MAJOR-GENERAL WOOD INJURED IN ACCIDENTAL EXPLOSION
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) 100 years ago, January 27, 1918, United States Major-General Leonard Wood* was injured slightly in an accidental explosion while on an inspection tour in France.
The explosion, which came from a gun or shell, caused an injury to the General's arm. Two fellow American officers, Lt. Col Charles E. Kilbourne and Kenyon A. Joyce, were also injured while five French soldiers were killed.
While the injury to General Wood was described in a report from General John J. Pershing's headquarters as "slight," it was not slight enough to avoid a front-page headline in the January 28, 1918 edition of the New York Sun.
*General Leonard Wood (1860-1927) was born in Winchester, NH & graduated from Harvard Medical School in 1883. He became an army contract doctor & participated in the last campaign against Geronimo.
LW served as President McKinley's personal physician & commanded the 1st Voluntary Cavalry alongside Theodore Roosevelt in the Spanish-American War. LW was military governor of Cuba 1900-1902 & Chief of Staff 1910-1914.
He served governor of the Philippines from 1921-1927.
"General Wood Wounded By Accident In France, Injury Deemed Slight", The Sun, January 28, 1918, Library of Congress, www.chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/
"Major General Leonard Wood", www.wood.army.mil/
Major General Leonard Wood
Painting by John Singer Sargent (1903)
National Portrait Gallery
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) 100 years ago, January 27, 1918, United States Major-General Leonard Wood* was injured slightly in an accidental explosion while on an inspection tour in France.
The explosion, which came from a gun or shell, caused an injury to the General's arm. Two fellow American officers, Lt. Col Charles E. Kilbourne and Kenyon A. Joyce, were also injured while five French soldiers were killed.
While the injury to General Wood was described in a report from General John J. Pershing's headquarters as "slight," it was not slight enough to avoid a front-page headline in the January 28, 1918 edition of the New York Sun.
*General Leonard Wood (1860-1927) was born in Winchester, NH & graduated from Harvard Medical School in 1883. He became an army contract doctor & participated in the last campaign against Geronimo.
LW served as President McKinley's personal physician & commanded the 1st Voluntary Cavalry alongside Theodore Roosevelt in the Spanish-American War. LW was military governor of Cuba 1900-1902 & Chief of Staff 1910-1914.
He served governor of the Philippines from 1921-1927.
SOURCES
"General Wood Wounded By Accident In France, Injury Deemed Slight", The Sun, January 28, 1918, Library of Congress, www.chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/
"Major General Leonard Wood", www.wood.army.mil/
Major General Leonard Wood
Painting by John Singer Sargent (1903)
National Portrait Gallery
Washington, D.C.
