Johnnie Gooch

Johnnie Edward Gooch (Nov. 15, 1919 – Aug. 13, 1944) was a soldier killed in France during World War II. Although he is listed on both the VFW Post 5669 Memorial Wall in Oneida and the Scott County Veterans Memorial in Huntsville, he does not appear to have been from Scott County. He did, however, live in neighboring McCreary County.

See Also: Scott Countians killed in war

Biography

Born Nov. 15, 1919, Johnnie E. Gooch was the son of George Matison “Matt” Gooch (1879-1936) and Lusetta “Lula” Strunk (1891-1947). He was from the Strunk community in southern McCreary County, Ky. He had one surviving sibling: Raymond Luther Gooch (1927-2000). He had two sets of twin siblings who died as babies in 1913 and 1916, respectively.

Johnnie married Monnie King (1922-2006), the daughter of Jasper King (1886-1952) and Emma Alice Daugherty (1893-1988) of Strunk, Ky. They had no children together.

World War II

PFC Gooch lived in the Silerville community in McCreary County when he registered for the draft. He enlisted in the U.S. Army on March 3, 1942 at Fort Thomas in Newport, Ky. and was assigned to Co. I, 109th Infantry Regiment. His residence was still listed as McCreary County, Ky. at that time. He fought in the European theater of World War II and died of wounds received in battle on Aug. 13, 1944.

Aftermath

PFC Gooch was buried at Kingtown Cemetery, which is located just across the TN/KY state line in McCreary County, Ky. He received the Purple Heart award and is listed on the VFW Post 5669 Memorial Wall in Oneida, the Scott County Veterans Memorial in Huntsville, and the East Tennessee Veterans Memorial in Knoxville.

The link to Scott County appears to be an application for a military headstone that was made on June 7, 1955. The application was filed by Ivolene King, who lived in Winfield. She was a first cousin by marriage.