Corporal Floyd Osmond Goodman

Floyd Osmond Goodman was born on July 3, 1919 in Canby, Minnesota to parents Lovell Osmond Goodman and Media Eugenia Goodman (Carlson). He was third oldest in a family of nine children. The family moved to Altadena, California in 1923.

Floyd married Lafonda Rogers and they had one child, Kathleen Mae Goodman (Howe) born December 8, 1943 in Pasadena, California. Floyd was deployed overseas before Kathleen was born and he was never able to meet his daughter.

As a child Floyd was a good athlete and enjoyed physical activity. When Floyd joined the Army he volunteered for the newly formed paratroopers wad was assigned to the 508^th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR) attached to the 82^nd Airborne.

Floyd, with the 82^nd Airborne, jumped into Normandy, France on June 6, 1944 and after five weeks of fighting was sent back to England to reform.

During his stay in England, Floyd received a promotion to Corporal and became a squad leader. They were next sent into Holland as part of Operation Market Garden.

Late on December 17, 1944 the 508 PIR was alerted to move into Belgium to blunt Hitler’s desperation attack. The 508^th PIR established a defensive position along the Their-du-Mont ridgeline west of the Salm river.

On February 9, the 508^th PIR was ordered to seize and hold the west shore of the Roer River.

On this day Floyd’s squad was hit with German artillery. Floyd and several of his squad were mortally wounded.

Corporal Floyd O Goodman is buried in the Belgium American Cemetery in Henri-Chapelle, Belgium. Plot: E Row: 8 Grave: 8

Meeting with Floyd Goodman's nephew, Wally Pipp, 23 July 2012