Sidney Woods was born on July 25, 1917, in San Marcos, Texas. He enlisted in the Arizona National Guard on July 31, 1937, was honorably discharged on July 24, 1938, and then received a commission as a 2d Lt of Cavalry in the U.S. Army Reserve through the Army ROTC program at the University of Arizona on May 31, 1939. He served on active duty for training from July 5, 1939, to February 8, 1941, and then joined the Aviation Cadet Program of the U.S. Army Air Corps for pilot training on February 11, 1941. Woods was commissioned a 2d Lt in the Army Air Forces and was awarded his pilot wings at Brooks Field, Texas, on September 27, 1941. After serving as a P-40 Warhawk pilot with the 8th Pursuit Group at Mitchel Field, New York, he transferred to the 9th Fighter Squadron of the 49th Fighter Group at Morrison Field, Florida, in December 1941. Maj Woods deployed with the group to Australia in February 1942, and to New Guinea in October 1942, returning to the U.S. in August 1943. During this time he was credited with the destruction of 2 enemy aircraft in aerial combat plus 1 probable while flying the P-38 Lightning. He also completed 112 combat missions during this tour. His next assignment was as a P-38 instructor pilot before joining the 479th Fighter Group at Lomita Flight Strip, California, in March 1944, deploying with the group to England in May 1944 where he flew the P-51 Mustang in combat before returning to the U.S. in December 1944. Col Woods returned to combat for a third tour as the Deputy Commanding Officer of the 4th Fighter Group in England in February 1945, where he flew another 68 combat missions before being shot down by flak and taken as a Prisoner of War on April 16, 1945. Before being shot down, he was credited with the destruction of 5 more enemy aircraft in aerial combat, plus 3 on the ground while strafing enemy airfields, for a total of 7 destroyed and 1 probable in the air during World War II. Col Woods was repatriated from his POW camp on April 29, 1945, and left active duty and joined the Air Force Reserve on February 23, 1946. During the Korean War, he was activated and served as Executive Officer and then Commanding Officer of the 3525th Pilot Training Group at Williams AFB, Arizona, from April 1, 1951, to December 31, 1952. Col Woods then remained in the Air Force Reserve until his retirement on November 1, 1962. Sidney Woods died on March 31, 1989.