Billie Goodell

Inspiration to all of us

Billie Goodell was the inspiration to revive The Rampa Foundation as a cultural organization. He flooded us with pictures, stories, informations and gifts so we could know and understand Natal during the war years. Thanks to him we could ask what we did not know and always hear his very kind explanations. He always had time for us.

Goodell belonged to the first squadron to be based in Parnamirim Field, Natal, Brazil, VP-83, a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina-equiped unit which relieved VP-52 (based in the Rampa, in Natal too), equiped with Catalinas PBY-5. The difference between the two is that -5A models were amphibious and -5 models were only seaplanes. At the begining, Parnamirim was a "tent city", for the base was still being built, and became the largest and busiest U.S. base outside the U.S.

Billie Goodell was Machinist´s mate 3rd Class / Flight Engineer and gunner. The first U-boat sunk in the Brazilian Coast, U-164, was spotted by Goodell before everyone in the plane, and because of it his was nicknamed in his unit “EAGLE EYES”. It was January 6, 1943, they were flying off Fortaleza in Catalina 83-P-2 when he saw the characteristic wake of the sub and told Lt (jg) Bill Ford about his sighting. At first the commander had not seen it but after a short while he changed course and caught the sub totally unware of the Catalina. Goodell was awarded with a DFC (Distingued Flying Cross), got a leave at home, Alabama, and was interviewed at his home newspaper.

He has been to most towns from Rio to Belem. They pick up a convoy and stay with it for ten to twelve hours until they were relieved, then they flew to the nearest Brazilian city to refuel and spend the night. Next day they relieved the plane on duty and took over the cover. After convoy got out of range they returned to their home base in Parnamirim, Natal.

In May, 1943 the squadron was sent to the States to train in a new plane, the ex-Army B-24D Liberators, known in the Navy as PB4Y-1, and curiously they became another squadron, VB-107. They returned to Brazil in June and in July they became operational with the most powerful plane. Goodell’s plane was number 11, BuAer 32052  “Gallopin Ghost of the Brazilian Coast” ex-AAF serial 42-40566 PB4Y-1D-70-CO Liberator.
In september they put on a detatchment on Ascension Islands and in one of those trips, in October 15 on an aborted take-off, they crash landed the Ghost, no casualties, but the plane was written off. It was full of fuel and bombs, but no fire or explosions. Small miracle. He was reborn!

Goodell was also the unit’s photographer and used to go to Natal to develop his films at Kodak Store, were he became friend to some Brazilians who invited him to dinner every so and a while.

His unit, VP-83/VB-107 got the Presidential Unit Citation, as the most sinkings unit with 6 U-boats, 1 Italian sub and an armed German Blockade Runner. In that period, they lost 1 Catalina and 4 Liberators.

In November ’44 he was transfered to VPB-109 in Okinawa, flying Privateer, but it was like hell compared to Brazil with all those kamikaze planes crashing on the airstrip and blowing planes up. In January ’45 his former unit left Brazil for England till the war was over.

Our friend Billie Goodell, helped us since 2003 to his death in 2009. We will never forget you. His son Larry continues his work. He introduced us to other good friends. John Harrison, who is writing a book on FAW-16 and Richard Wilson, also with a book on VP-83/VB-107.