World War II Honoree

John Leslie 'Jackie' Coogan

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Los Angeles, California

Honored By

James O. Travis

Relationship

Veteran & Fan

ENLISTED IN THE U.S. ARMY MARCH 4, 1941. AFTER PEARL HARBOR ATTACK, REQUESTED AND RECEIVED A TRANSFER TO THE U.S.ARMY AIR FORCES AS A GLIDER PILOT BECAUSE OF HIS PREVIOUS CIVILIAN FLYING EXPERIENCE. COMPLETED GLIDER SCHOOL AT LUBBOCK, TEXAS AND TWENTY-NINE PALMS, CALIFORNIA. UPON GRADUATION, PROMOTED TO FLIGHT OFFICER. VOLUNTEERED FOR HAZARDOUS DUTY WITH THE 1ST AIR COMMANDO GROUP BEING FORMED BY COLONEL PHIL COCHRAN IN THE CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER. IN DECEMBER 1943, THE UNIT WAS SENT TO INDIA WHERE BY USING CG-4A GLIDERS, IT AIRLIFTED HIGHLY TRAINED BRITISH TROOPS, 'THE CHINDITS', UNDER BRITISH GENERAL ORDE WINGATE DURING THE NIGHT AERIAL INVASION OF BURMA (MARCH 5, 1944). THE BRITISH FORCES WERE LANDED IN A SMALL JUNGLE CLEARING 100 MILES BEHIND JAPANESE LINES. HONOREE RETURNED TO THE U.S. IN MAY 1944. HONORABLY DISCHARGED DECEMBER 1945.