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Goodwin Raymond H.

Name:
Raymond H. Goodwin
Rank:
Sergeant
Serial Number:
Unit:
817th Bomber Squadron, 483rd Bomb Group (Heavy)
Date of Death:
1958-01-01
State:
Pennsylvania
Cemetery:
Union Hill Cemetery Kennett Square, Chester County, Pennsylvania, USA
Plot:
Section BB
Row:
Grave:
Decoration:
Comments:

Raymond Goodwin was born in 1924 and was from Pennsylvania. On March 9, 1945, B-17G “Je Reviens” (44-6437) flying from Sterparone (near Foggia), Italy, of the 817th Bomber Squadron, 483rd Bomber Group, 5th Bomber Wing, 15th Air Force to bomb railway yards in Graz, Austria. Goodwin served as a Gunner on this plane. Soon after the bombing run, “Je Reviens” (which means “I will be Back”) was hit by anti-aircraft fire severely damaging the aircraft. The Pilot, 1LT Edward F. Logan, developed a plan to fly and glide the aircraft to an area in Slovenia where it was understood friendly Partisans were operating. In a feat of incredible piloting, Logan got the plane to the Dry Carniola region of Slovenia and to an altitude for his crew to bail out planning to belly land the plane himself. At the last-minute Logan also bailed out and the plane crashed nearby in Gradenc. Slovenian Partisans immediately responded and saved the entire crew. Over the course of the next five days, the Partisans moved the crew overland to a point where they flew in a C-47 of the Balkan Air Force (BAF) back to Italy and returned to duty. This remarkable story is related in Edward Logan’s book: “Jump, Damn It, Jump!": Memoir of a Downed B-17 Pilot in World War II.