Jack Wyndham Coy

1923 - 1944

SSgt Jack Wyndham Coy

07/17/1923 - 02/24/1944

Jack Wyndham Coy died February 24, 1944, in Leimbach, Germany, serving in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II. Jack was born July 17, 1923, in Windsor, Canada and adopted by Earl and Elsie Coy in Oregon Township, Ohio, along with his two older sisters, Harriett and Jeannette. Jack graduated from Clay High School in 1941 and joined the United States Army Air Corps in 1942. He was a handsome, bright, and ambitious young man who loved the United States. His dream was to become an Army Air Corps pilot with training in Santa Anna, California. But the Army Air Corps thought he was the perfect stature; (5'6") to be a tail gunner and trained him for B-24 Liberators. He was quite successful and within 18 months, rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant (E6) flying for the 8th Army in Tibenham, England and the 445th Bombardment Group. His squadron commander there was none other than "Major" Jimmy Stewart. His B-24 Liberator crew was assigned low-level daylight bombing missions which were high-accuracy, but high-risk assignments.

The most significant bombing campaign of WWII in Europe was "Operation Argument" which was titled "Big Week." The allies logged 4,000 missions dropping twenty million pounds of bombs on Nazi Germany in a single week. On February 24, 1944, Jack's Liberator successfully dropped six tons of bombs on the Messerschmitt fighter-plane factory in Gotha, Germany. On this day, they were flying at only 14,000 feet, without any fighter escort support. They battled enemy fighters for more than two hours on their way to Gotha and survived heavy 88mm flak. Their precision payload was highly effective at destroying much of the factory and dealing a serious setback to the German Luftwaffe. Minutes into the return home, their B-24 bomber had its #3 engine blown off by enemy fire. The plane lost its wing and went into a steep dive, exploding in mid-air. Only 2 crew members were able to bail-out while Jack Coy and six others crashed, 200 meters north of the Leimbach, Germany train station.

After 80 years, the United States Army completed their follow-up investigation which included: eye-witness reports, official documentation, military interviews, site visits, enemy documents, personal interviews, and forensic analysis. Jack Coy's remains were tracked down behind "The Iron Curtain" and eventually returned to the United States in 2021 from Ardennes American Cemetery in Belgium where he was buried in March 1952. Finally, in 2018, technology and analytics became accessible and thanks to DNA matching from family members Janet (Smith) Davis and Shawnelle Johns, Jack Coy was positively identified to 99.9% accuracy in September 2023. The Army has been unrelenting in its quest to complete this important work and fulfill its commitment to "No one left behind"

Jack was preceded in death by his parents, Earl and Elsie Coy; siblings, Harriett (Byron) Koch and Jeannette (Edward) Smith; niece, Janet Davis; and nephew, Gary Koch. He is survived by nephews and nieces, Patrick Smith, Beverly (Phil) Hahn, Jack (Retta) Koch, and Jennifer Zak; along with numerous extended family members.

The family will receive friends at the Clay High School Gymnasium, 5665 Seaman Road, Oregon, Ohio, Saturday, May 25, 2024, from 1:00 p.m. until time of presentation of military proclamations at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 26, 2024, family, friends, and community may gather at Eggleston Meinert Pavley Funeral Home, Oregon Chapel, 440 S. Coy Road, at 11:00 am and form a procession to Willow Cemetery, 1961 Pickle Road, Oregon, Ohio, where graveside services with full military honors will be conducted at 12:00 noon. The community is encouraged to attend and welcome at both services. Expressions of sympathy may be directed to Wreaths Across America, C/O Doug Sweeney, 8301 Arquette Road, Oregon, Ohio 43616. Eggleston Meinert & Pavley Funeral Home is honored to assist the Coy family with arrangements.

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