Curtis Marvin Goad was born on January 27, 1920, in Glenmary, Scott County, Tennessee. He was the son of Ulyesses Samuel Goad and Callie Myrtle Jordan Goad. Curtis worked as a barber before enlisting in the U.S. Army Coast Artillery Corps on February 17, 1941. He served in the 60th Coast Artillery Regiment as a Corporal during World War II.

After the fall of Bataan in the hands of the Japanese Army on April 9, 1942, Cpl Goad was one of the 10,000 to 12,000 Americans who were forced to march over 60 miles under brutal conditions, resulting in 1,000 to 5,000 deaths due to starvation, dehydration, and abuse. Survivors were sent to Camp O'Donnell, where dire conditions, including overcrowding, malnutrition, and disease, caused an additional 1,500 to 2,300 American deaths within weeks. Those who survived faced ongoing hardships, including transfers to other camps and forced labor, where many continued to suffer or die.

Cpl Goad was among the American soldiers who lost their lives in captivity on January 16, 1945, due to dysentery, pellagra, and malnutrition. He is now buried in the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines.

Source of information: www.livescience.com