Woodrow Isler (Mush) Gray was born on May 26, 1921, in Black Walnut (St. Charles), Missouri. His father was James Willian Gray (1881- 1958). His mother was Iola M. Kluiesner (1887-1952). Woodrow had five brothers: Henry (Marvin), Kermit, Clarence, and Raymond. He had one sister (Helen Elizabeth. In 1930, the family lived in Portege de Sioux outside of St. Charles in Missouri.
When Woodrow registered for the draft, he was employed by Fraser-Brace in Weldon Springs MO. Woodrow married Genevieve Marie Ferber (1924-1975). In 1957 Woodrow lived at 2016 N. Third Street and worked for Curtis-Wright Aircraft Company as an assembler.
Woodrow entered the Army on 16-APR 1943 at Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis. Woody was a member of the 549th Automatic Weapons Battalion.
He manned a .50 caliber machine gun and acted as gunner, loader, ammunition bearer, and spotter on the lookout for approach of enemy planes.
For the rest of Woody’s story, click on the pdf below.