Hugh H. Goodwin

Hugh Hilton Goodwin (December 21, 1900 – February 25, 1980) was a decorated officer in the United States Navy with the rank of vice admiral. A veteran of both World Wars, he commanded escort carrier during the Mariana Islands campaign. Goodwin then served consecutively as chief of staff, Carrier Strike Group 6 and as air officer, Philippine Sea Frontier and participated in the Philippines campaign in the later part of the war.

Early life and career

Goodwin was born on December 21, 1900, in Monroe, Louisiana, and attended Monroe High School there (now Neville High School). Following the United States' entry into World War I in April 1917, Goodwin left the school without receiving the diploma in order to see some combat and enlisted the United States Navy on May 7, 1917. He completed basic training and was assigned to the battleship . Goodwin participated in the training of armed guard crews and engine room personnel as the Atlantic Fleet prepared to go to war and in November 1917, he sailed with the rest of Battleship Division 9, bound for Britain to reinforce the Grand Fleet in the North Sea.

Goodwin graduated with Bachelor of Science degree on June 3, 1922, and was commissioned ensign in the United States Navy. He was subsequently assigned to the battleship and took part in the voyage to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, before he was ordered to the Naval Torpedo Station at Newport, Rhode Island, for submarine instruction in June 1923. Goodwin completed the training several weeks later and was attached to the submarine . He then continued his further training aboard submarine and following his promotion to lieutenant (junior grade) on June 3, 1925, he qualified as submariner.

Revolt of the Admirals

In April 1949, the budget's cuts and proposed reorganization of the United States Armed Forces by the Secretary of Defense Louis A. Johnson launched the wave of discontent between senior commanders in the United States Navy. Johnson proposed the merging of the Marine Corps into the Army, and reduce the Navy to a convoy-escort force.

On December 18, 1955, Goodwin's classmate Rear Admiral Albert K. Morehouse, then serving as commander, Naval Air Forces, Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD), died of heart attack and Goodwin was ordered to CONAD headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to assume Morehouse's position. While in this capacity, he was subordinated to Army General Earle E. Partridge and was responsible for the Naval and Marine Forces allocated to the command designated for the defense of the Continental United States.

Retirement

Goodwin retired on June 1, 1957, after 40 years of active service and was advanced to the rank of vice admiral on the retired list for having been specially commended in combat. A week later, he was invited back to his Monroe High School (now Neville High School) and handed a diploma showing that he had been graduated with the class of 1918. He then settled in Monterey, California, where he taught American history at Stevenson school and was a member of the Naval Order of the United States.

Vice admiral Hugh H. Goodwin died at his home on February 25, 1980, aged 79. He was survived by his wife, Eleanor with whom he had two children, a daughter Sidney and a son Hugh Jr., who graduated from the Naval Academy in June 1948, but died one year later, when the Hellcat fighter he was piloting collided with another over the Gulf of Mexico during training.

Decorations

Here is the ribbon bar of Vice admiral Hugh H. Goodwin: