Last Known Activity
Charles Ross Goodwin was born on November 22, 1918 in Cloudchief, Oklahoma. He was a son of William C. and Iva F. Goodwin. The US Census 1920 shows the family home as Seger, Oklahoma. The US Census 1940 shows Charles in Tulsa, married to his wife Geraldine, and working as a gas station attendant.
He enlisted in Oklahoma City on December 12, 1941 as a private in the Army Air Forces. His enlistment documents state he had completed 4 years of high school, was employed as a lens grinder (optician,), and divorced with no dependents.
He was trained as an aerial gunner, and assigned overseas in 1942. He was assigned to the B-17 combat crew headed by Lt. Maher. On November 28, 1942, the crew was part of a bombing raid on targets near Bizerte, Tunisia.
While flying to the target area, the formation was attacked by enemy aircraft. Lt. Maher's plane was shot down, crashing into the Mediterranean Sea. No survivors were found, and no bodies were recovered.
Sgt Goodwin is memorialized on the Walls of the Missing in the North Africa American Cemetery in Tunis, Tunisia.
www.findagrave.com
www.ancestry.com
www.abmc.gov
www.301stbg.com/301st_bombardment_group.cfm
www.303stbg.com/mission_Macrs.cfm
US Census 1920
US Census 1940
NARA Enlistment Records
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Comments/Citation
Sgt Charles R. Goodwin was an assigned tail gunner, serving on B-17F # 41-24374, no name, assigned to the 353rd Bomb Squadron.
Missing Air Crew Report 16038 covers the loss of this crew/aircraft. Mission loading lists show the crew as:
1 Lt Robert E. Maher p
2 Lt Roy C. Tobey c-p
2 Lt Lee H. Adkins nav
2 Lt Fred J. Graf bomb
MSgt Edward C. Shackleton eng/tt gun
TSgt Frank J. Conlon r/o
Sgt Harry R. Alger wg
Sgt Max D, McNeil wg
Sgt Charles R. Goodwin tail gun
Ranks and grades as of mission date.
Shackleton's middle initial is given as "O," "C," or "W" in various documents.
There is no known photo of this crew.
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