Bobby Goodman

{{Short description|American naval fighter pilot}} {{about|the former naval flight officer|the executive dean at Rutgers University|Robert M. Goodman|the UK child psychiatrist|Robert N. Goodman|the professional boxing matchmaker|Bob Goodman}} {{BLP sources|date=January 2018}} {{Use American English|date=February 2026}} {{use dmy dates|date=January 2018}} {{Infobox military person | honorific_prefix = | name = Robert O. Goodman | honorific_suffix = | image = Lt Goodman VA-85 after release at NAS Oceana 1984.JPEG | image_size = | caption = Bobby Goodman shortly after his release, on 4 January 1984 | nickname = ''Bobby'' | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1956|11|30|df=y}}<ref name="gubert">Gubert, Betty Kaplan; Sawyer, Miriam; Fannin, Caroline M. (2002). "Robert O. Goodman Jr.". In ''Distinguished African Americans in Aviation and Space Science'', p 136.</ref> | birth_place = | death_date =  | death_place = | burial_place = | burial_label = | burial_coordinates =  | allegiance = United States of America | branch = United States Navy | service_years = 1978–1995 | rank = Commander | service_number = | unit = VA-85 | commands = | battles = Lebanese Civil War<br/>Gulf War | battles_label = | awards = Prisoner of War Medal | memorials = | spouse =  | relations = | other_work = | signature = | signature_size = | signature_alt = | website =  | module = }} '''Robert O. Goodman''' (born 30 November 1956) is a former United States Navy bombardier–navigator. He was shot down in his A-6 Intruder over Lebanon on 4 December 1983. Captured upon ejection from his stricken plane, he was held captive for 30 days. His release on 3 January 1984 was facilitated by Jesse Jackson.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/04/world/syria-frees-flier-attributing-step-to-jackson-s-trip.html |title = SYRIA FREES FLIER, ATTRIBUTING STEP TO JACKSON'S TRIP |first = Ronald |last = Smothers |date = 4 Jan 1984 |website = New York Times |accessdate = 2022-12-18 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180201135305/https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/04/world/syria-frees-flier-attributing-step-to-jackson-s-trip.html |archive-date = 1 Feb 2018 |url-status = dead }}</ref>

==Early life== Goodman was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico on 30 November 1956. He is a 1978 graduate of the US Naval Academy. His father is a retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.militarynews.com/norfolk-navy-flagship/news/leadership_voice/lt-robert-goodman-the-mission-that-brought-him-home/article_462609df-bf98-5690-90b7-f3702828bf28.html |title=Lt. Robert Goodman: The mission that brought him home|publisher=Military News|work= The Flagship|last=Hutto Sr.|first=MC2(AW) Jonathan W.|date= 4 February 2009|access-date=26 April 2024}}</ref>

==Background== In October 1983, aircraft carrier {{USS|John F. Kennedy|CV-67}} was diverted to Beirut, Lebanon, from her planned Indian Ocean deployment, after the Beirut barracks bombing killed 241 US military personnel of the Multinational Force in Lebanon. The ship spent the rest of that year and early 1984 patrolling the region. On 4 December, in response to two U.S. Navy F-14 Tomcat fighter aircraft having been fired upon the previous day, ten A-6 Intruders of VA-85 ''Black Falcons''<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.ejection-history.org.uk/PROJECT/YEAR_Pages/1983.htm#dec |title = 4th December 1983 |author =  |date = 23 June 2011 |website = The Year 1983 |publisher = Ejection History |accessdate = 2013-09-11 |quote = A-6E TRAM BuNo 152915 coded AC, side number 556 VA-85 "Black Falcons" from USS Kennedy. Near Kfar Salwan, 15 M E of Beirut, Lebanon, shot down by Syrian SAM-7 during bombing Lt. Mark "Doppler" Lange ejected Martin-Baker BN Robert O. "Bobby" Goodman ejected Martin-Baker |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130921120145/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk/PROJECT/YEAR_Pages/1983.htm#dec |archive-date = 21 September 2013 |url-status = dead |df = dmy-all }}</ref> along with A-6 and A-7 Corsair aircraft from USS ''Independence'' (CV-62) took part in a bombing raid over Beirut.{{citation needed|date=January 2018}}

==Capture== While on a bombing mission, the two-man crew from VA-85 was hit by an infrared homing missile (SA-7 or SA-9) into the engine nozzle upon dropping its bomb load, while still in a dive through 1,800 feet (554 m) AGL. The fuselage and a wing were immediately engulfed in flames, and then the right engine erupted.{{citation needed|date=January 2018}}

