George Goodwin, my father, was drafted into the Army in 1943 at the age of 37. He left behind a wife and four children. This picture was taken in Florida during basic training. He was assigned to the 8th Infantry Division, 28th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Battalion, Company L. He was an expert marksman with a rifle, carbine, and pistol. He was on the frontlines during much of the war, and was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious actions. The 28th Regiment was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation,. He participated in the following campaigns: Northern France, Rhineland and Ardennes. He returned home on leave from a Texas military hospital in April 1945, and I was born nine months later on January 9th, 1946. He received a medical discharge.
Thanks to my brother, Ray Goodwin, for the information provided on this page.
Read Table Left to Right, Top to Bottom
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Bronze star Ribbon |
European African Middle East Campaign Service Ribbon, Medal. Bottom, Combat Infantryman Badge |
Victory Medal WWII 1941-1945 Service Ribbon and Medal. Bottom, Bottom Sharpshooter Medal-Pistol |
Purple Heart Ribbon?? Army Presidential Unit Citation. Ruptured Duck for medical disharge. Marksmanship Medal- Rifle, Marksmansip Medal- Carbine. |
Dog Tags |
WWII Chronology: George Goodwin
| DATE | OCCURRENCE |
| 1943,November 2 | Date of Induction at Chicago, IL. Drafted into the army at age 37 with wife and four children at home. |
| 1943, November | Assigned to Camp Blanding, Florida for 17 weeks of Basic Training. |
| 1944, February 4 | President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9419, established the Bronze Star Medal. |
| 1944, March 8? | Home on 10 day furlough. |
| 1944, mid March | Returned to Camp Blanding as a cadre (rifle instructor), had been identified as a soldier who was an expert marksman and familiar with weapons. |
| 1944, May | Mom visited dad at Camp Blanding for about 5 days prior to his leaving for Fort Kilmer, NJ, and New York en-route to France and America's build-up and mobilization. |
| 1944, July 18 | Departed from New York for France to join the 8th Infantry Division, 28th Regiment, 3rd Battalion, Company L. He was sent as a replacement due to high D-Day casualties. |
| 1944, July 29 | Arrived in European Theatre, France, thrust into battle almost immediately. |
| 1944, August 1 | 8th Infantry assigned to VIII Corps of the newly formed Third Army under General George Patton. |
| 1944, August and September | Route of travel from France: From Coutances near Utah Beach, through Avranches, Rennes, and Dinard en-route to the port city of Brest on the Brittany Peninsula where the Germans were entrenched. Brest fell on September 8th. On September 15th they moved south to take the city of Crozon, clearing the Crozon Peninsula September 19th. From Crozon the Division travelled by rail and motor across France heading for Germany to relieve the 28th Infantry Division in the battle of the Hurtgen Forest. |
| 1944, September 30 | Crossed into Luxembourg. |
| 1944, November 19 | Entered Germany. The 8th Division entered The Battle of the Hurtgen Forest near Bergstein, Germany. 28th Infantry Regiment, Third Battalion, awarded the Presidential Unit Citation (December 1st thru 6th). This was part of the "Rhineland Campaign", mentioned in the information associated with the Bronze Star Medal. |
| 1944, December 16- January 16 | 28th Infantry Regiment involved in the Ardennes "Battle of the Bulge", part of Germany's last desperate act to stop the advance of the Allied troops into Germany. 8th Division attached to VII Corp and ordered to hold ground previously gained and assist other VIII Corp units with fire and reinforcements as necessary. |
| 1945, January 19 | Hospitalized, probably moved to England, diagnosis chronic arthritis and perceptive deafness. |
| 1945, March 4 | Departed Europe for U.S. |
| 1945, March 17 | Returned to U.S., 13 day boat ride. Hospitalized at Auburn General Hospital, McKinney, Texas. |
| 1945, April | Home on 30 day furlough from hospital. |
| 1945, June 9 | Certificate of Disability for Discharge AR 615-361 2d Ind Auburn General Hospital, McKinney, Texas. Hospitalized 141 days. |
| 1945, June 11 | Honorable Discharge, 36 768 984, Private First Class, Company L, 28th Infantry, given at Auburn general Hospital, McKinney, Texas. Final payment $2,259.67. Returned home to Rixon Street, Alton, IL. |
