During World War II, sixteen million Americans were in uniform to defend and save our country with 405,000 among them who did not survive the war. Among those 405,000 casualties were the sons of Order of the Arrow co-founders E. Urner Goodman and Carroll Edson. In his 1946 address at the NOAC held at Chanute Field in Illinois, Dr. Goodman mentioned the fact of both his and Carroll Edson’s loss at the end of his address. He said (we) “were called upon to give our most precious possession-our well beloved Sons- in the war for human freedom”.  Dr. Goodman’s son, George, died in combat and is buried in France at the Epinal American Military Cemetery. He was an Army private who was awarded the nation’s second highest medal for valor, the Distinguished Service Cross. It is second only to the Medal of Honor and is presented for extraordinary heroism. There are over 60,000 Americans buried in eleven American military cemeteries in France from WWI and WWII. They, and many thousands more of Americans, died defending France in WWI and liberating it in WWII.

Sources of information: E. Urner Goodman’s 1946 NOAC address and the American Battlefield Monuments Commission.

Written by

David L. Eby

VFW Post 1138 Historian

Council Historian

Miakonda Scouting Museum

Erie Shores Council, BSA