1966ww2collector Posted February 26, 2019 Share #76 Posted February 26, 2019 Guess who I just talked to for 20 minutes... "Hello Mr. Goodall. Guess what I found..." Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
644td Posted February 26, 2019 Share #77 Posted February 26, 2019 Boy, I thought finding out last year I that I sister I never knew about after 49 years was a good story. This helmet story tops that one LOL. Marty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEABEE SON Posted February 26, 2019 Share #78 Posted February 26, 2019 Guess who I just talked to for 20 minutes... "Hello Mr. Goodall. Guess what I found..." Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk Oh, wow! This story gets better and better! What did he say? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEABEE SON Posted February 26, 2019 Share #79 Posted February 26, 2019 This is one of those stories that could make the national news. Remarkable! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1canpara Posted February 26, 2019 Share #80 Posted February 26, 2019 Guess who I just talked to for 20 minutes... "Hello Mr. Goodall. Guess what I found..." Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk Holy Cow! Thats amazing! Share what you can when you have time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burning Hazard Posted February 27, 2019 Share #81 Posted February 27, 2019 Wow, thats interesting. And to think I was sceptical of this one at the beginning, I take it back. Thats a neat piece of history! Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phineaus Posted February 27, 2019 Share #82 Posted February 27, 2019 This is the best thread Ive read this year. Im curious what Mr. Goodalls reaction was. Regardless, well done, Doug! Farhaan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted February 27, 2019 Share #83 Posted February 27, 2019 Neat story! Ronnie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stealthytyler Posted February 27, 2019 Share #84 Posted February 27, 2019 Very interesting thread here. Im not sure that I am convinced that this helmet belonged to the man in question. It is an interesting theory based off the name you found but this helmet does not check all the boxes of what we know a 7th BB helmet should look like. You should send the man a photo of the helmet and see what he says. If it turns out to be his helmet, that proves that there was not just one cookie cutter 7th BB paint job. I wish you the best in your hunt but I'm not getting that warm fuzzy feeling that everyone else is getting. Keep us updated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cap Camouflage Pattern I Posted February 27, 2019 Share #85 Posted February 27, 2019 Very nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArchangelDM Posted February 27, 2019 Share #86 Posted February 27, 2019 Very interesting history on the helmet - great detective work and congratulations - Dean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEABEE SON Posted February 27, 2019 Share #87 Posted February 27, 2019 http://omaha-beach-memorial.org/public/testimonies/Goodall_Clifford_A.php Thereâs the explanation why his helmet is more generic looking. He came to the beach after the day of the landings. He was a signalman. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEABEE SON Posted February 27, 2019 Share #88 Posted February 27, 2019 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1966ww2collector Posted February 27, 2019 Share #89 Posted February 27, 2019 Update... I spoke with Mr. Goodall yesterday for quite a while. At the end of the conversation, I got his email address and sent him some pictures of the helmet. This morning I followed up with him to ask more questions and see what his thoughts were on the helmet. We talked for another 35 minutes. So, I've been on the phone with him for a total of more than an hour and he did most of the talking. So I have lots of notes but I will hit the high points. He said the helmet looked like what he remembered but he distinctly remembered that it had a gray stripe all of the way around it. I told him it was there but that someone had shellaced the helmet and it made everything darker. I have since sent him close-up pictures of the helmet. He remembered the USN on the front. I told him that some 7th BB helmets had red arches and asked he he remembered having one on his helmet. He said no. But he said there is probably a reason for that. He wasn't assigned to the 7th BB until April 5th. By then, those guys had been together for a while prepping for the invasion. So, he remembers the gray stripe and the USN but no recollection of red arches. I drive within a half mile of his home on the way to the beach, we are going to make arrangements to meet sometime in April. I will take the helmet with me. Based on the body of information and his recollection, I am confident that this is his helmet. Mr. Goodall graduated from the University of Ill. and went to Norfolk to train as a Signalman. After graduating, he was assigned to the 6th BB. By that time the 6th had been together training in Florida for 6 weeks. They were doing practice landings. He did not get