World War II Honoree

William H. Coahran, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Tallahassee, Florida

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Technical Sergeant. Inducted into the United States Marine Corps December 2, 1935 at San Francisco, California, with recruit training assigned to the Eighth Recruit Battalion Training Regiment; Marine Corps Base San Diego, California. Upon his graduation from Boot Camp, he was selected for Sea Duty AKA: Soldiers of the Sea also; assigned to a Detachment in San Diego. Following the training, he was transferred to the USS Lexington AKA: Lady Lex, Aircraft Carrier CV-2 for duty, assigned to Marine Bombing Squadron Two. He re-enlisted December 2, 1939 Location: Bremerton, Washington, while on board his warship. The Seagoing airbase and her shipmates participated in the Battle of the Coral Sea against the Imperial Japanese Naval Aviators (Battle Dates: May 4-8, 1942) in the South Pacific Theater of Operations. On the Eighth of May at 11:00 hours, the Carrier sustained two aerial torpedo strikes and three bomb hits from enemy dive bombers. Succeeding the attack, Lady Lex became unseaworthy; she was abandoned and scuttled by the USS Phelps Destroyer (DD-218). Reported missing in action or buried at sea on the day of the attack. His name is permanently inscribed in the tablets of the missing, memorialized at Manila American Cemetery Location: Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Philippine Islands. This American Patriot received the following decorations posthumously: Air Medal and the Purple Heart. The Air Medal awarded for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight, and the Purple Heart for his ultimate sacrifice.