World War II Honoree

Robert Ellsworth Coffey

Hometown

Greenview, Illinois

Honored By

A Grateful American

AMERCAN CITIZEN WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE BRITISH COMMONWEALTH AIR TRAINING PLAN, HELD THE RANK OF SQUADRON LEADER AND SERVED AS A PILOT IN THE ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE. ENLISTED ON JUNE 26, 1941 AT WINDSOR, ONTARIO. RECEIVED HIS COMMISSION AS A PILOT OFFICER IN FEBRUARY 1942 AND EARNED HIS PILOT'S FLYING BADGE AT NO. 8 SERVICE FLYING TRAINING SCHOOL, MONCTON, NEW BRUNSWICK ON MARCH 29, 1942. SERVED AS AN INSTRUCTOR AT NO. 1 SERVICE FLYING TRAINING SCHOOL, CAMP BORDEN, ONTARIO AND RECEIVED ADDITIONAL TRAINING WITH NO. 1 OPERATIONAL TRAINING UNIT AT ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE STATION BAGOTVILLE, SAGUENAY, QUEBEC. SERVED IN EUROPE WITH NO. 438 'WILD CAT' SQUADRON, ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE (FIGHTER COMMAND) UNTIL GIVEN COMMAND OF NO. 440 'RED BAT' SQUADRON, ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE (FIGHTER COMMAND) ON MARCH 15, 1945. AWARDED BRITISH DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS AND BAR. KILLED ON ACTIVE SERVICE AT THE AGE OF 30 IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT ON AUGUST 1, 1945. BURIED AT GRASTEN CEMETERY, GRASTEN, SOUTHERN JUTLAND, DENMARK.