to train with them but did some landings in Norfolk. Then he was assigned to the 294th Joint Assault Group which consisted of Army and Navy. He never saw the Army until D-Day. He left Norfolk for Liverpool. Then went to Plymouth, Salcombe, and eventually Fowey. He didn't do any beach landings but a lot of running and marching. He was at Slapton Sands but had no idea what happened until years later. There wasn't enough room on the landing craft that day so his group was bused to the beach. The mock invasion never happened. No explanation. He said the 294th was eventually split up. Some were sent to the 2nd BB, others to the 6th BB and he went to the 7th BB. He was scheduled to be on an LCI in the 2nd wave. His buddy who was also a Signalman 3rd class was to be in the 3rd wave. Something happened in loading and the two got switched. His buddy never made it to the beach. He was on the beach for about 3 weeks. The rest of his group left and he was assigned to the 149th Combat Engineers because they needed a Signalman. He was later sent back to the states then was sent to California to load up for the Pacific. He did go go the Pacific prior to VJ day but we haven't gotten that far. I hope that everyone is enjoying this series of events as much as I am. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1966ww2collector Posted February 27, 2019 Share #90 Posted February 27, 2019 Update... I spoke with Mr. Goodall yesterday for quite a while. At the end of the conversation, I got his email address and sent him some pictures of the helmet. This morning I followed up with him to ask more questions and see what his thoughts were on the helmet. We talked for another 35 minutes. So, I've been on the phone with him for a total of more than an hour and he did most of the talking. So I have lots of notes but I will hit the high points. He said the helmet looked like what he remembered but he distinctly remembered that it had a gray stripe all of the way around it. I told him it was there but that someone had shellaced the helmet and it made everything darker. I have since sent him close-up pictures of the helmet. He remembered the USN on the front. I told him that some 7th BB helmets had red arches and asked he he remembered having one on his helmet. He said no. But he said there is probably a reason for that. He wasn't assigned to the 7th BB until April 5th. By then, those guys had been together for a while prepping for the invasion. So, he remembers the gray stripe and the USN but no recollection of red arches. I drive within a half mile of his home on the way to the beach, we are going to make arrangements to meet sometime in April. I will take the helmet with me. Based on the body of information and his recollection, I am confident that this is his helmet. Mr. Goodall graduated from the University of Ill. and went to Norfolk to train as a Signalman. After graduating, he was assigned to the 6th BB. By that time the 6th had been together training in Florida for 6 weeks. They were doing practice landings. He did not get to train with them but did some landings in Norfolk. Then he was assigned to the 294th Joint Assault Group which consisted of Army and Navy. He never saw the Army until D-Day. He left Norfolk for Liverpool. Then went to Plymouth, Salcombe, and eventually Fowey. He didn't do any beach landings but a lot of running and marching. He was at Slapton Sands but had no idea what happened until years later. There wasn't enough room on the landing craft that day so his group was bused to the beach. The mock invasion never happened. No explanation. He said the 294th was eventually split up. Some were sent to the 2nd BB, others to the 6th BB and he went to the 7th BB. He was scheduled to be on an LCI in the 2nd wave. His buddy who was also a Signalman 3rd class was to be in the 3rd wave. Something happened in loading and the two got switched. His buddy never made it to the beach. He was on the beach for about 3 weeks. The rest of his group left and he was assigned to the 149th Combat Engineers because they needed a Signalman. He was later sent back to the states then was sent to California to load up for the Pacific. He did go go the Pacific prior to VJ day but we haven't gotten that far. I hope that everyone is enjoying this series of events as much as I am. Doug I may have misread my notes. He was supposed to be 2nd wave on an LCVP and his buddy was supposed to be 3rd wave LST. I think that's right. They got switched. He said he also notice that they had his rating as Seaman 1st Class (I think) on the paperwork and he wonders if that's what happened in the mix-up. Either way, he said it still really bothers him. His boat couldn't get into the beach because of the mess so they had to hold and watch. I know one story says that he came in the next day. He told me he thought he got to the beach sometime that night. Either way, he was supposed to have been on Omaha Beach early in the invasion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stealthytyler Posted February 27, 2019 Share #91 Posted February 27, 2019 Glad you were able to talk with him! Did you show him a photo of the written name? Did he confirm that it