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Submit- Full
name
COPPESS, Jack Edwin - Date of
birth
20 September 1919 -
Age
25 -
Place of birth
Ironton, Lawrence County, Ohio -
Hometown
Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-675821 -
Rank
First Lieutenant -
Function
Pilot -
Unit
394th Fighter Squadron,
367th Fighter Group
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
4 October 1944 - Place of
death
About 2 km northeast of Rösrath, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| D | 14 | 20 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Perry Coppess (father)
Ella D. (Mundhenk) Coppess (mother)
Helen E. Coppess (sister)
Cleo M. Coppess (sister)
Robert L. Coppess (brother)
Walter H. Coppess (brother)
Jane (Redecker) Coppess (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-67819 -
Data
Type: P-38
Destination: Cologne, Germany
Mission: Dive bombing
MACR: 9822
More information
Jack Coppess graduated from East High School and was employed at the Ohio Fuel Gas Company.He volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States at Fort Hayes, Ohio on 3 April 1942. He was sent overseas in August 1944.
Statement of 2nd Lt William H. Lemley, who flew in the same mission: “I was flying number three position in Yellow Flight on a dive-bombing mission to the area of Cologne, Germany, on 4 October 1944. Lt Coppess was flying Yellow Two position to Lt Tremblay, who was leading the flight. Lt Coppess followed Lt Tremblay down on the bomb run on a bridge. Shortly after the bomb run, Lt Tremblay called on the radio saying ME 109s and FW 190s were in the area and that they needed help. That was the last I saw or heard of him.”
Parts of his remains were initially buried at the site of the crash.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.ancestry.com, www.fold3.com
Photo source: www.ancestry.com, Peter Schouteten