Wilford D. “Bill” Goff, Retired Army (Sgt E-8) of Virgil, Kansas passed away on October 19, 2013 at the Robert Dole VA Medical Center, Hospice Unit, in Wichita, Kansas, at the age of 86. Bill was born in Walnut, Kansas in 1927 to Sherman and Wilma (Gier) Goff. He was the oldest of seven children and grew up on a farm near Stark, Kansas. He went to country schools and Stark High School. Bill worked for Smith Brother’s Trucking in Stark before he was drafted in the Army in 1945. He went to Camp Roberts, California for basic training. He had a break in service and then re-enlisted going to A co I 9th Inf Fort Lewis, Washington. Bill went to Korea with the 32nd Inf Regt 7th Div. in Dec. of 1950. While in Korea his unit was pushed to the ocean and had to be rescued by ships. When Bill returned home, he met and married Betty (Maclaskey) of Virgil. In 1952 he was 1st Sgt of Co D 86th Inf Regt at Fort Riley.in 1953 Bill and Betty welcomed their daughter Vonna. Then in 1954 he went to Corning Iowa with the 5th US Army Advisories Group to the Iowa National Guard, later in 1957 he and his family went to Fort Kobbe Panama Canal Zone, to A Co 1st Battle Groupd 20th Inf. Bill also taught Jr. ROTC at Balboa High School for two years and attended college classes at Fort Clayton and received one year college credit from Florida State University. As well as teaching classes at the Senior Noncommissioned Officers Academy at Fort Clayton Canal Zone, Bill was also certified in Chemical Biological and Radiological Warfare, Survival Escape and Evasion, Geneva convention orientation, Code of Conduct Course and Military Justice. In 1960 Bill was a ROTC Instructor at Castlemont High School for the Oakland, California United School District; his cadets won the Grand Sweepstakes award in the 43rd and 44th Annual ROTC Spring Convention, where schools from Oakland, Alameda, and San Francisco competed. From June to August every summer while living in California Bill went to Fort Lewis, Washington as a Military Instructor for the 6th Army College ROTC Cadets. In 1966, Bill returned to Korea with Co “C” 3rd Bn 32nd Inf 7th Div.; and in 1966 and 1967 Bill and his family were stationed at Schifield Barracks Hawaii as 1st Sgt to Headquarters Btry 6th Bn 11 Arty; also, in 1968 and 1969 Bill was stationed in Vietnam with the America Div. He then returned home in 1970 and was stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado with the Headquarters 6th Bn 8th Arty. Wilford formally retired from the US Army in April of 1971. Amongst the different Campaigns he served in during the Korea and Vietnam Wars were: CCF Intervention, UN Counter Offensive, CCF Spring Offensive, Summer Fall Offensive, Vietnam Counter Offensive Phase V, UN Counter Offensive VI, and TET 69 Counter Offensive. The award and medals he received were World War II Victory Medal, Korea Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal (2nd award) , Good Conduct (4th award), Combat Infantryman Badge, 1st Oak Leaf Cluster, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Ribbon, Sharpshooter (Rifle-M-16) (Expt), Overseas Bar, Vietnam Campaign Medal w/60 DVC, Bronze Star, Presidential Citation as a member of the 32nd “Queen’s Own” Infantry. The regiment received the award in a ceremony near the front line in Korea for outstanding performance of duty and heroism in action against the armed enemy. Upon retirement from the US Army Bill began working in the oilfield as a pumper for his brother-in-law, Bill Maclaskey, for Kanalta Oil Co. and also as an independent oil producer. He was owner/operator of the Half Step Bar and Deli in Virgil, Kansas from July 1994-May 2013 and he also served as Mayor of Virgil for several years. Wilford D. Goff is survived by his wife Betty of 63 years; daughter Vonna Lee Peerson and husband Doc of Rose Hill, Kansas; sisters Florence Burlakoff of Derby, Kansas, Carol Ludlum and husband Alfred of Rozel, Kansas; brother Jerry Goff and wife Moricana of Kansas City. Also by granddaughter Summer Peerson of Wichita, Kansas; Step-granddaughters Dana Schmitt and husband Steve, Deanna Lane and their children of Towanda, Kansas and many nieces and nephews. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, sister Georgia Romine, two brothers and sister-in-laws, Virgil Goff and wife Gloria, and Lawrence Goff and wife Donna. Graveside Memorial Services for Wilford “Bill” Goff are scheduled for Friday, October 25, 2013 at 11:00AM at The Virgil Cemetery in Virgil, Kansas. Military Honors will be presented. Bill was a member of the Toronto American Legion Post #325; the family suggests memorials to the Legion or the VA Hospice Unit in Wichita, Kansas. The Memorials may be sent in care of Campbell Funeral Home P.O. Box 188 Yates Center, Kansas 66783.
Posted on: Mon, 21 Oct 2013 20:54:20 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015