World War II Honoree

John Harding Coyne

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Evanston, Illinois

Honored By

Daniel R. & William C. Paschen & Mary P. McGinty

Relationship

Nephews & Niece

ENLISTED OCTOBER 11, 1941. BECAME AN AVIATION CADET APRIL 27, 1942. TRAINED AT NAVAL AIR STATION; CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS. COMMISSIONED AS ENSIGN ON NOVEMBER 1, 1942. ASSIGNED TO NAVAL AIR STATION; MIAMI, FLORIDA. PROMOTED TO LIEUTENANT JUNIOR GRADE ON JANUARY 1, 1944. REASSIGNED TO NAVAL AUXILIARY AIR STATION; GREEN COVE SPRINGS, FLORIDA. TRAINED IN FIGHTER SQUADRON OPERATIONS AT NAVAL AIR STATION; NORFOLK, VIRGINIA. WHILE SERVING AS PILOT OF F6F HELLCATS, FLYING WITH SQUADRON VOF-1 OFF THE ESCORT CARRIER USS TULAGI (CVE-72), WAS KILLED IN ACTION ON AUGUST 21, 1944 ON THE SHIP'S LAST DAY OF ACTION IN OPERATION DRAGOON AND THE INVASION OF SOUTHERN FRANCE. REPORTED AS MISSING ON STRAFING FLIGHT NUMBER 63 AFTER HE FAILED TO RETURN FROM AN ATTACK ON THE ST. NICOLAS BRIDGE AND A TRANSPORT CONVOY NORTHWEST OF NIMES. MANAGED TO BAIL OUT. PARACHUTE WAS SEEN OPENING AT EXTREMELY LOW ALTITUDE, BUT HE DID NOT SURVIVE THE FALL. CRASHED IN THE PANISSIERES WOODS BETWEEN THE COMMUNITIES OF SAINTE-GERVASY AND CABRIERES. AWARDED NAVY AVIATOR BADGE, PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION, COMBAT ACTION RIBBON, AIR MEDAL, PURPLE HEART MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER MEDAL WITH ONE BRONZE STAR (SOUTHERN FRANCE INVASION) AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. BURIED AT THE AMERICAN MILITARY CEMETERY IN EPINAL, FRANCE AND WAS LATER HONORED BY THE TOWN OF CABIERES, FRANCE WITH A MARBLE MARKER IN THE TOWN SQUARE.