November 2014

A STORY OFA PATRIOT AND A HERO By Gil Goldstein, October 21, 2014

On a beautiful autumn weekend, my wife, Carol and I flew to New Orleans to visit the fabulous National World War II Museum on a very special mission.

I had been in touch with several very interested museums with regard to donating some memorabilia and artifacts that the family has collected regarding my father, Col. Raymond Goldstein, and his history on General Dwight D. Eisenhower’s staff during the Second World War. We thought this nationally recognized and very popular museum would be the best place for this noteworthy collection. But I think I should start at the beginning... Raymond Goldstein, in his early teens, ran away from his home in Philadelphia to join the emerging Army Air Corps. He went on to become “wing man” for Billy Mitchell, demonstrating the importance and capabilities of Army airplanes for the defense of our country. When he left the Air Corps, a highly rated pilot, he went to Temple University. He then married my mother, Jeanne, and built up a thriving industrial real estate business. They had two children, my sister, Joyce and myself. In 1941, after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and the Americans entered the war, Raymond made a call to former Army colleagues in Washington, and asked if he could be of service. They were thrilled to hear from him and asked, “How soon can you get here”- they wanted and needed men of his caliber. At age 38, with a loving family, home and business, he knew this would take him away from all he held dear, to the far reaches of the globe, but also knew he was needed by his country. In 1942, he became Captain Raymond Goldstein, assigned to the intelligence Staff of the U.S. Army Corps. Just before he left for duty, his friends at Green Valley Country Club in Philadelphia gave a farewell dinner and $107,000 in War Bonds were sold in his honor (which today would mean that small group of members raised over $!,600,000 dollars. His tour of duty took him to Egypt, Tripoli, Tunisia, Malta and Sicily. After that tour, mostly everyone went back to the USA. but he was told to report to S.H.A.E.F. (Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Force) in England, under the direct command of General Eisenhower. In this capacity the then Major Goldstein was involved with all aspects of “Overlord,” the eventual allied invasion of Europe. He worked alongside Gen. Eisenhower in the War Rooms and was an integral member of the General’s team. On June 5, 1944, it was his responsibility to check all factors and decide if the invasion should commence. But that day turned out to be too stormy over the English Channel so he decided to delay it. Then on Tuesday, June 6, 1944, he made the decision and signed and issued the “Go Ahead” order to start the invasion of Europe. He closed his business and told my mother to buy a new refrigerator and washing machine, knowing well those items wouldn’t be available for the next few years.

Later, when the press asked what were his thoughts when signing the order, my father replied, “My thoughts amounted to a prayer, This is it, I said to myself, I pray all goes well.”

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