The pilot, Lieutenant Mark Lange, tried to control the aircraft in order to safely eject the crew. After a rapid, low-level descent, the Intruder was seen to pull up and likely stalled, resulting in a crash on a hill at 1,000 ft MSL, near a village surrounded by Syrian anti-aircraft artillery positions. Lange ejected both himself and Goodman in the final moment, but his parachute failed to properly deploy before he hit the ground. Lange's left leg was severely injured and he died shortly after capture by Syrian troops and Lebanese civilians. Goodman, rendered unconscious, broke three ribs, and injured a shoulder and a knee during the landing, but was otherwise stable. He was captured and awakened by the Syrians and taken to Damascus.{{citation needed|date=January 2018}}

==Captivity== Goodman was held for more than a month, during which the U.S. government made numerous attempts to free him. He had a few visitors, including Ambassador Robert Paganelli who brought him Christmas dinner.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Goodman |first=Bobby |title=Inflection Point, Changing Naval Air Training and Tactics |url=https://www.intruderassociation.org/pdf/Inflection-Point.pdf |access-date=28 June 2023 |website=The Intruder Association}}</ref>

==Release== In December 1983, Jesse Jackson traveled to Syria with a delegation that included; Reverend Wyatt T. Walker, Louis Farrakhan, Jack Mendelson, Thelma C.D. Adair, Reverend M. William Howard Jr., Florence Tate (Press Secretary), Julia Jones (Photographer), Thomas Porter, Jesse Jackson Jr., Jonathan Jackson, and others. The mission's peaceful purpose was accomplished, as they secured the release of Goodman.<ref>Walters, Ronald (2007). ''Freedom Is Not Enough: Black Voters, Black Candidates, and American Presidential Politics (American Political Challenges)''. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, p. 34. [https://books.google.com/books?id=PIXRrdAwz7IC&dq=Robert+Goodman+released+lybia&pg=PA34 Excerpt at Google Books.]</ref><ref name="CNN-10aprl08">{{cite news |last=Martin |first=Roland |authorlink=Roland S. Martin |title=New Details Emerge on Polygamy Raid; McCain Makeover? |work=Election Central |publisher=CNN |date=10 April 2008 |url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0804/10/ec.01.html |quote=the fact that it was Reverend Wright who accompanied Reverend Jackson to get a Navy pilot, Goodman, out of Syria, who also was on that trip with Louis Farrakhan. Reagan praised that mercy mission for getting the pilot back. |accessdate=2008-12-09}}</ref>

==White House reception== On 4 January 1984, U.S. president Ronald Reagan welcomed Lt. Goodman at the White House, hours after he and Rev. Jackson arrived back in the U.S.{{citation needed|date=January 2018}}

Reagan said Lt. Goodman "exemplified qualities of leadership and loyalty" and said Jackson's "mission of mercy" had "earned our gratitude and our admiration." In turn, Jackson praised Reagan for sending a letter to Syrian president Assad calling for cooperation in bringing peace to Lebanon.<ref>Stanley, Alessandra (16 January 1984). [https://web.archive.org/web/20080328044435/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,921482-1,00.html "An Officer and a Gentleman Comes Home"]. ''Time''.</ref>

==Aftermath== Following captivity, release, and return to the United States, Goodman remained in active service.{{citation needed|date=January 2018}}

Goodman was featured in an episode of ''Wings Over the Gulf'' ("In Harm's Way", 1992) in which he discussed his experiences in the Gulf War of 1991 with Iraq, flying the A-6 Intruder.{{citation needed|date=January 2018}}

Goodman retired with the rank of commander in 1995. He subsequently became a business owner in Colorado Springs, Colorado.<ref>{{cite news |last=Roeder |first=Tom |date=16 September 2013 |title=Once a POW in Syria, ex-pilot says situation is a tough call |url=https://gazette.com/news/once-a-pow-in-syria-ex-pilot-says-situation-is-a-tough-call/article_54821047-965f-566a-9ee0-014a4a051740.html |work=Colorado Springs Gazette |access-date=1 January 2022}}</ref>

==See also== {{Portal bar|Biography}}

==References== {{Reflist}} *{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20131007221102/http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_278.shtml Air Combat Information Group (acig.org)]}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20130921120145/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk/PROJECT/YEAR_Pages/1983.htm ejection-history.org.uk] *Road to Damascus: A Journey of Faith, by Wyatt Tee Walker

==External links== *[http://eightiesclub.tripod.com/id407.htm Collection of news articles about Goodman] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608013444/http://eightiesclub.tripod.com/id407.htm |date=8 June 2011 }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Goodman, Bobby}} Category:Living people Category:African-American United States Navy personnel Category:Shot-down aviators Category:United States Naval Academy alumni Category:United States Navy officers Category:United States Naval Flight Officers Category:United States Navy personnel of the Gulf War Category:American prisoners of war Category:Flight navigators Category:People of the Lebanese Civil War Category:1956 births Category:Prisoners of war held by Syria Category:20th-century African-American military personnel Category:21st-century African-American military personnel