A Legacy Preserved: One Man’s Tribute to the Uncle He Never Met

At the National Museum of the Pacific War, remembrance isn’t confined to photographs or plaques—it lives in the stories families carry forward. For Jonathan Goodale, those stories begin with a room in his grandparents’ home in Winchester, Massachusetts, and the uncle he never met.

“My uncle, Richard—everyone called him Dickie—died in the war before I was born,” says Goodale. “But he’s always been present in my life.”

Dickie Goodale was a gunner aboard a B-24 bomber in the Pacific Theater during World War II. He died in 1944 when his plane, nicknamed Uncle Sam, failed to return from a mission near New Guinea. For decades, his family wrestled with the pain of losing him—and the uncertainty that came with a designation of “missing in action.” He was just 22 years old.

As a child, Jonathan remembers visiting his grandparents and exploring Dickie’s room, still lovingly preserved. “There was a camp blanket with his name on it, a deer rifle—he was an outdoorsman—and old photos. That’s how I got to know him,” he says. “Through the things he left behind.”

Years later, those fragments became the foundation of a deeper search. Jonathan began piecing together Dickie’s life through official records, family letters, and historical documents. “I tracked down his service records, found out more about his unit, and even located a photo of the plane he was on,” he says. “He had a radar operator onboard, which meant their mission was classified. That might explain why it was so difficult for my grandparents to get information at the time.”

Today, Jonathan lives in Texas and has found a way to give back—by sharing Dickie’s story through the Society of Sons and Daughters of WWII Veterans at the National Museum of the Pacific War. He’s contributed artifacts—a Purple Heart, photographs with his crew, a picture holding Goodale’s sister before shipping out— and joined the Society to ensure his uncle’s memory and sacrifice won’t be lost to time.

“This program gives meaning to his life, which ended far too early,” he says. “It’s not just about honoring one man. It’s about connecting generations to the legacy of service, duty, and sacrifice.”

Every Memorial Day, Jonathan and his family participate in a remembrance walk through the Carry The Load foundation. “It’s our tradition now—my kids and grandkids come too. We walk for Dickie.”

For Jonathan, joining the Society is about preserving more than history. It’s about family. “Future generations should know what was given up. This wasn’t just another war story. This was our story.”