Mars Scout proposes tribute to local Tuskegee airman
MARS — A permanent memorial to Carl J. Woods, a Mars native who served in World War II as a Tuskegee Airman — one of a group of African-American fighter pilots — could be placed in downtown Mars or near the Mars Area High School.
Jack Riggio, of Boy Scout Troop 400, representing Mars, suggested the memorial as his Eagle Scout project proposal at the borough council meeting Monday night, Feb. 19.
“He’s a hero, and he just does not get any mention,” said Riggio, who has already reached the rank of Life Scout.
Woods served with the 332nd Fighter Group after earning his commission in April 1944. During his time overseas, Woods saw combat in the skies over Europe and Africa.
On Oct. 7, 1944, while flying a P-51 Mustang over Vienna, Austria, Woods disappeared in the cloudy weather along with two other Mustang pilots. Woods was 21 at the time.
But Woods made history even before he got in a fighter plane. While attending Mars Area High School, he became the first African-American to suit up for the high school’s football team. In fact, he was the only African-American in his entire class.
“As I have learned about him, I have been very inspired by his story, and I want to share his story with the other residents of Mars and future generations,” Riggio said.
The borough council tabled their motion to grant their official blessing for the project at Monday’s meeting, but members of the council voiced support for Riggio’s plan and offered suggestions on how to improve it, as well as possible sites for the monument.
“The only thing that needs to be worked out, from the council’s standpoint, is the logistics of where it’s located and what it looks like,” said Mayor Gregg Hartung.
One of the suggested sites was near the flying saucer landmark downtown, where tourists would potentially come across the monument while taking pictures at the spaceship. Another proposed site was the football field at Mars Area High School where Woods played.
To place the monument near the spaceship would require approval from NexTier Bank, which owns the parcel of land on which the statue sits.
“I'm to work with Jack on exploring the possibilities of locating this memorial around the spaceship downtown,” Hartung said.
Hartung suggested the display include a QR code that, when scanned, would send visitors to a web page containing Woods’ life story.
“You can only put so much information on a plaque,” Hartung said. “There could be a Carl Woods page that would be associated with the memorial.”
According to Hartung, a vote for official approval could happen at council’s next meeting, which is scheduled for Monday, March 4.
