Army Col. Wood Is Mourned

HINESVILLE, Ga. — More than 200 soldiers, family and friends attended funeral services Friday for Army Col. William Wesley Wood, the highest-ranking member of the U.S. military to be killed in Iraq.

Wood had rushed to aid one of his company commanders who lay mortally wounded from a bomb explosion last week in Baghdad. A second bomb went off, killing Wood.

“He loved his soldiers, and he was there taking care of them,” said Col. Glenn Burch, chief of staff for the Ft. Stewart-based 3rd Infantry Division. Wood was a close friend, and Burch escorted his casket from Iraq.

Wood, of Panama City, Fla., joined the 3rd Infantry in his first assignment after being commissioned as an officer in 1984. He later served as the division’s deputy chief of staff. He went to Iraq this year.

In July, 3rd Infantry commanders tapped Wood to lead a California National Guard unit after 12 members were charged with abusing Iraqi prisoners.

“He was doing what battalion commanders should be doing -- leading from the front,” said Col. John M. Kidd, Ft. Stewart’s garrison commander.