Jack Goodwin
Bio
Jack Goodwin was born on July 7, 1930 in Waco, Texas. He experienced a difficult life and left home at the age of fourteen. He went on the road with medicine shows and carnivals that were going anywhere that was not home. He eventually enlisted in the United States Army in 1948 and was stationed in Japan which led him to Korea when the war began. He was part of Task Force Smith and arrived on July 1, 1950 only to be among the first captured as prisoners of war just a few days later. He experienced the brutal death march under the North Korean leader known as the Tiger. He survived three years of imprisonment before walking to freedom across Freedom Bridge after the signing of the Armistice. He recalled being overcome with emotions upon seeing the American flag and realizing how many did not make it. He was not officially released to speak of his experiences as a POW until 1993. He never had any regrets despite the hardships he faced and chose to focus on the good life that followed the war.
Video Clips
First Engagement: Task Force Smith
Jack Goodwin recounts his experience in Task Force Smith, the first group to engage with North Korean soldiers during the Korean War. He shares that they were severely outnumbered and ill-equipped with only four hundred or so men against roughly twenty thousand North Korean soldiers, having severely limited ammunition. He recalls remaining U.S. soldiers being forced to leave their position and walk during the night to a village where they were captured the following morning.
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The Death March
Jack Goodwin describes the Death March which took place November 1st-9th, 1950. He shares that 86 men died along the way from either wounds sustained prior to the start of the march or from being shot by the North Koreans who were forcing them to march. He recounts civilians being forced to march with them as well, including nuns, priests, engineers, and politicians.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDnbGU5g85E&start=898&end=1128
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https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/jack-goodwin#clip-2
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The Aftermath of the Death March
Jack Goodwin recalls his experience after surviving the Death March. He describes being housed in a school building as a POW until February 1951. He recounts frigid conditions as temperatures dipped to forty and fifty below zero and shares that roughly two hundred men either froze to death or died of malnutrition during that time frame. He describes there not being much to do during the day other than kill the lice that infested their bodies.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDnbGU5g85E&start=1129&end=1308
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https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/jack-goodwin#clip-3
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Crossing the Bridge of No Return
Jack Goodwin shares memories of crossing the Bridge of No Return in 1953 after having lived as a POW since 1950. He recalls men tossing their clothes off along the road and feeling emotional upon seeing the American flag. He briefly speaks of losing his faith during his time as a POW.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDnbGU5g85E&start=1896&end=2084
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https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/jack-goodwin#clip-4
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