Health Clinic in Illinois was renamed in his honor.
On the anniversary of D-Day this week, soldiers with First Army will lay a World War II-era Distinguished Service Cross at the spot on Omaha Beach where Woodson set up his aid station, before presenting the medal to his family this summer. Maj. Gen. William A. Ryan III explained, “We want to be able to tell Mrs. Woodson that the medal she is receiving on behalf of her beloved husband has actually been to Normandy, has actually been to the very place he performed his truly remarkable actions.”
While the Medal of Honor remains a goal for Woodson’s family and supporters, the Distinguished Service Cross is a long-overdue acknowledgment of his extraordinary courage and selfless service on one of history’s bloodiest battlefields. His son Steve Woodson reflected, “I am so thankful he is being awarded the Distinguished Service Cross as acknowledgment from his peers, the U.S. Army. Hopefully this will pave the way for further recognition of his heroism on D-Day for saving lives in the pursuit of freedom for the oppressed.”
Waverly B. Woodson, Jr. stands among the truest heroes of World War II — a man whose courage and compassion shone brightest in the darkest of hours.
