The Man Who Lost His Face

As doctors start performing face transplants, it's ironic that the story of human organ transplantation began with a man who lost his face. On Dec. 23, 1944, a 22-year-old pilot named Charles Woods taxied down a runway in Kurmitola, India, carrying 28,000 pounds of aviation fuel. The plane exploded on takeoff. Woods survived, but suffered severe burns over 70 percent of his body. The fire erased his face, destroying his nose, eyelids and ears.