80 years after D-Day, family of Black World War II combat medic receives his medal for heroism
CBSN
Waverly B. Woodson Jr., who was part of the only African American combat unit involved in the D-Day invasion during World War II, spent more than a day treating wounded troops under heavy German fire - all while injured himself. Decades later, and nearly 20 years after his death, his family finally received the recognition that was denied many Black service members.
Woodson's 95-year-old widow, Joann, was presented Tuesday with the Distinguished Service Cross he was awarded posthumously for his extraordinary heroism. Generations of Woodson's family packed the audience, many of them wearing T-shirts with his photo and the words "1944 D-Day US Army Medic" on the front.
"It's been a long, long road … to get to this day," Woodson's son, Steve, told the crowd. "My father, if he could have been here today, would have been humbled."