is his handwriting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stealthytyler Posted February 27, 2019 Share #92 Posted February 27, 2019 One thing to take into consideration is that even though he joined the seventh beach battalion on April 5, at that time their helmets only had a USN marking with the number 7. There are pictures And videos of the battalion doing a practice exercise at Slapton Sands on April 21 and none of them have red arcs. It is my understanding that these arcs along with the gray band were added during the staging area just prior to the invasion. It was not up to each individual sailor to paint their own helmets. Each platoon or company had a few guys that did them all. That said, its likely his helmet had a red Arc according to the battalion standards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stealthytyler Posted February 27, 2019 Share #93 Posted February 27, 2019 For handwriting analysis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kammo-man Posted February 28, 2019 Share #94 Posted February 28, 2019 Stealth. Lets see in a easy to follow line of Beach helmets that meet YOUR approval please. owen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stealthytyler Posted February 28, 2019 Share #95 Posted February 28, 2019 There is nothing wrong with being skeptical regarding the assumed ID on this helmet. Im not against anyone here. I want to be part of the dialogue and bring a different and valid perspective to the talk. I am absolutely fascinated with NBB history and super excited to see where this goes. I wanted to provide some info about the timing of the helmets being painted by the 7th NBB to take into consideration. I would assume that Cliff's helmet would fall more in line with the 7th NBB standards. This helmet very well may be Cliff's as there are always exceptions and on the flip side, it very well may not be his. I had a great conversation with 1966 offline and am nothing but gunning for him to get this thing 100% signed off by Cliff. I think the most important piece of evidence is the handwriting of the last name inside the shell. I would cross reference that with Cliff's handwriting. I once spoke to a member of another beach battalion a few years ago and he said he did not recall any markings on his helmet. It turns out I have a photo of him wearing a helmet with an invasion stripe. Memory fades and these boys back in 1944 did not pay as much attention to their paint schemes as we collectors do. Again, I am super excited to see how this unfolds when 1966 shows Cliff the handwriting! Keep us posted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEABEE SON Posted February 28, 2019 Share #96 Posted February 28, 2019 It would be interesting if the vet has pictures from his service that might shed more light on this. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stealthytyler Posted February 28, 2019 Share #97 Posted February 28, 2019 Good point, SEABEE. I would also suggest researching E.N. Brewer. CAG is on both the shell and liner...so maybe that name will somehow connect back to the vet in question or maybe another vet with the name C.A. Goodall. I have been trying to make a match in the musters but can't find anyone with the name E.N. Brewer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kammo-man Posted February 28, 2019 Share #98 Posted February 28, 2019 Just show images that YOU approve of. No need for a keyboard rant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Posted February 28, 2019 Share #99 Posted February 28, 2019 Oh boy here we go... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kammo-man Posted February 28, 2019 Share #100 Posted February 28, 2019 There is nothing wrong with being skeptical regarding the assumed ID on this helmet. Im not against anyone here. I want to be part of the dialogue and bring a different and valid perspective to the talk. I am absolutely fascinated with NBB history and super excited to see where this goes. I wanted to provide some info about the timing of the helmets being painted by the 7th NBB to take into consideration. I would assume that Cliff's helmet would fall more in line with the 7th NBB standards. This helmet very well may be Cliff's as there are always exceptions and on the flip side, it very well may not be his. I had a great conversation with 1966 offline and am nothing but gunning for him to get this thing 100% signed off by Cliff. I think the most important piece of evidence is the handwriting of the last name inside the shell. I would cross reference that with Cliff's handwriting. I once spoke to a member of another beach battalion a few years ago and he said he did not recall any markings on his helmet. It turns out I have a photo of him wearing a helmet with an invasion stripe. Memory fades and these boys back in 1944 did not pay as much attention to their paint schemes as we collectors do. Again, I am super excited to see how this unfolds when 1966 shows Cliff the handwriting! Keep us posted Yes Justin. The simple lack of basic paragraphs set the standard. owen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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