SSgt. Anthony Goodwin

Marine is killed in Iraq combat
Staff Sgt. Anthony L. Goodwin, 33, once lived here for years. He led infantry patrols of remote areas.
By Frank Kummer
Inquirer Staff Writer

A second Marine with South Jersey roots has been killed in as many weeks in Iraq.

Staff Sgt. Anthony L. Goodwin, 33, formerly of Mount Holly, died from small-arms fire Monday in combat near Al Qaim, the Department of Defense said yesterday.

Goodwin had been assigned to the Second Marine Division, Second Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Camp Lejeune, N.C., said Second Lt. Barry Edwards, a division spokesman.

Goodwin joined the Marine Corps in September 1989. He was assigned to his current unit in February 2004 and led an infantry unit patrolling the remote cities of western Iraq.

His unit's job was to "disrupt terrorist activities" and "conduct patrols to prevent insurgents from developing strongholds," Edwards said.

Military records show that Goodwin lived for years in Mount Holly. Officials would not release a current address.

A brother lives in Florence Township, a neighbor of the brother's said.

Goodwin received numerous awards, including two combat-action ribbons. He served in Kuwait during Desert Storm, as well as in southwest Asia.

Another local Marine, Lt. Col. Select John Charles Spahr, 42, died May 2 when his single-seat fighter jet went down near Karbala in south-central Iraq. The Cherry Hill native was a graduate of St. Joseph's Preparatory School and the University of Delaware.