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Jeral 'Lucky' Wood: 'Namvet and Victim

By VVAW

VVAW members march with Jeral Wood (center, with sign) before court appearance.

Jeral Wood is married, the father of two children and a Marine 'Nam veteran. Jerald "Lucky" wood is also charged with attempted murder, aggravated battery and armed violence.

In August, 1980, Wood was working at the Ford Assembly plant in Chicago as an assembler. He reached his explosion point on the 22nd when General Foreman Cecil Harrell, after two year of harassment, cursed him out. A notorious fascist and bully, Harrell made Simon Legree look like a member of the NAACP. Harrell had several discrimination charges pending against him at the time of the incident including sexual harassment from a Black woman whom he pressured for sex. He had his own brother fired and cursed his Father out during a union hearing. Wood snapped under the harassment and got a gun and shot Harrell in the plant. He then turned himself into to the police.

Jeral Wood remembers 'Nam, his friends who died there, and the pressure. He has been attending rap groups at the local vets center. Like thousands of Vietnam vets, the memories and society's pressures were too much for him to handle. Rather than Jeral being on trial it should be the government—on trial for tossing aside vets without so much as a thank you. If you want more information on the case, write:

Jeral Wood
15803 Paulina
Harvey, IL 60426