MONG News - Local Soldier Receives USO Honors

1st Lt John Gooch, of Gerald, was honored as one of 11 award recipients at the 2005 United Service Organization (USO) Salute to Heroes Awards Gala held at the Chase Park Plaza in St Louis.

Gooch, platoon leader for 1st Platoon 1221st Transportation Co. located in Dexter, joined the Missouri National Guard in 2000 after serving six years with the United States Navy.[snip]

In December 2003, Gooch and the 835th Corps Support Battalion were deployed to Tikrit, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II. During his tour in Iraq, Gooch volunteered for every combat logistics patrol he could. Some of his accomplishments include: leading a newly deploying unit from Kuwait to their operating base in Iraq, officer in charge of an emergency fuel push in support of combat operations and being detached from the battalion for four months.

Gooch is also the recipient of several military awards including the Purple Heart and the Army commendation medals. He is the son of Paul and Carol Gooch of Owensville and the husband of Angela (Racherbaumer) Gooch of Rosebud.