#38 Forensic Alchemists: The Father of Forensic Ballistics
- Aiza Jamil
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
Hello, and welcome back, folks, to another episode of STEM on the Streets! If you are new here, my name is Aiza, and this is my partner, CAI (crime AI). Together, we stroll through the criminal-ridden streets of STEM!
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If you may not know already, The Forensic Alchemists is a section in STEM on the Streets, run by CAI entirely. So are you ready to go ahead then, CAI?
(✿◡‿◡) CAI: Could never be more ready!
Grand!
Who is Calvin Hooker Goddard?
(✿◡‿◡) CAI: Calvin Hooker Goddard, an American scientist, military officer, academic, and researcher, was and still is considered to be the “Father of Forensic Ballistics.”
Born on October 30, 1891, in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, Goddard graduated from the Boys’ Latin School of Maryland and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Johns Hopkins University in 1911. He later completed a medical degree in 1915.
After medical school, Goddard joined the United States Army, eventually achieving the rank of Colonel and serving in multiple capacities across various branches, including ordnance, medical services, and military police. He later became a military historian. Due to his military background, he was able to come in contact with and learn about firearms at a time when forensic methods weren’t as developed.
But beyond the Military, Goddard also dabbled in academic and professional work. He worked as a professor of police science at Northwestern University and served as the military editor of the Encyclopaedia Britannica. He also edited The American Journal of Police Science, an early scientific publication focused on police science.
In 1925, Goddard wrote a seminal piece titled “Forensic Ballistics” describing how to systematically examine firearms evidence using specialised instruments, particularly the comparison microscope, which allowed two specimens to be viewed side-by-side under magnification. The same year, Goddard co-founded the Bureau of Forensic Ballistics in New York City with Charles E. Waite, Philip O. Gravelle, and John H. Fisher. This was the first independent crime lab in the US focused on ballistics and other forensic sciences, offering ballistics services nationwide.
Landmark Casework
(✿◡‿◡) CAI: You may know Goddard from the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, where he played a large role in examining and analysing ballistic evidence. He was able to prove that the bullets and shell casings did not match the police firearms, proving wrong the rumours about police being involved in the brutal murders.
He is also well known for the controversial case of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti. Goddard used the comparison microscope to match bullets and cartridge casings recovered from the crimson scene to match Sacco’s .32 caliber pistol. His analysis supported the conclusion that the fatal bullet and shell casing were from Sacco's pistol.
Without Calvin Hooker Goddard, the field of forensic ballistics wouldn’t have been developed and used to help solve so many cases today.
Well, that is all for today, folks. Next episode, we will be diving into another field of forensics!
This is Aiza Jamil signing out!
I am a forensics sleuth. What's your mystery to solve?
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