Rower. Sailor. Bomber pilot. Municipal councillor. Born Aug. 2, 1920, in Schenectady, N.Y.; died Aug. 6, 2016, in Toronto of natural causes at the age of 96.
Terry Goodwin was one of roughly 9,000 Americans who flew in the RCAF during the Second World War. He enlisted in January, 1941, in Toronto. He had tried the U.S. Air Force but all the United States wanted was recruits for the army. "U.S. participation in World War II was imminent," he said. "Better to enlist in your choice than be drafted."
Terry earned his wings just days before the attack on Pearl Harbour and was sent to Britain in January, 1942. All in all, he flew 106 missions: 30 in Lancasters, 70 in Mosquitos and six in smaller bombers. As lead aircraft in a Mosquito, he would fly into enemy territory in advance of the Pathfinders and the following main force of Lancasters. He would drop "window," which was tinfoil used to confuse the enemy radar, drop a bomb and head home. In his last trip, he had a rookie navigator who took a shortcut, which, unfortunately, meant they reached their target too far in advance of the main force. Terry's plane drew all of Berlin's search lights for three minutes but thanks to their wits and skill, they made it home with minimal damage to the aircraft. He received a Distinguished Flying Medal and Distinguished Flying Cross during his tours of duty.
He was proud of his service and every Remembrance Day – up until his 95th year – Terry would speak to students at school ceremonies about the Second World War.
Terry was raised just outside of Philadelphia. His father was an electrical engineer and his mother an artist. He had two sisters and a younger brother. Even though he received a scholarship to MIT, his father was a University of Pennsylvania alumnus and wouldn't let Terry attend MIT. He completed three terms at Penn before enlisting. After the war, he tried school again, but preferred to fly working with with American Airlines and then flying cattle to Central and South America with Winged Cargo.
He set up home with his wife, Evelyn Cook of Toronto, in Thornhill, Ont. Ev met Terry while he was hitchhiking on the Queen Elizabeth highway in 1941, and they kept in touch during the war. They married in November, 1948, on what turned out to be Grey Cup day, right around the corner from the game at Varsity Stadium in Toronto. The winning Calgary Stampeders crashed their reception and carried a great Aunt on their shoulders down Avenue Road. After that kickoff, Ev and Terry went on to raise three children in Thornhill: Fred, Meg and Phil.
When the air cargo business to Central America collapsed in the early 1950s, Terry got into trucking, which was then growing leaps and bounds. He became a Canadian citizen in 1960 and then a trustee with the Vaughan School Board.
In 1970, he was elected to Vaughan council and became a big advocate of public transit. Even into his 90s, Terry would write letters and meet with cabinet ministers and senior transit management to promote transit.
Dad once said to me: "Everything I excelled at, I did by the seat of my pants." That may have been true, but he was committed to his family and community, and is sadly missed.
Phil Goodwin is one of Terry's sons.