"Aircraft Action Report" 20 Jul 1944 (pg 1 of 5)

Lt Wood was lost on a pre-invasion air strike on Guam July 20th 1944. Where exactly they went down isn't known but their assigned target that day was just east of Amantes Point (Two Lovers Point). The next morning the invasion forces went ashore on Guam. July 21st is still celebrated every year as Liberation Day. Also killed was the gunner S1c Albert J. Sabol, radioman ARM3c Edward C. Donahue, and special photographer PhoM1c Owen Smith. The aircraft was a TBM1-C with side number 96 and bureau number 45940 (sources: Yorktown report pg45, AAIR).

Grid map of Guam.

Their original target assignment was changed enroute and their new assigned target was artillery and AA installations just east of Amantes Point (highlighted in yellow). In a May 1999 conversation with LeRoy Kalousek he stated that Lt Wood was shot down over the beach with small arms fire and that they got hit while making a "picture" run after their first bomb run. It's not known how he knew this.

Leonard Earl Wood