CLAUDE L. GOODMAN, JR., LCDR, USN

Claude Goodman, Jr. '39

Date of birth: January 23, 1918

Date of death: February 4, 1945

Age: 27

Lucky Bag

From the 1939 Lucky Bag:

CLAUDE LAYTON GOODMAN

Newport News, Virginia

Goody, Layton, Benny

Goody has spent his whole life in a real Navy atmosphere. He gave up a career in medicine in favor of salt water, his first love. He laid his course through four years at the Academy and followed it in spite of all the uncharted rocks and shoals which the Steam Department threw in his path. He has never been a star man, but he's kept one jump ahead of the crowd by determined plugging. Layton spends his spare time with his camera or fiddle, or encouraging a man twice his size to "rassle" with him. Generous and conscientious, it is obvious that he hails from below the Mason-Dixon line. If the Navy ever loses Goodman, it will lose just that — a good man. He's "fine people."

Baseball Manager 4, 3, 2, 1; Battalion Wrestling 3, 2; Orchestra 4, 3, 2, 1; Musical Club Show 4, 3, 2, 1; Choir 4, 3, 2, 1; 1 P.O.

CLAUDE LAYTON GOODMAN

Newport News, Virginia

Goody, Layton, Benny

Goody has spent his whole life in a real Navy atmosphere. He gave up a career in medicine in favor of salt water, his first love. He laid his course through four years at the Academy and followed it in spite of all the uncharted rocks and shoals which the Steam Department threw in his path. He has never been a star man, but he's kept one jump ahead of the crowd by determined plugging. Layton spends his spare time with his camera or fiddle, or encouraging a man twice his size to "rassle" with him. Generous and conscientious, it is obvious that he hails from below the Mason-Dixon line. If the Navy ever loses Goodman, it will lose just that — a good man. He's "fine people."

Baseball Manager 4, 3, 2, 1; Battalion Wrestling 3, 2; Orchestra 4, 3, 2, 1; Musical Club Show 4, 3, 2, 1; Choir 4, 3, 2, 1; 1 P.O.

Loss

Claude was lost when USS Barbel (SS 316) was sunk by Japanese aircraft off Palawan on February 4, 1945. He was the boat's executive officer.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Claude was survived by his mother, Mrs. Mabel H. Goodman, and three sisters: Mabel, Mrs. Carl J. Wallin; Winifred who married Charles H. Turner (’35;) and Eloise, Mrs. Daniel F. Ellis. In 1920, his father worked in a hardware store, and he died from shock after surgery in 1923.

His mother was listed as next of kin.

From the Daily Press, Newport News, Virginia, April 17, 1945:

