Goff, Horace Porter, -1936

Horace Porter Goff served during World War I in France with the 30th Engineers from 1917 to 1918.

From the description of Diary and Letters, 1917-1919. (Indiana Historical Society Library). WorldCat record id: 19771828

Horace Porter Goff was an Indiana University alumnus who served during World War I in France with the 30th Engineer Regiment (Gas and Flame), later known as the 1st Gas Regiment, from 1917 to 1918.

From the description of Horace Porter Goff papers, 1917-1919 (bulk 1918-1919). (Indiana University). WorldCat record id: 56579768

Horace Porter Goff was born in Middletown, Indiana, to Mr. and Mrs. James E. Goff. Goff attended Indiana University between 1912 and 1918, earning an AB in Chemistry in 1918. During his time at Indiana University Goff was a member of Alpha Chi Sigma, the national chemistry fraternity. In December 1917, during the semester break of his senior year at Indiana University, Goff voluntarily enlisted in the United States Military at the age of twenty-eight.

Goff left for Columbus, Ohio, on 13 December 1917 for his military training. From Columbus, he was moved to Washington DC and Maryland before being sent overseas to France. Goff was assigned to the 30th Engineer Regiment (Gas and Flame) of the Regular Army, later re-designated as the 1st Gas Regiment, which was established as the result of an order of the War Department in 1917 requiring that the Army have a gas and flame service with part of that service functioning as an offensive Gas Regiment. He had hoped that he would be employed as a chemical engineer to produce and analyze gases, but instead served as part of the gas unit on the Western Front.

Goff served in France until 1919, being discharged in February 1919. He died in 1936, possibly as a result of his prolonged exposure to mustard gas.

From the guide to the Horace Porter Goff papers, 1917-1983, bulk 1918-1919, (Indiana University Office of University Archives and Records Management http://www.libraries.iub.edu/archives)