On January 29, 1944, Lawrence Goodman was on a mission to Frankfurt, Germany aboard the “Old Man Boston Marclar” (a B-24J Liberator #42-100005). About one mile south of Tibenham, Goodman’s plane collided with another B-24, killing nearly all of both planes’ passengers. The wreckage from the collision is said to have fallen in England near the village of Gissing, Norfolk.
David W. Brown was able to identify Lawrence’s corpse though it was already in an advanced stage of decomposition. Goodman was wearing his uniform with his stripes and Air Corps insignia on the blouse. He was found with none of his major bones completely intact except for his left ulna and parts of both femurs.
Lawrence’s foster mother (Fannie Schwartz) wanted his remains shipped back to her in Mississippi. Ultimately, Fannie’s request was not fulfilled, and David Goodman, Lawrence’s brother, would decide where his remains would be interred. Lawrence would first be buried in the Cambridge American Cemetery Plot B, Row 4, Grave 10 and then later moved to a different location in the same cemetery (Plot E, Row 5, Grave 76). His headstone would bear the Star of David.
After Lawrence’s death, his brother, David Goodman, received his belongings (mailed on August 10, 1944) which included: socks, shoes, a cap, a shave kit, a case containing a coin collection, an address book, trousers, handkerchiefs, towels, photos, a cigarette lighter, a wallet containing no U.S. money, underwear, pajamas, a bracelet, glasses, cards, and a ribbon. In addition to Lawrence’s belongings, David Goodman received what money Lawrence had to his name (only $10.87). David was also mailed a flag on August 24, 1949. While he received Lawrence’s money and belongings soon after his death, David received the flag only after Lawrence’s body had been recovered.