[2][3][4] Goodson trained initially with the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), at Buffalo, leaving 5 March 1941 as flight sergeant.

He trained with the RCAF on the Harvard II AT-6, with the RAF he first flew Hurricanes then Spitfires and with USAAF a P-47 Thunderbolt and then a P-51 Mustang VF-B.

He was missing in action on 20 June 1944, having been shot down by antiaircraft fire [5] while strafing Neu Brandenburg airdrome.

He talked his way out of summary execution by teaching his interrogator to blow smoke rings and ended up POW in Stalag Luft III until liberation.

He received more than 22 awards from 5 countries, including the British Distinguished Flying Cross, the American Distinguished Flying Cross 9 times, the Air Medal 21 times, the Purple Heart, the Belgian Order of Leopold with Silver palm Leaf and the French Legion of Honour in the grade of Chevalier (Knight).