World War II Honoree

Charles E. Goodwin

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Cedar Bluff, Virginia

Honored By

Alicia & Katie Goodwin, Charlie Goodwin & Terry Goodwin

Relationship

Children & Wife

ENLISTED AT AGE 17 ON FEBRUARY 1944 AND AFTER 'BOOT' TRAINING WAS ASSIGNED TO THE USS DESTROYER BALCH AND DEPLOYED TO EUROPE IN MAY, 1944. THEIR PRIMARY MISSION WAS ESCORTING CONVOYS AND GENERAL SUPPORT TO THE NORMANDY LANDING EFFORT. RETURNED TO THE UNITED STATES IN LATE JUNE 1944 AND THEN ASSIGNED TO THE DESTROYER USS BUNCH, WHOSE PRIMARY MISSION WAS TO TRANSPORT DEMOLITION PERSONAL AT HIGH SPEED TO SHORES. HE WAS TRAINED AS AN UNDER-WATER DEMOLITION EXPERT AND WAS PART OF A DEMOLITION TEAM. TRAINED IN THE PACIFIC EARLY 1945 AND WAS HEADED DIRECTLY TO THE JAPANESE RYUKYUS ISLAND CHAIN. THE USS BUNCH WAS VERY ACTIVE IN THE INVASION OF OKINAWA FROM MARCH 1945 TO ITS COSTLY BUT SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION IN JULY 2, THEY THEN STARTED TRAINING FOR THE FINAL PUSH TO JAPAN ITSELF WHEN THE WAR ENDED.