“Guys like Woody, they saved the world.”
That’s how Robert Koch, the mayor of Roxbury, Massachusetts, described retired Brig. Gen. Enoch “Woody” Woodhouse, who celebrated his 99th birthday last Wednesday in a party fit for a Boston-area legend. Woodhouse is one of the last surviving members of the famed Tuskegee Airmen, an all-Black fighter pilot squadron that flew many important missions during World War II, despite facing racial segregation and discrimination in the U.S. military.
“When you look back, and it’s not that long ago, World War II, what it meant for the world, and Woody served with incredible dedication, of course, was part of breaking the barriers down,” Koch told Boston 25 News.
“It’s crazy when you think back to the barriers for race that want to serve and be part of conquering what was a clear evil at the time, so guys like Woody, they saved the world.”
Compelled to Serve by Mother, Pearl Harbor
Learning about the devastating news of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Woodhouse’s mother encouraged both him and his brother to sign up for military service. Only 17, Woodhouse joined the Army and eventually made his way to the Army Air Corps, precursor to the Air Force. In addition, his brother became one of the nation’s first Black Marines.
Woodhouse spoke poignantly about Dec. 7, 1941 – a day that would change his life – during a speech at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division in Newport, Rhode Island, on Feb. 6, 2023.
“My mother said to my brother and I, ‘America is at war. I want you boys to serve your country,” Woodhouse said. “Imagine a Black woman telling all she had in the world, her two sons, to fight for America while we grew up seeing pictures of Black people being lynched and mistreated.”
A couple of years into his service, Woodhouse was transferred to the 32nd Fighter Group, which would become known as the Tuskegee Airmen. Woodhouse worked as a paymaster/finance officer, serving 992 pilots and more than 14,000 personnel. The fighter group, under the direction of Benjamin Oliver Davis Jr., “compiled an outstanding record in combat,” according to War.gov.
Battling Discrimination
After his active-duty time ended, Woodhouse joined the Massachusetts Reserves, retiring as a lieutenant colonel. He also earned a degree from Yale University, graduating magna cum laude. But despite being a decorated World War II veteran, an Ivy League graduate, and an officer in the Army, an incident at Fort Robert E. Lee, Virginia, reminded Woodhouse that he still wasn’t given the same rights as his white colleagues.
“He got there, and he was a lieutenant, and his whole class were all white Captains and Majors, and the first night he went to the o-club to eat, and they wouldn’t serve him, so he went and ate at the bowling alley after that,” said Army Col. George A. Rollins (ret.), a longtime friend of Woodhouse.
While the isolation and discrimination stung at the time, it didn’t deter Woodhouse from building a legendary life in and outside of the military. In 2007, President George W. Bush honored him and several other Tuskegee Airmen with the Congressional Gold Medal. Four years ago, Woodhouse received a special promotion to brigadier general from Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker.
Celebrating an Amazing Life
On Wednesday, Woodhouse enjoyed catching up with old friends and discussing his accomplishments with local media. For a humble World War II veteran, it felt satisfying to be honored, even for a day.
“Physically or biologically, it doesn’t mean much, but what’s up here (pointing to his head), and seeing family and friends,” Woodhouse said. “My son called me this morning from Houston, (and seeing) friends, family, and of course, this capstone, where everyone here is together.”
Despite being almost 100 years old, Woodhouse remains active, attending events across Massachusetts. He holds a special place among veteran groups in the state. Maureen Byrne, founder of Miles for Military, a Boston-area organization that works to bring junior service members home for special occasions, said Woodhouse has accomplished a lot in his 99 years.
“A young kid from Roxbury, to make it all the way to brigadier general is an amazing feat in itself, but what he has done with his life in between then is amazing,” Byrne said.
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