John B. Goddard, Ogden, Utah: an interview by Becky B. Lloyd, September 30, 2004: Saving the legacy tape no. 714

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JOHN B. GODDARD PTEMB R 0 2004 JOH : Uh-huh. That was about it. There were no orders. We didn t have to go. I mean, you didn t have to go up and get shot at. But this other fellow and myself aid "It ll be fun let's go up." We were in no danger of being hit because we were clear back with the artillery. And the artillery is far enough back that they don't suffer many casualties except their forward observers. The forward observers have it pretty risky. BEC: Well, what else? You've got some really interesting stories. Do you remember other events or things over there that stick out in your mind? JOHN: I probably should have written some down. I'll think of a dozen of them after you leave. BEC: I sould probably call you tomorrow and say, "Let's get together again." Well, do you remember your time in the hospital? I'm guessing it was probably pretty boring, was it most of the time, or do you recall that? JOHN: Well, no. It wasn't. My first hospital was down in Hammond Hospital. And Gerry came down and I was able to find a little apartment. I mean little. I rented it from a lady, Mrs. Douglas, and she had a Plymouth automobile. She never drove it. Her husband had died about four or five years earlier, and it was just parked in the garage. So I asked her if I could take the car and she said, "Yes, you're welcome to it." So, I was on crutches and I had to report into the hospital every morning to see how the surgery was going. My surgery, at that particular point, was not life threatening. But a lot of the casualties coming into the hospital at that time were coming in from the Philippines and the Pacific Theatre. Many of them were life threatening so they would take priority in the operating rooms. But I would have to report just in case they didn't get it. Then, they were going to operate on me. So I drove this Plymouth. It would send up a smoke stream 30