Army Reserve Private First Class Gregory Ronald Goodrich, 37, Bartonville, Illinois (family ties to Hillsboro, Wisconsin), died on Friday, April 9, 2004, near Baghdad International Airport, Iraq. He was killed when his fuel convoy came under attack by Iraqi insurgents using rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire. Private First Class Goodrich was assigned to the 724th Transportation Company, Army Reserve, based out of Bartonville, Illinois.
The Wisconsin Department of Veteran Affairs notes that Goodrich is the son of Barbara Havlic Goodrich Jones and R. Dale Jones of Hillsboro, Wisconsin. The Web site iraq.pigstye.net using information from the Peoria Journal Star notes that at the time of the attack, two other Reservists were missing and later identified as killed; several other Reservists were wounded, and several private contract drives were also missing and or killed; and, one contractor was known to have been abducted and then escaped 24 days later.
The Web site legacy.com posted an obituary regarding Gregory Goodrich which said he was born in Phoenix, Arizona on November 8, 1966. Gregory grew up in Warner Robins, Georgia, where he graduated from high school in 1985. He received a Bachelor's Degree and Master's Degree from the University of Georgia. He had been in the Army Reserve about two years and had been in Iraq less than two months when he was killed.
An article in the Chicago Tribune mentioned Goodrich was single and had no children; he was remembered as a free spirit with a love of the outdoors, hiking, camping, and an instinct to help others. He played guitar, kept a journal, and visited the Peoria Library weekly. He had spent some time in the former Czechoslovakia as an English instructor. In Peoria, Illinois, he had worked at an auto parts shop for six years.
At the time of his death Private First Class Gregory Goodrich was survived by his father and stepmother, Major Ronald N. Goodrich, USAF, Retired and Teresa Goodrich; his mother and stepfather, Barbara Havlic Goodrich Jones and R. Dale Jones; his sister and her husband, Robin R. and Patrick Kilgannon and their two sons, Ryan and Sean; and, his stepsister and her husband, Michelle and Rick Idone. Goodrich was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart. Army Reserve Private First Class Gregory Goodrich was laid to rest at Greenwood Lutheran Cemetery, Hillsboro, Wisconsin.
Information for this short biography about Army Reserve Private First Class Gregory Ronald Goodrich was pieced together from the following sources: iraq.pigstye.net, Peoria Journal Star, "Gregrory R. Goodrich," posted April 14, 2004; legacy.com, "Gregory R. Godrich"; The Chicago Tribune, "Free spirit felt presence in Iraq was important," April 16, 2004; Wisconsin Department of Veteran Affairs "Fallen Heroes Page"; and, CNN.com "War Casualties Page."
Note: This "Wisconsin Military Casualties Afghanistan Iraq Compilation" Daily Dadio blog Category is under construction. Go to the Cooldadiomedia Web site and the Wisconsin War Casualties Page for a list of names noted by date of death. ( If readers know of other military service persons with Wisconsin connections that are not on the Web site comprehensive list of fatal casualties, or notice errors, please email Bob Keith at keithrg13@cooldadiomedia.com ).
