On D-Day, a Black U.S. Army medic named Waverly Woodson Jr. treated at least 200 wounded men on Omaha Beach despite being badly injured himself. A German shell destroyed his landing craft as it approached shore, killing the soldier beside him and embedding shrapnel throughout Woodson's body. Although he initially believed he was dying, he established an aid station and worked for 30 hours, removing bullets, administering blood plasma, resetting broken bones, and even amputating a foot. Woodson finally collapsed from his injuries and was evacuated to a hospital ship, but he returned to Omaha Beach within days.
Previous Fact Next Fact