“‘I knew one thing — they were gonna deal with me,’ (Jack) Goodwin said. ‘Cause if you’ve got enough nerve to break in somebody’s house and they’re home, they’ve got enough nerve to kill you, see. There’s no if or ands about it.'” That’s what Goodwin, an 87-year-old from Baldwin Hills, California told losangeles.cbslocal.com was going through his mind when he heard a window break at the back of his house Tuesday night. . .

Goodwin grabbed his gun and moved down the hall toward the sound. Which may not have been the best strategy, but Goodwin had thought that out, too.

“I could run, run out the front door probably,” he said. “But you don’t know who’s out there either. You just have to go down with the ship.”

That’s a pretty nautical metaphor for a former WWII Army grunt, but he got the point across. And that’s not all he got.

“When I saw them breaking the glass, I was, man. I got kinda — it was either me or them, then,” Goodwin said.

The former platoon leader fired twice, wounding one of two would-be burglars. The one with at least one new orifice is in critical condition. His buddy is busy trying to avoid capture. And for his accurate and judicious use of a .45, Goodwin has secured today’s DGUTD honors. May he enjoy it for many years to come.