Paul Goodrich, World War II CasualtyPorter County Data on World War II Casualties . . . .
Paul Goodrich
First Lieutenant, 8th Air Force
Date of Birth: February 1, 1923
Date of Death: January 20, 1945
Burial: Graceland Cemetery, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana
Cause of Death: Airplane Lost on Bombing Mission (Germany)
Date of Enlistment: August 9, 1940
Hometown: Valparaiso (Cook's Corners area)
Newspaper Notices:
Soldier Dies In So. Pacific; Flier Missing
Two names today were added to Porter county's casualty list as a Valparaiso
soldier was reported killed in action, and a Cook's Corners flyer is missing
over Germany.
The dead soldier is Lawrence Hesselgrave, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ray Hesselgrave,
of McIntyre Court.
Missing is Lieut. Paul Goodrich, 23, of Valparaiso RFD 1.
Pvt. Hesselgrave was killed in action in the South Pacific, according to word
received Tuesday night by his parents. His father is a janitor at Porter
Memorial hospital.
Recently word was received here of young Hesselgrave meeting one of his brothers
in New Guinea. Four brothers of the dead soldier are in the armed forces. He has
a wife and child living at Knox.
Lieut. Goodrich, a pilot on a Flying Fortress, stationed in England with the 8th
Air Force, is missing following a mission over Germany Jan. 20. He entered the
service in August, 1938, and made his first mission over Germany on Aug. 8,
1944.
At the time he was reported missing he had 30 missions to his credit. On Jan. 8
last he wrote his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Nick Goodrich, that he had five more
missions to complete and then was coming home.
The missing flyer attended Cook's Corners school and was graduated from
Valparaiso high school in 1938. Besides his parents he has a wife and daughter,
Paulette, four months old, living at Shreveport, La.; two brothers, Robert and
Edward, and two sisters, Marguerite and Beverly.
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Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana;
February 7, 1945; Volume 18, Page 1, Column 8
One Dead, On Missing On War Fronts
Two Porter county men were reported as casualties today in official war
department announcements.
Second Lieut. Paul Goodrich, 23, husband of Mrs. Exie Goodrich and son of Mr.
and Mrs. Nick Goodrich, Valparaiso RFD 1, reported missing in action over
Germany on January 20, 1945, during an air raid, has been declared dead by the
war department.
Lieut. Goodrich was a pilot on a Flying Fortress with the English Air Force
stationed in England. He entered the service August, 1942, and made his first
mission over Germany on August 8, 1944. At the time of his death he had 30
missions to his credit.
The dead flyer attended Cook's Corners school and was graduated from Valparaiso
high school in 1938. Besides his widow he leaves a daughter, Paulette, six
months old; his parents; two brothers, Robert and Edward, and two sisters,
Marguerite and Beverly.
Pvt. Victor Lorenz, husband of Mildred Garrett Lorenz, of Chesterton, is
reported missing in Luxembourg. He was fighting with General Hodge's First army
when he failed to return to his unit. His brother, Harry Lorenz, was killed in
action November 20, 1943, in the battle of Tawara. He was a member of the Second
Marine division.
[Note: Contrary to what is reported in this newspaper notice, government records
indicate that Paul Goodrich's enlistment date was August 9, 1940.]
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Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; April
9, 1945; Volume 18, Page 1, Column 8
Local War Victim's Body Brought Back
The remains of First Lt. Paul Goodrich, 23, son of Nick Goodrich, RFD 1,
Valparaiso, are among those of 89 Indiana servicemen who lost their lives during
World War II, which have been returned to the United States from Europe aboard
the US American Transport Carroll Victory, the Department of the Army
announced Friday.
Lt. Goodrich was a pilot of the US Army Air Corps, and met his death while on a
mission over Germany Jan. 20, 1945.
No further announcement as to the time the remains will arrive in Valparaiso has
been received.
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Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; July
2, 1949; Volume 22, Number 306, Page 2, Column 6
Plan Goodrich Memorial Rites At St. Paul's
Memorial services for Lt. Paul Goodrich, son of Mr. and Mrs. Nick Goodrich, RFD
1, who was killed in action over Germany, Jan. 14, 1945, will be held at 9:30 a.
m. Monday in St. Paul's church.
The decedent was born Feb. 1, 1923, and entered service Aug. 8, 1940. He was
killed while piloting a B-17 over Germany for the U. S. air corps. Lt. Goodrich
was graduate from Valparaiso high school in 1939.
Surviving in addition to his parents are his widow, Eva, and daughter, Paulette,
of Tuscaloosa, Ala.; two brothers, Edward and Robert David; and two sisters,
Margaret and Beverly Jean.
Friends may call at the Bartholomew funeral home from 7 to 9:30 p. m. Saturday
and from 1 to 9:30 p. m. Sunday. Burial will be in Graceland cemetery.
The rosary will be recited at 8:30 p. m. Saturday at the funeral home.
[Note: Contrary to what is reported in this newspaper notice, government records
indicate that Paul Goodrich's enlistment date was August 9, 1940.]
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Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana; July
29, 1949; Volume 23, Number 25, Page 3, Column 5
Return to
List of
Porter County World War II Casualties
Information abstracted and transcribed by Steven R. Shook