World War II Honoree

John Goodman

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Michigan

Honored By

Marilyn Rodak

ENLISTED AT AGE 17 AT LANSING, MICHIGAN. COMPLETED BASIC TRAINING AT BUCKLEY FIELD IN COLORADO. HE COMPLETED 10 WEEKS OF CARGO HANDLER AND FLIGHT CLERK TRAINING AT MACDILL FIELD IN FLORIDA. SENT TO CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA AS A REPLACEMENT ON A C-47. NEXT WAS SENT TO BIZERTE, TUNISIA AND ON TO NAPLES-FOGGIA, ITALY. ASSIGNED TO A C-47 SQUADRON OF THE AIR TRANSPORT COMMAND. FLEW ALL OVER THE MEDITERRANEAN AREA CARRYING CARGO, PASSENGERS, WOUNDED SOLDIERS AND SUPPLIES FOR THE FRONT LINE UNITS. REMAINED AT NAPLES-FOGGIA UNTIL THE END OF THE WAR IN EUROPE. THEN SENT TO VIENNA AS PART OF THE ARMY OF OCCUPATION. ASSIGNED TO THE MILITARY HEADQUARTERS AS A CLERK. TRANSFERRED TO RHINE MAINZ AIR BASE IN GERMANY AND ASSIGNED TO THE AIR FORCE HEADQUARTERS. DISCHARGED IN NEW JERSEY IN MARCH OF 1946. AWARDED THE AIR MEDAL, ARMY COMMENDATION RIBBON, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN THEATER MEDAL, EUROPEAN THEATER MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND THE ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL.