Earl Woodberry: A Red Cross Full Circle

In just a matter of hours, Earl Woodberry went from jumping out of planes in the Central American jungle to sitting in Andrews Air Force base with nothing but his rucksack and peaches. Woodberry was a Sergeant in the 82^nd Airborne in 1978. He was training in the jungle, when the news came.

“All of a sudden a helicopter came in. A few minutes, the company commander and platoon leader came up and they said, ‘sorry to inform you but your father passed away last night,’” he remembered.

Immediately, Woodberry was on a helicopter and then a plane to North America. After several trips, 

Woodberry landed at Andrew’s AFB in the middle of the night, with no money.

“You didn’t need money in the jungle,” Woodberry said with a laugh.

He’d have to rely on his c-rations to get him by. To make matters more difficult, the only plane available to take him to Fort Bragg, NC was a C-130 Blackbird.  That would allow him travel on to Mullins, SC for his father’s funeral.  He didn’t have a security clearance, which meant no flight out until late the next morning.

That changed after a conversation with a General who stumbled upon Woodberry sitting by himself on his rucksack.

“A few minutes later, this lady in a Red Cross dress and uniform came up to me and said, ‘Sergeant, I understand that you don’t have any money. I have this check and need you to sign it. Then, I’ll cash it for you,’” he recollected.

In addition to getting him money immediately, the Red Cross and the General found a way to get Woodberry home on that C-130.

Fast forward 40 years -- Woodberry has found a new purpose: helping military families throughout Lowcountry. His Woodberry’s position is possible because of a grant through AmeriCorp’s Frontline Families program.  A retired school teacher from Berkeley County, he now briefs service members and their families about Red Cross services before they’re deployed.

Earl Woodberry stands next to a car full of American Girl
dolls to distribute to daughters of
deployed military men and women.

“Lots of times, we’ll see a service member deploy, and their spouses don’t know what to do when an emergency happens. We want them to get to know us before they need us.”

While it’s been forty years since he needed help, what remains a defining memory for Woodberry was the sight of that Red Cross uniform in the middle of the night.

“I remember it so well because it was like 3 o’clock in the morning, and the Red Cross was there, bright and early to help. It’s one of those things I’ve never forgotten,” he said.

 For more information on how the Red Cross helps service members, their families and veterans, go to redcross.org/military.