World War II Honoree

Richard Wood Goins

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Sapulpa, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

SERVED AS A PARATROOPER OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER WITH THE 551ST PARACHUTE INFANTRY 'GOYA' (GET OFF YOUR ASS) BATTALION. HIS UNIT MOVED INTO BELGIUM ON DECEMBER 21, 1944 AND BEGAN PARTICIPATION IN THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE ATTACHED TO THE 30TH INFANTRY 'OLD HICKORY' DIVISION. THE BATTALION WAS THE INITIAL SPEARHEAD OF THE XVIII AIRBORNE CORPS COUNTEROFFENSIVE ON THE NORTHERN SHOULDER OF THE BULGE. THE BATTALION WAS ATTACHED TO THE 82ND AIRBORNE 'ALL AMERICAN' DIVISION FROM DECEMBER 26, 1944 TO JANUARY 13, 1945 AND AGAIN FROM JANUARY 21-27, 1945. HE PARTICIPATED IN THE ARDENNES-ALSACE (BATTLE OF THE BULGE) CAMPAIGN. THE BATTALION SUCCESSFULLY MADE AN INITIAL 'RAID IN FORCE' AGAINST THE GERMANS ON DECEMBER 28, 1944 TO ATTACK AND REDUCE THE GERMAN-HELD VILLAGE OF NOIREFONTAINE. FROM JANUARY 3-8, 1945, THE BATTALION ASSAULTED THE SMALL HAMLETS OF MONT DE FOSSE, ST. JACQUES, AND DAIROMONT. ON JANUARY 4, 1945, THE BATTALION CONDUCTED A FIXED BAYONET ATTACK AGAINST ENEMY MACHINE GUN NESTS THAT KILLED 64 GERMANS. FIGHTING THROUGH THE THICK WOODS HAD COST THE 551ST BATTALION HEAVY CASUALTIES. DURING AN ATTACK ON ROCHELINVAL, BELGIUM ON JANUARY 7, 1945, HIS UNIT SUFFERED MORE THAN 85% CASUALTIES IN WHAT WAS CONSIDERED A SUICIDAL DAYLIGHT ATTACK DOWNHILL, ACROSS 1/2 MILE OF OPEN TERRAIN, IN FOOT-DEEP SNOW, AGAINST A DUG-IN ENEMY FORCE, WITHOUT PREPARATORY OR SUPPORTING ARTILLERY FIRE. HIS BATTALION WAS VICTORIOUS IN CAPTURING ROCHELINVAL AND ELIMINATING THE LAST GERMAN BRIDGEHEAD FOR OVER 10 MILES ALONG THE SALM RIVER. THE UNIT WAS DECIMATED IN THE ATTACK, INACTIVATED ON JANUARY 27, 1945, AND THE REMAINING SOLDIERS REASSIGNED TO 82ND AIRBORNE DIVISION UNITS. HE WAS AWARDED THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, PARACHUTIST BADGE, BRONZE STAR MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. AUTHORIZED THE PRESIDENTIAL (DISTINGUISHED) UNIT CITATION FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM IN ACTION BY HIS BATTALION IN BELGIUM BETWEEN DECEMBER 27, 1944 TO JANUARY 8, 1945. CONTINUED IN U.S. ARMY SERVICE AFTER THE WAR UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT WITH THE RANK OF MAJOR. ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.