I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7835 
To authorize the President to award the Medal of Honor to Eric Fisher 
Wood, Jr. for the acts of valor during the Battle of the Bulge. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 29, 2020 
Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania (for himself, Mr. WALTZ, Mr. GONZALEZ of Ohio, 
Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania, Mr. GAETZ, Mr. RESCHENTHALER, and 
Mr. MOONEY of West Virginia) introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Armed Services 
A BILL 
To authorize the President to award the Medal of Honor 
to Eric Fisher Wood, Jr. for the acts of valor during 
the Battle of the Bulge. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. AUTHORIZATION FOR AWARD OF THE MEDAL 
OF HONOR TO ERIC FISHER WOOD, JR. FOR 
ACTS OF VALOR DURING THE BATTLE OF THE 
BULGE IN WORLD WAR II. 
(a) WAIVER
OF
TIME
LIMITATIONS.—Notwith-
standing the time limitations specified in section 7271 of 
title 10, United States Code, or any other time limitation 
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with respect to the awarding of certain medals to persons 
who served in the Armed Forces, the President may award 
the Medal of Honor under section 7271 of such title to 
Eric Fisher Wood, Jr. for the acts of valor during the Bat-
tle of the Bulge described in subsection (b). 
(b) ACTS OF VALOR DESCRIBED.—(1) The acts of 
valor referred to in subsection (a) are the actions of Eric 
Fisher Wood, Jr. in the Ardennes region of Wallonia, Bel-
gium, during the Battle of the Bulge, when, as a Lieuten-
ant in Battery A, 589th Field Artillery Battalion, 106th 
Infantry Division, from December 17, 1944, to January 
22, 1945, he displayed extraordinary heroism in action 
against the enemy in Belgium. 
(2) After ordering his artillery battery to fire against 
enemy tanks in a delaying action, allowing other American 
units avoid capture, his unit was surrounded and forced 
to surrender. Rather than accept capture, as enemy fire 
converged on him from all sides, he raced across a large 
open field into the woods beyond. 
(3) Cut off from his own lines, and surrounded by 
the enemy in the Ardennes forest, Lieutenant Wood rallied 
a small band of American soldiers who were also separated 
from their units. Over the course of several weeks, he re-
peatedly initiated harassing ambush attacks against 
enemy communications, supply columns and patrols, ac-
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counting for the deaths and wounding of scores of enemy 
soldiers and further slowing their advance to strategic 
road intersections and helping other American units from 
being overrun or captured. 
(4) Lieutenant Wood continued his offensive actions 
until a final, fierce engagement with overwhelming enemy 
forces, where he made the last full measure of service. His 
body was found surrounded by several enemy dead. Lieu-
tenant Wood’s extraordinary heroism and selflessness 
above and beyond the call of duty in the service of his 
country are in keeping with the highest traditions of mili-
tary service. Lieutenant Wood was posthumously awarded 
the Distinguished-Service Cross, Silver Star, Bronze Star, 
and the Purple Heart for his heroism. 
Æ 
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