Enlisted in the US Marine Corps in May of 1943. His claims to have worn women's underwear beneath his uniform in battle never seemed to distract him from his duty: In addition to taking part in combat in the Marshall Islands and Noumea, he also survived the bloody battle for Tarawa. By all accounts he was fierce in combat. During the invasion he had most of his front teeth knocked out in hand-to-hand combat with a Japanese soldier he eventually killed. Wood later served in a G-2 (intelligence) unit in the South Pacific until he was shot in the legs by a Japanese machine-gunner. The wounds became gangrenous and he served out the remainder of his time as an office typist, and was honorably discharged in 1944. He was awarded the Silver and Bronze Stars, two Purple Hearts and a Sharpshooter's Medal. By all accounts, Wood was an exemplary combat marine.
