The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant Mark William Woods, United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy as a member of a reconnaissance patrol party on Bougainville, British Solomon Islands in September 1943. Realizing that the area to be reconnoitered was held by overwhelmingly superior enemy forces and that no assistance could be furnished if discovered, Lieutenant Woods volunteered for the hazardous mission. Landing on four successive nights in a rubber life boat, he assisted in conducting explorations in close proximity to strong Japanese encampments. Much valuable hydrographic data and information concerning beach terrain was obtained which aided immeasurably in our subsequent landing operations on the island. His courageous devotion to duty contributed materially to the success of our forces in later establishing a beachhead and defeating the enemy in the Bougainville Campaign. His conduct was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
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Awards Received
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Navy Distinguished Service Medal
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Legion of Merit
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Navy Distinguished Service Medal
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Distinguished Service Medal to Rear Admiral Mark William Woods, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service in a position of great responsibility to the Government of the United States as Commander, Naval Ordnance Systems Command, from May 1969 to July 1972. In this capacity, Rear Admiral Woods was responsible for the material support of the existing shipboard weapons systems as well as the continuing development and acquisition of future weapons systems. He provided aggressive direction and guidance to effectively and efficiently channel the resources of the Naval Ordnance Systems Command toward supporting the fleet of the present and the future. During this period of hostilities in Southeast Asia, Rear Admiral Woods directed the flow of new weapons systems from development to production and combat issue. Simultaneously, he maintained and improved the conventional weapons systems, providing continuous technical and material updating for those systems. By his superb performance of duty, Rear Admiral Woods contributed greatly to the readiness of the operating forces of the Navy and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
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Legion of Merit
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Legion of Merit to Rear Admiral Mark William Woods, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as Commander Cruiser-Destroyer Group SEVENTH Fleet, Commander Task Group SEVENTY POINT ONE and Commander Task Group SEVENTY POINT EIGHT from 19 January to 14 June 1967. During this period of intensive combat operations in Southeast Asia, Rear Admiral Woods exercised direct operational control over all naval surface forces engaged in interdiction of water-borne logistic craft, bombardment of North Vietnamese coastal military targets and NGFS in South Vietnam. He superbly coordinated the integration of major increased SEVENTH Fleet force levels, including widely diverse types of ships. Concurrently, the scope and level of combat operations participated in by naval surface units were greatly increased under his effective leadership. In order to counter ever-increasing enemy defenses, he developed many new tactics, including the use of coordinated air and surface attacks. As a direct result of his perceptive command and control, the enemy in South Vietnam was denied use of coastal supply lines and key military targets in North Vietnam were brought under devastating attack by naval units. Additionally, the air defense posture of U.S. surface forces in the Gulf of Tonkin was much improved by the application of Rear Admiral Woods’ flexible talents in guiding the successful development of several highly technical and sensitive projects in this field. Through his untiring devotion to duty, professionalism and organizational ability, under the stress of a combat environment, Rear Admiral Woods upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.