It is with great sadness that I have to report that John T. Gothard passed away early yesterday morning in Albuquerque in New Mexico, USA at the age of 84.
Tom, as he liked to be known, was the man who, with his crew, named the 388th’s B-17 42-97286 “Skipper “an” the Kids” after their chldren back home in the USA.
I never met Tom in person. However, I built up a strong rapport with Tom as he recalled to me over the internet, for the first time in his life, his time with the 388th in 1944. According to Tom, he felt that no one, including his family, would be interested in this period of his life. For such a humble man, he couldn’t have been more wrong, as his family took a GREAT interest in what he had to recall when I “stirred things up” two years ago with my research on “his” aircraft.
Tom undertook 28 of his 30 missions with the 388th on “Skipper “an” the Kids” and very much felt that this was “his” ship. Perhaps most famously, he and his crew and ship survived the infamous Luftwaffe bombing of Poltava, Ukraine during the Mighty Eighth’s first Shuttle mission to the USSR. Tom received the Purple Heart for injuries received during that attack and the 388th received a Distinguished Unit Citation. Significant to me, Tom’s crew accepted on board an official US Army cameraman during this mission. Along with many stills, this man took much movie footage – Tom told me that he had banked on this fellow giving him some copies of these images once they got back to the UK – unfortunately, they were never to meet again. In January of this year my father bought me a video by DD entitled “Bombers over Berlin” which recalled these Shuttle Missions. To my amazement, much of the footage in this propoganda film was taken onboard “Skipper “an” the Kids”!!! I had promised Tom that I would send him a copy and only last week he reiterated his wish to see it. Regretably, I didn’t act on time and he never got to see it.
For everyone out there involved in researching and remembering those who valiantly fought for our freedom, please do it sooner rather than later and don’t have the types of regrets I have now.
With deepest sympathy to Tom’s family and the greatest gratitude to Tom for what he did in ’44 and for being a friend over the past couple of years. Tom is survived by his wife, Helen, with whom he had celebrated his 60th wedding anniversary last year, 5 children, 11 grandchildren 3 great grandchildren.
Rest In Peace, Tom.
Your Friend
Graham Herbertson
P.S. – Could someone tell me how to post photos on this website as I would wish to post some of Tom and his crew in way of remembrence?
By: mike currill - 21st September 2003 at 07:59
Hi guys and/or gals, I have to agree with all that has been said here and feel that we owe it to our children and grandchildren to pass on the truth about those brave young men(boys is all some of them were really) so that future generations are grateful for, and remember the sacrifice they made that we and our offspring could live in peace
By: Dan Johnson - 21st September 2003 at 06:17
No regrets Skipper1944. That you took the time and showed the interest was the important part.
I ran into the same thing researching ‘my’ B24 crew from the 454th BG out of Italy. Of the 5 that survived the crash, of “Terrible Terry” in 45 only 3 were still living when I went hunting for the story.
It took me a couple years to find the third survivor. He couldn’t believe anyone cared. He’d never talked to his family about it and he had three sons. My asking questions opened that door and lead to his writing a 40 page biography of his wartime experiences for his family. I was lucky enough to get a copy. He passed away shortly afterwards.
It always meant a lot to me that I got there in time to get the story going so his kids could know as they should have known what their dad went through.
What ifs, after the fact do no good. You should be proud of the fact that you got there in time to get the story out for his family.
Dan
By: Arabella-Cox - 21st September 2003 at 00:46
Tom at home in Albuquerque, NM, reunited with a cockpit switch retrieved from Skipper an the Kids’ crashsite in 2002. His family mounted this and some of my Skipper artwork for his 60th wedding anniversary last year.
By: Arabella-Cox - 21st September 2003 at 00:39
One of Tom’s proudest possessions – his Lucky ******* certificate
By: Arabella-Cox - 21st September 2003 at 00:37
Tom and his crew flying Skipper an the Kids from Poltava, Ukraine to Foggia, Italy over the Romanian mountains during the raid on Drohobycz, Romania. Skipper is the nearest ship towards the top of this impressive image. Skipper was one of only 6 388th ships which could fly after the Luftwaffe raid that knocked out 72 B-17s – the most succesful Luftwaffe bombing raid of WWII.
By: Arabella-Cox - 21st September 2003 at 00:33
Tom and his crew with Skipper an the Kids at Knettishall in the Summer of ’44. Tom is last guy standing on the right.
By: Arabella-Cox - 20th September 2003 at 23:59
Graham, difficult to know what to say, but I don’t think you have any cause to feel guilty.
Through your actions in the last couple of years, you’ve helped a veteran unload, and his family learn.
And as a by product, we’re learning too.
Surely there can be no finer tribute to a very brave man. May he rest in the peace that he has earned.
By: SOC - 20th September 2003 at 21:44
When you post, at the bottom above the “Submit Reply” button is a button that says “Browse”. Click that and find the pic on your hard drive. It will then be uploaded to the servers and displayed in your message. The only catch is that it can’t be bigger than about 100KB.
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September 20, 2003 at 9:39 pm