C. L. Goodman Missing in Action
Mother Receives Citation, Award
According to word received from the navy department, Lt. Comdr. Claude Layton Goodman Jr., 27, son of Mrs. Mabel H. Goodman, 405 Chesapeake Ave., is missing in action. Goodman was executive officer of the submarine Barbel which was listed sunk in enemy waters.
Serving in the Pacific since April, 1944, his submarine division commander wrote the following: “The ship of which he was second in command has made a most enviable record. Lt Comdr. Claude Layton Goodman enjoys a splendid reputation, and his spirit and ability have continually commanded the respect of his senior officers as well as his junior officers.”
In a letter to Goodman’s mother, the commander of submarine division 222 wrote: “I have recently had the pleasure of recommending him for qualification for command of submarines, which is proof of the esteem his commanding office and division commander had for his outstanding qualities. We have been proud of your son as an officer in this submarine which has distinguished herself by courageous aggressive action against the Japanese. We know that he was carrying out his duties in accordance with the highest traditions of the naval service.
“The Commander Submarine Forces, Pacific fleet is forwarding to you, under separate cover, the United States navy submarine combat pin and a citation which was awarded your son for his participation in this successful patrol against the enemy. We feel that you will treasure them as a sacred and lasting remembrance of your son’s activities in this war.”
Goodman completed the four-year academic course in Newport News high school in three and one-half years, and was graduated as third honor student. In spite of his crowded course, he had time for his two chief diversions: music and photography. He played in the high school orchestra during his enrollment there.
Possessing sensitivity for poetry and inspired chiefly by Robert Browning’s optimism, he directed his ambitions by two mottoes: “A man’s reach should exceed his grasp,” and “What I aspired to be and was not, comforts me,” it is recalled by his friends.
After graduating from high school, he sought an appointment at Annapolis; but, disappointed in this appointment, he decided to go to Washington and Lee university to prepare for a career of his second choice – medicine. During his first year at Washington and Lee, however, through Senator Carter Glass, he was granted the opportunity of taking a competitive examination for entrance to Annapolis and obtained a month’s leave from Washington and Lee to go to Werntz [Preparatory School] to prepare for the examination.
In this examination he ranked first in his State, and through Representative Otis S. Bland, he attained the appointment to Annapolis. After completing this examination, he returned to Washington and Lee and passed the year’s work.
In the fall of 1935, he entered Annapolis. While there, he was a member of the orchestra, the glee club, the choir, and musical club show. Goodman also was manager of the baseball club and a member of the wrestling team. In June, 1939, he was graduated as an ensign, and in March, 1940, he volunteered for submarine service.
He was ordered to attend the submarine school at New London, Conn., and upon completion of this course, he received the commission of lieutenant (junior grade.)
After serving in Atlantic waters, he again was sent to the submarine school in New London when he received promotion commission of lieutenant (senior grade.)
He was assigned to Pacific waters on a new submarine which has made history of successful missions; but, because of withholding information from the enemy, neither the name of the ship nor the nature of the missions has been divulged.
For the third time he was sent to the submarine school at New London. This time he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant commander and became the executive officer of the submarine Barbel, which went on duty in the Pacific in April, 1944.

Photographs

From the yearbook of Phi Kappa Sigma and Washington & Lee, 1935
From the Lucky Bag
From Daily Press on April 17, 1945

Silver Star

From Hall of Valor:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant Commander Claude Layton Goodman, Jr. (NSN: 0-82535), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action in the performance of his duties as Assistant Approach Officer of the U.S.S. BARBEL (SS-316), during the FIRST War Patrol of that Submarine from 15 July 1944 to 21 August 1944. His ability to furnish his Commanding Officer with a continued flow of valuable information contributed directly to the sinking of four enemy ships totaling 32,900 tons and damaging an additional enemy ship of 8,500 tons. His efficiency and coolness during severe enemy countermeasures greatly assisted his ship in conducting successful evasive tactics. His conduct throughout was an inspiration to the officers and men in his ship and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
General Orders: Commander in Chief Pacific: Serial 07434 (December 10, 1944)
Action Date: July 15 - August 21, 1944
Service: Navy
Rank: Lieutenant Commander
Company: Assistant Approach Officer
Division: U.S.S. Barbel (SS-316)

He was also recorded as twice receiving the Bronze Star medal; unable to find a citation.

Navy Directories & Officer Registers

The "Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps" was published annually from 1815 through at least the 1970s; it provided rank, command or station, and occasionally billet until the beginning of World War II when command/station was no longer included. Scanned copies were reviewed and data entered from the mid-1840s through 1922, when more-frequent Navy Directories were available.

The Navy Directory was a publication that provided information on the command, billet, and rank of every active and retired naval officer. Single editions have been found online from January 1915 and March 1918, and then from three to six editions per year from 1923 through 1940; the final edition is from April 1941.

The entries in both series of documents are sometimes cryptic and confusing. They are often inconsistent, even within an edition, with the name of commands; this is especially true for aviation squadrons in the 1920s and early 1930s.

Alumni listed at the same command may or may not have had significant interactions; they could have shared a stateroom or workspace, stood many hours of watch together… or, especially at the larger commands, they might not have known each other at all. The information provides the opportunity to draw connections that are otherwise invisible, though, and gives a fuller view of the professional experiences of these alumni in Memorial Hall.