Carl Woods

BISMARCK – A North Dakota House bill that would name a bridge in Bottineau for Navy veteran Carl Woods passed the state House of Representatives 93-0 this week and now moves on to the state Senate.

Lt. Cmdr. Woods died Sept. 28, 1965, when the plane he was piloting went down in North Vietnam due to anti-aircraft fire.

According to published accounts and testimony before the House Transportation Committee, Woods was born July 8, 1933, and like his father, attended Bottineau schools and what is now Dakota College at Bottineau. His father, Monte, fought in World War I in France, while Carl entered the Navy in 1953, serving his country for 12 years and three months before his death.

Woods was conducting a reconnaissance mission over North Vietnam when the sky lit up with antiaircraft fire. He flew his crippled plane about 40 miles to the Tonkin Gulf – as was protocol for rescue if a plane was hit – where he ejected. His parachute failed to open. It is believed he hit the tail section of the aircraft based on the back of his helmet being crushed. It also is presumed he drowned before rescuers could save him.

Jim Nelson, legislative director for the North Dakota Veterans Legislative Council, listed Woods’ commendations and awards to include the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Navy Presidential Unit Medal, Vietnam Gallantry Cross Medal and Navy Expeditionary Medal.

Woods also is honored on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.

The Bottineau AmVets held a ceremony in 2013 to rename the post for Woods, said Keith Peterson of Bottineau, a member of the AmVets and the Veterans Legislative Council.

Anticipating the bridge designation, AmVets Post 25 and the VFW Post 8688 plan to host a sign dedication ceremony on July 4 along Highway 5 near the bridge, he said.

“The bridge is not a huge bridge, but it’s very significant for the population of Bottineau. For as many years as I can remember, when they have the Memorial Day parades or the Fourth of July parades, or whatever parades, they always stop and that’s where they throw the wreaths to the servicemembers,” he said.

House Bill 1228 designates the portion of highway between the junction of Thompson Street and Brander Street as the Carl J. Woods Vietnam Bridge and permits the State Department of Transportation to accept donations to acquire the signs.