Sons of Men - Evansville's War Record
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Pvt. Russell Goad Co. C, 605th Engineers March 9, 1894 - October 20, 1918

   Much has been said of the valor of those who were decorated
with the Croix de Guerre or Victoria Cross, but there were many
"Heroes in this war that the world will never hear about." The pluck
and daring of many of our boys have never been recorded. Their trials
and suffering were witnessed by their companions, but the world at
large will little realize their experiences.

   Russell Goad was one of the persevering American soldiers who
grappled with plague and death while crossing the ocean, and won.
Like many of the boys on board that ship, he tenaciously held on
to life to stake it on the fields of France for the world's cause.
He lived to see French soil, but relentless fate overpowered him.

   He was born March 9, 1894. He graduated from Delaware School
and attended the Evansville High School for one term in 1909. Then
he began to work as a carriage trimmer at the Hercules Buggy Co.,
there he was employed continuously for seven years. After that time
I~be left for Detroit but remained there only a few days when he left
for Flint Mich., where he became engaged in the automobile industry.
He remained in Flint until he entered service, May 28, 1918. He joined
the 605th Engineers at Camp Taylor, and two weeks later was
transferred to Camp Forrest in Georgia, where he remained until the
first part of September, when he was transferred to Camp Merritt. On
September 28, he sailed on the George Washington with 7,200 other
soldiers.

   A more deadly enemy than the German submarine met these soldiers
while on the Atlantic. For thirteen days the Spanish Influenza
raged on board ship, and took many victims in spite of all the one
hundred and sixty-five Red Cross nurses accompanying the boys, could
do. Russell Goad was among those afflicted with the epidemic. On
October 14, the George Washington landed at Brest, France. Russell
Goad was taken to Base Hospital No. 1. On October 20, 1918, he died
of pneumonia. Me was buried at Brest, with military honors.

  Capt. Robert B. Finley expressed the following words in a letter
he wrote to Russell Goad's family:
   "He was faithful to duty and a willing worker and while our loss
is great, yours of course is much greater."
_____

Sons of Men: Evansville's War Record,
Compiled by Heiman Blatt,
Published by Abe P. Madison, 1920
pp71-71.

cdmyers@wowway.com
October 25, 1998