WW II Story

This is one of those WW II history stories that I occasionally lay out on the table.

At the age of 18, John C Woods had gone to sign up with the US Navy (Spring 1929).  His enlistment lasted around three to four months, before he disappeared....going AWOL.  At some point in early 1930....the authorities came to notice Woods in Colorado, and returned him to the Navy.  There, they did a review on Woods, and came to the decision that he was a 'nut-case'.....giving him a discharge (April 1930). 

This period lasted three years, when he came to join the CCC folks.  There, he lasted around two months before reaching another serious issue.....refusing to work.  Here again, they did a review and determined that Woods wasn't capable of following orders.  So he was discharged out yet again. 

We don't know much about Woods for the next thirteen years.  Most sources say he ended up at a feed-store in Kansas, and married some gal who was a nurse.  Beyond that....nothing.  The discharge for being a 'nut-case'?  Never mentioned, and I doubt if the Army cared.

Woods ended up in a construction brigade and probably would have simply walked out of the Army with no real attachment to history. Except this one thing occurred. 

In the fall of 1944, with the US Army pushing across France, various individuals were in serious problems with discipline.  It reached a level where individuals were being court-martialed and put up for execution.    In the middle of this....the Army was lacking an execution official. 

For some odd reason, Woods noted that he had experience in this....from back in Texas and Oklahoma (two in each state).  His experience?  Hangman.  Proof?  None.  Oddly, the Army didn't really go and ask questions.

Woods, who'd been noted as a 'nut-case' in 1930.....was now set to become the chief hangman for the US Army in Europe. 

Months passed, and as the war closed out.....various Nazi officials were brought up for trial.  Eleven were set for a serious round of court action.  Herman Goring, at the head of the list.

As the cases concluded.....all were sentenced to be hung.  Goring missed this by committing suicide. 

What is generally written down and described over the ten hangings.....they were fairly screwed up and none were in any way or shape.....'professional'.  Woods?  He was in charge of all eleven, and probably displayed incompetence to the maximum extent.

Four years would pass.....Woods would still be in the Army.  At this point, he'd been taken off the hangman job and sent back to the construction brigade.  In 1950.....he'd been sent to the Marshall Islands (Pacific) where he was working on an electrical project, and stepped on high voltage cabling....killing him instantly. 

A rare moment of history....where a nut-case simply kept coming back, and no one ever denied the guy a second chance.