World War II Honoree

Daniel Joseph Coyne III

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Chicago, Illinois

Honored By

Meredith, Marcy, Madeline, John, Daniel IV, Laurie

Relationship

Children

FIRST LIEUTENANT. ENROLLED IN THE ARMY AIR FORCE AVIATION CADET PROGRAM ON SEPTEMBER 10, 1942; WAS COMMISSIONED ON JUNE 26, 1943 AND SERVED UNTIL OCTOBER 11, 1945. IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER, SERVED WITH THE 8TH ARMY AIR FORCE AT DEENETHORPE, ENGLAND WITH THE 401ST BOMBER GROUP, 612TH BOMB SQUADRON. CREDITED WITH 32 COMBAT MISSIONS AND 252 COMBAT FLYING HOURS OVER EUROPE AS A CO-PILOT ON B-17 AIRCRAFT WITH W. J. KELLY AND CREW. THE GROUP EMBARKED ON THE QUEEN MARY FROM CAMP SHANKS, NEW YORK, SAILED ON OCTOBER 27, 1943 AND ARRIVED AT GRENOCK, ENGLAND ON NOVEMBER 2, 1943 WHILE THE AIR ECHELON FLEW VIA ICELAND. PRIMARY TARGETS INCLUDED TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES, AIR FIELDS, SUBMARINE FACILITIES, SHIPYARDS, MISSILE SITES, RAILROAD MARSHALLING YARDS AND OIL RESOURCES. TARGETS INCLUDED, AMONG OTHERS, BERLIN, BREMEN, HAMBURG, KIEL, FRANKFURT AND THE BALL BEARING AND AIR CRAFT FACILITIES AT SCHWEINFURT. OVERALL THE 612TH BOMB SQUADRON FLEW 255 MISSIONS WITH 94 AIRCRAFT MISSING IN ACTION. RETURNED TO THE U.S. ABOARD THE USS WEST POINT AND CONTINUED TO SERVE AS A PILOT INSTRUCTOR. SEPARATED AT FORT SHERIDAN, ILLINOIS. AWARDED TWO DISTINGUISHED (PRESIDENTIAL) UNIT CITATIONS FOR BLOWS AGAINST THE GERMAN AIRCRAFT FACILITIES ON JANUARY 11, 1944 AT OSCHERLABEN AND ON FEBRUARY 20, 1944; THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS ON JUNE 10, 1944 FOR EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVEMENT IN AERIAL FLIGHT; FOUR AIR MEDALS FOR EXCEPTIONAL MERITORIOUS ACHIEVEMENT; AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL; EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER MEDAL WITH TWO STARS FOR THE AIR OFFENSIVE AND NORMANDY CAMPAIGNS; WWII VICTORY MEDAL AS WELL AS THE 'RUPTURED DUCK' LAPEL BUTTON FOR HONORABLE SERVICE.