FRANKLIN P. GOULBURN, JR., LTJG, USN
Franklin Goulburn, Jr. '49
Lucky Bag
From the 1949 Lucky Bag:
Frank P. Goulburn, Jr.
Collingswood, New Jersey
Badly in need of a haircut, the "Goul" arrived at the Academy singing "Fight For Collingswood." He spent the first three years saying, "It won't be long now, a few more days and I'll be going home," and the last year going home. Although he has nothing against sea duty, he'd like to be assigned to a yard tug at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. While at the Academy, Frank spent most of his free time either in the water or on the water. He earned his N-star in swimming Youngster Year, and he devoted his spring afternoons to rowing up and down the Severn (with the crew, not the extra duty squad). After helping Kirk and Herm run the New Jersey embassy for two years, Goul moved in with the "Tiger," "Bo," and Jim saying, "Upper half of the class by '49 or-."
Frank was captain of the swim team.
Frank P. Goulburn, Jr.
Collingswood, New Jersey
Badly in need of a haircut, the "Goul" arrived at the Academy singing "Fight For Collingswood." He spent the first three years saying, "It won't be long now, a few more days and I'll be going home," and the last year going home. Although he has nothing against sea duty, he'd like to be assigned to a yard tug at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. While at the Academy, Frank spent most of his free time either in the water or on the water. He earned his N-star in swimming Youngster Year, and he devoted his spring afternoons to rowing up and down the Severn (with the crew, not the extra duty squad). After helping Kirk and Herm run the New Jersey embassy for two years, Goul moved in with the "Tiger," "Bo," and Jim saying, "Upper half of the class by '49 or-."
Frank was captain of the swim team.
Loss
Franklin was lost on June 21, 1951 when the PB4-Y2 Privateer bomber he was aboard as navigator crashed approximately 50 miles north of Seattle. Four others aboard were also killed. He was a member of Patrol Squadron (VP) 9.
Other Information
From researcher Kathy Franz: "Frank graduated from Collingswood High School in 1944. Voted: Easiest to look at."
From Camden County War Dead Index:
LIEUTENANT JUNIOR GRADE FRANKLIN PERCIVAL GOULBURN JR. was born in New Jersey to Franklin Percival Goulburn and his wife, the former Katherine R. Tatem on July 9, 1927. A younger brother, William, was born a bit more than two years later. The 1930 Census shows the family in Atlantic City, where the elder Goulburn worked as a district supervisor for the telephone company. Sadly, his father, who had been in ill health, died on June 29, 1933. Kathryn Goulburn returned to the Collingswood, New Jersey area where she had grown up, and began teaching and coaching sports in Merchantville. The 1940 Census shows the family living at 214 Mansion Avenue in Audubon. They later moved to 314 Maple Avenue in Collingswood.
Franklin P. Goulburn graduated from Collingswood High School in 1944. He was an excellent student, graduating as a member of the National Honor Society, and a fine athlete, and was a member of Collingswood's track, football and swim teams. His success in high school was reward with an appointment to the United States Naval Academy. A member of the Academy's Class of 1949, he was a member of the swim team in 1947, 1948, and 1949, and was the team captain in his senior year. At one point during his career at Annapolis, he competed in swimming with his brother William, who was attending Dartmouth University.
Franklin P. Goulborn was commissioned as an Ensign on June 3, 1949. He qualified for flight duty, and was trained as a navigator. Franklin P. Goulborn was later promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade. He also married at some point, most likely after graduating from the Naval Academy. He was assigned to the newly formed Patrol Squadron 9 (VP-9), based at the Sand Point Naval Air Station near Seattle, Washington. On April 29, 1951 the Seattle Daily Times reported that his wife Jean gave birth to a son, Franklin P. Goulburn III at Fort Lawton Hospital.
Patrol Squadron 9 flew the Consolidated PB4-Y2 Privateer bomber. This aircraft was a naval version of the B-24 Liberator bomber, which had played a vital role during World War II as a long range heavy bomber.
Lieutenant Junior Grade Franklin P. Goulburn Jr. was killed on June 21, 1951 along with four other men when his plane crashed in the Skagit Bay tidal flats at the north end of Camano Island, about 50 miles north of Seattle and 11 miles east of Whidbey Island Naval Air Station. He was survived by his wife, son, mother, and brother.
Lieutenant Junior Grade Goulburn was brought home to New Jersey and was buried at Harleigh Cemetery in Camden, New Jersey.
His mother, Katherine Tatem Goulborn was elected to the Collingswood High School Hall of Fame in 1991. She had graduated from Collingswood High School in 1920, recognized for both her excellent scholarship and athletic ability. An outstanding goalie in field hockey, she went to Trenton Normal School, where she received a teaching degree. After working in Merchantville, she took a position with the Collingswood school system in 1945, remaining there until she retired in 1964. Thirteen of these years were as board secretary.
Franklin is buried in New Jersey.
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