During World War II, Goode served in the United States Marine Corps as a combat infantry platoon leader and executive officer in the South Pacific battles of Cape Gloucester, New Britain, Peleliu, and Okinawa. In the two latter battles, he was wounded. He was honorably discharged in 1945 at the rank of captain. At Peleliu, as a second lieutenant, he received the Silver Star for courageous actions on September 27, 1944. When his platoon encountered the Japanese on a hill, Goode brought forward a machine-gun section. He pushed through hostile machine-gun and rifle fire which had already caused the death of one of his men and the wounding of two others. Twenty enemy soldiers were killed. Later in the day, Goode again braved hostile fire but managed to return to his support squad. His calm under hostile action and leadership in battle were determined to have saved the lives of many of his men. His superiors concluded that Goode's "gallant devotion to duty reflects great credit on [him] and the United States Naval Service." Goode received the Bronze Star and a Presidential Unit Citation.