John Emerson Goodrich was born on June 28, 1917 in Oneonta, NY to Emerson Augustus Goodrich (1892-1967) and Mabel Neva Reynolds (1892-1970). His parents were married on November 30, 1914 in Otsego County, NY. John was the oldest of their two sons. His brother Dean was 3 years younger than him. His dad, according to US Census records, was a dealer in monuments and the family lived on Walling Boulevard in Oneonta, NY. He graduated from Oneonta High School in 1935 where he was known as “Johnny” and excelled in numerous sports. 

He married Marian Cummings on April 17, 1936 in Susquehanna, Pennsylvania.  Marian was a 1940 graduate of SUNY Oneonta.  John attended St. Lawrence University where he starred in football, baseball and basketball. Was a “Winner of the L” in football, and baseball. Was treasurer of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity his senior year. Was named to Who's Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities. Was on the Latin Club and King of the Winter Carnival. In 1993 he was inducted into the St. Lawrence Athletic Hall of Fame. After graduating from St. Lawrence in 1940, he taught science at Au Sable Forks high school until June 1941 when he left to earn his commission in the navy. 

After training and being commissioned at Norfolk, he was on active duty on the Atlantic coast, Bermuda, Puerto Rico, and various other ports before being transferred to the Pacific. He received the Silver Star on September 22, 1943 for his gallantry off Finschhafen, New Guinea. The full citation read

“The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant, Junior Grade John Emerson Goodrich (NSN: 0-122174), United States Naval Reserve, for gallantry in action as assistant to the officer in charge of the combat information center aboard the U.S.S. REID (DD-369) while that vessel was serving as air guard ship for a group of six destroyers supporting the landing at Finschhafen in September 1943. Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Goodrich plotted and evaluated the positions of 60 attacking enemy planes so accurately that the bombing attacks were evaded and the ships were brought through without material damage. His gallant actions and dedicated devotion to duty, without regard for his own life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Naval Service. “

After serving in the Pacific, he was assigned to the Navy Patrol Bomber Squadron VB-105 out of Dunkeswell, England. On December 28, 1943 he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for heroism in action as co-pilot of a Navy Liberator bomber (PB4Y-1) during the battle of the Bay of Biscay. The full citation reads

“The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross (Posthumously) to Lieutenant, Junior Grade John Emerson Goodrich (NSN: 0-122174), United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as co-pilot of a Liberator bomber during action against enemy forces in the Bay of Biscay on 28 December 1943. Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Goodrich and his pilot skillfully maneuvered their plane through intense anti-aircraft fire and delivered numerous bombing and strafing runs against a large force of destroyers attempting to escape Allied naval units. “

On February 26, 1944 the PB4Y-1, bureau #63929 out of Dunkeswell Airdome , he was co-piloting was overdue from an operational mission. The aircraft sent a distress signal after being attacked by enemy aircraft in position 49-48N 10-34W. Search of this area revealed a large oil slick and two empty rubber boats. Lt. Goodrich was listed among the missing along with pilot Lt. Raymond L. North, Harold Counts, Walter Brown, Frank Malounek, Fredrick Waldron, Lee Merritt, John Van Benschoten, William Pendleton and Walter Pawlyk.

A year and a day later February 27, 1945, under provisions of Public Law 490, Lt. Goodrich was official declared dead. He is memorialized at the Tablets of the Missing, Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridge, England and on a plaque that hangs in the main hallway of his hometown high school. Oneonta High School also honored him with a page dedicated to all alumni lost in WWII in their 1946 yearbook. He is also honored at St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY by having his name on their Gold Star Honor roll. He was awarded the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross and Purple Heart. 

If you notice anything erroneous in this profile or have additional information to contribute to it, please contact Jim Greenberg at nez13820@gmail.com. 

Sources

American Battle Monuments Commission; Arlington, VA; Cemetery Records

Aviation Archaeological Investigation and Research, Results of search in database U.S. NAVY OVERSEAS LOSS LIST 1941-1945, Bureau# 63929, accessed at https://www.aviationarchaeology.com/dbSearchUSNLoss.asp, December 2, 2022.

Battle of the Bay of Biscay, Wikipedia, accessed at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Bay_of_Biscay, December 1, 2022.

Battke if Funschhafen, Wikipedia, accessed at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Finschhafen, December 2, 2022.

Chaisson, Patrick J., Sub Hunters Over the Bay of Biscay, Warfare History Network, accessed at https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/sub-hunters-over-the-bay-of-biscay/, December 3, 2022.

Dunkeswell Aerodrome, Wikipedia, accessed at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunkeswell_Aerodrome, December 3, 2022.

Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920. (NARA microfilm publication T625, 2076 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. For details on the contents of the film numbers, visit the following NARA web page: NARA. Note: Enumeration Districts 819-839 are on roll 323 (Chicago City).

Find a Grave for “John Emerson Goodrich”, accessed at https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56290134/john-emerson-goodrich on December 1, 2022.

“Lt. J.E.Goodrich Wins Silver Star”, Oneonta Scrapbook Series on WWII, Huntington Memorial Library, New York State Room, Oneonta, NY.

Marriage Records. Pennsylvania Marriages. Various County Register of Wills Offices, Pennsylvania.

National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; WWII Draft Registration Cards for New York State, 10/16/1940 - 03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147

“Oneontan Gets Wings at Naval Air Pilot”, Oneonta Herald, July 23, 1942

The Oneontan 1935, Oneonta High School Yearbook, his senior picture.

The Oneontan 1946, Oneonta High School Yearbook, pg 5, In Memoiram page.

Otsego County Marriage Records for Emerson Augustus Goodrich, Otsego County, 197 Main St., Cooperstown, NY 13326. 

“Navy Pronounces Lt. John Goodrich Officially Dead”, Oneonta Herald, May 24, 1945, pg 5.

State population census schedules, 1925. Albany, New York: New York State Archives.

St. Lawrence University Athletics Hall of Fame, accessed at https://saintsathletics.com/honors/hall-of-fame/john-e-goodrich/483/kiosk, December 3, 2022.

United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1930. T626, 2,667 rolls.

 United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1940. T627, 4,643 rolls.

U.S. Navy Casualties Books, Combat Navy Casualties, World War II (MT-WY), pg 186.

World War II Diaries,War Diary, 2/1-29/44, pg. 5-6, accessed via FOLD3 at https://www.fold3.com/image/274552297, December 4, 2022. Fleet Airwing 7, Feb. 1, 1944 – Feb. 29, 1944. 

Supporting Files