James A. Goodson

James Alexander Goodson (March 21 1921 – May 1 2014) was a United States Army Air Force fighter ace who was credited with shooting down fifteen aircraft and destroying another fifteen on the ground during World War II. Born in New York City, US, he later moved following the death of his father to Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada, along with his mother who had family in the area. The pair later moved to Toronto, Canada, where his mother operated a rooming house.

Prior to the war, he studied languages at the University of Toronto before hitchhiking and travelling by ship to Europe as a pantry boy so he could see the world. He was in Paris at the time of the German invasion of Poland. Travelling back to England, he booked a ticket on the SS Athenia from Liverpool to Montreal, Canada, which departed on September 2 1939, and was hit by a torpedo from a German submarine the following evening. After being rescued and reaching the United Kingdom, he attempted to join the Royal Air Force, but was told he would have better luck in Canada.

Later reaching Canada on the SS Dutchess of Athol, he attempted to join the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), but due to the length of the waiting list he went back to the University of Toronto before again joining a ship as a pantry boy, later a steward, travelling to South American and the Mediterranean. He joined the RCAF upon his return to Canada, finishing training on December 5 1941.

During the course of his military service, he served for three countries under 416 Squadron RCAF, 43 Squadron and 133 Squadron (Eagle) RAF and 336th Fighter Squadron. He was shot down during an attack on a German airbase on June 20 1944, not long after which he was taken prisoner until the end of the war. He was awarded the Silver Star, nine Distinguished Flying Crosses, the Purple Heart and 21 awards of the Air Medal.

Following the war, he worked for the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company as an executive and later the president of Compagnie Française Goodyear, Hoover and ITT Inc.