The 96-year-old Roxbury, Massachusetts, native spoke with perception, sentimentality, and humor, as he conveyed how he joined the legendary all-Black fighter pilot unit and handled racism inside and outdoors of the navy.
“It is extremely thrilling to have Brig. Gen. Enoch ‘Woody’ Woodhouse with us in the present day. It is a actual piece of American historical past,” Division Newport Commanding Officer Capt. Chad Hennings mentioned, when introducing the visitor speaker.
Woodhouse started his presentation by recalling a date that might change his life ceaselessly —Dec. 7, 1941, the day Pearl Harbor was attacked.
“My mom mentioned to my brother and I, ‘America is at warfare. I need you boys to serve your nation,’” Woodhouse mentioned. “Think about a Black lady telling all she had on the earth, her two sons, to combat for America whereas we grew up seeing photos of Black individuals being lynched and mistreated.”
At age 17, Woodhouse enlisted within the U.S. Army and ultimately served within the U.S. Army Air Corps, the precursor to the U.S. Air Pressure. His brother grew to become one of many first Black Marines.
“You do the correct factor, it doesn’t matter what your circumstances are,” Woodhouse mentioned. “So what was the correct factor? We signed up. I used to be going off to defend democracy, which maybe didn’t defend me, however I did the correct factor.”
It didn’t take lengthy for Woodhouse to comprehend that doing the correct factor, wouldn’t at all times be straightforward.
Having by no means been farther south than New York Metropolis, Woodhouse was touring on a practice from Boston to Texas for fundamental coaching. Nonetheless, when the practice reached a scheduled cease in St. Louis, a white conductor tapped him on the shoulder and made him disembark.
“I used to be the one Black man on a practice full of youngsters contemporary out of highschool,” Woodhouse mentioned. “The man tapped me not-so-gently on the shoulder and mentioned ‘get off the practice.’ So I bought off the practice with my duffle bag and $8 in my pocket.”
A Black porter knowledgeable Woodhouse that Black individuals weren’t allowed to trip that practice. The practice he was allowed to trip arrived six hours later, inflicting him to point out up late for his project, a lot to the chagrin of his white drill sergeant.
After fundamental coaching, Woodhouse was transferred to the U.S. Army Air Corps in Ogden, Utah, the place he was assigned to Squadron F, an all-Black squadron. Squadron F primarily did housekeeping, equivalent to maintenance of the roads and peeling potatoes for the unit. Woodhouse was lucky to get one of many extra coveted jobs as a waiter within the Officer’s Membership.
“It had its benefits,” Woodhouse mentioned. “I bought to eat good meals and take good meals again to the barracks. I shared my steaks.”
Woodhouse, who spoke a number of languages, at all times saved his favourite ebook shut by − a ebook written by 14th-century Italian poet/author Dante Alighieri, who’s most well-known for writing “Inferno.” Whereas cleansing the Officer’s Membership one night, a lieutenant noticed the ebook. When he realized that it belonged to Woodhouse, the impressed lieutenant informed him he would assist him apply for Officer Candidate College.
Commissioned a second lieutenant at age 19, Woodhouse was assigned to the 332nd Fighter Group, higher referred to as the Tuskegee Airmen, the place he grew to become paymaster/finance officer for the squadron, which consisted of 992 pilots and greater than 14,000 different personnel. The squadron was led by Benjamin Oliver Davis Jr. and compiled an excellent file in fight throughout World Struggle II.
“It was a reliable place since you have been paid by money,” Woodhouse mentioned. “Each particular person was imagined to be paid on the primary of the month. However loads of our Black troops could be despatched on TDY (short-term obligation project). Once they introduced their orders to be paid by the primary of the month, they have been informed the finance workplace doesn’t have enough funds or the finance workplace closes at 2 o’clock. Colonel Davis flew me out to each place the place our males have been on TDY to see that they have been paid on the primary of the month.”
Woodhouse continued to captivate the viewers with tales from his days within the navy, which included assignments in different international locations. He then welcomed individuals to ask questions.
When requested what motivated him to maintain going when issues bought robust, Woodhouse responded, “The primary motive was I used to be despatched out to do the correct factor. My mom informed me, ‘boy, serve our nation.’ I didn’t need to let her down. I wasn’t raised like that.”
Woodhouse concluded his presentation along with his imaginative and prescient for America.
“My imaginative and prescient of America will not be utopia,” Woodhouse mentioned. “Let’s deal with one another decently. Let’s deal with one another pretty, as we need to be handled. We shouldn’t let our variations divide us. The way forward for America is indeterminate. It will depend on all of us. We’re making the imaginative and prescient for America. Individuals can have totally different political beliefs, however we must always not let these totally different views divide us on our frequent voyage of constructing America a real democracy.”
Woodhouse joined the Massachusetts Reserves after his lively obligation service and retired as a lieutenant colonel. In 2022, he was appointed to the rank of brigadier basic by Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker. In 2007, Woodhouse, together with different Tuskegee Airmen, acquired the Congressional Gold Medal from President George W. Bush.
Following a standing ovation after his presentation at Division Newport, Woodhouse was introduced with a photograph taken with Hennings and Technical Director Ron Vien.
Division Newport’s management additionally thanked Don Gomes, Division Newport’s Affirmative Employment Program and Particular Emphasis Program Supervisor and David Rhodes, lead of the particular emphasis Black program, for his or her work in organizing the occasion.
A video from the presentation is posted right here:
NUWC Newport is the oldest warfare heart within the nation, tracing its heritage to the Naval Torpedo Station established on Goat Island in Newport Harbor in 1869. Commanded by Capt. Chad Hennings, NUWC Newport maintains main detachments in West Palm Seaside, Florida, and Andros Island within the Bahamas, in addition to check services at Seneca Lake and Fisher’s Island, New York, Leesburg, Florida, and Dodge Pond, Connecticut.
