▁before ▁direct ing ▁neutral izing ▁fire . ▁After ▁organ izing ▁a ▁per imeter ▁defense ▁for ▁the ▁night , ▁he ▁was ▁given ▁permission ▁by ▁radio ▁to ▁return ▁to ▁his ▁batt alion , ▁but , ▁feeling ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁needed ▁to ▁maintain ▁proper ▁control , ▁he ▁chose ▁to ▁remain ▁with ▁the ▁gu err illas . ▁Before ▁dawn ▁the ▁next ▁morning ▁the ▁enemy ▁launched ▁a ▁fier ce ▁suic ide ▁attack ▁with ▁mort ars , ▁gr en ades , ▁and ▁small - ar ms ▁fire , ▁and ▁in fil tr ated ▁through ▁the ▁per imeter . ▁Though ▁wounded ▁by ▁a ▁gr en ade , ▁S / S gt . ▁Wood ford ▁remained ▁at ▁his ▁post ▁calling ▁for ▁mort ar ▁support ▁until ▁bul lets ▁knock ed ▁out ▁his ▁radio . ▁Then , ▁se izing ▁a ▁rif le ▁he ▁began ▁working ▁his ▁way ▁around ▁the ▁per imeter , ▁encourag ing ▁the ▁men ▁until ▁he ▁reached ▁a ▁weak ▁spot ▁where ▁ 2 ▁gu err illas ▁had ▁been ▁killed . ▁F illing ▁this ▁gap ▁himself , ▁he ▁fought ▁off ▁the ▁enemy . ▁At ▁day break ▁he ▁was ▁found ▁dead ▁in ▁his ▁fo x hole , ▁but ▁ 3 7 ▁enemy ▁dead ▁were ▁lying ▁in ▁and ▁around ▁his ▁position . ▁By ▁his ▁d aring , ▁skill ful , ▁and ▁insp iring ▁leadership , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁by ▁his ▁gall ant ▁determ ination ▁to ▁search ▁out ▁and ▁kill ▁the ▁enemy , ▁S / S gt . ▁Wood ford ▁led ▁an ▁in ex per ien ced ▁unit ▁in ▁capt uring ▁and ▁se cur ing