Coats' Crew

LT Coats' crew
(submitted by J.C. Coats via Larry Krikorian)

Standing (L to R): Bailey Williams (B), J.C. Coats (P), Kenneth D. McCool (TG), Darius Christie (G), Krikor Krikorian (FE/Top). Front row (L to R): John Scruggs (NG), Earle (BG), Francis McCarthy (CP), Junior King (RO).

June 14, 1944.

SUBJECT:   Air Abortion.

TO:               Commanding Officer, 832nd Bomb Sq (H) AAF Station 174.

               1.   No. 4 engine quit while crossing the French Coast. The only indication was manifold pressure dropping to zero. The oil pressure dropping to 50# per sq. inch at which time the engine was feathered. Approximately 10 minutes later No. 2 oil pressure dropped to zero and the engine could not be feathered. The second engine was lost 21,500 feet.

               2.   Made a short attempted bomb run without a sight, the Bombardier attempted to hit a highway intersection approximately 5 dues easts of Ostend. The bombs (44-100 lb GFs) fell about 500 ft north of highway intersection in patch of woods. The intervolmeter setting was 50 ft. They were dropped from 18,000 ft. Eight bombs in right rear bombay released but hung up in the bombay.

               3.   Crossed enemy coast at Nieuport on heading of 283 degrees and at 17,500 ft. At which time Bombardier attempted to chop the bombs out of Bombay. About 2 minutes off the French Coast the complete electrical system went out, all instruments and radios were out. The Bombardier was unable to get bombs out and 5,000 ft. Pilot ordered bomb pins put back in. All this while No. 1 engine would come down to 15-20# per Sq. inch, then up to 55-60# per Sq. inch.

               4.   Came over English Coast at 2000 ft. for a straight in approach for landing at Manston, made fairly rough landing at which time the remaining 8 bombs fell through bomb doors on runway. Two bombs exploded underneath and slightly behind the tail. No-one was hurt but several holes were put in fuselage, wing and vertical stabilizer. The rest of the mission was uneventful.

Visiting Manston at the time of the above incident was Mr. Malone who interviewed a few members of the crew. Mr. Malone was a nationally recognized human interest reporter with scheduled newscast from the war zone. Following the interviews, Mr. Malone sent telegrams to the wives back home informing them of the times of the scheduled broadcast. Several newspaper articles also appeared chronicling this episode.

LT Coats completed 35 combat missions. His crew completed 33. On July 19, 44 LT Coats flew with another crew on a mission to Saarbröcken. His first flight was a check out flight as copilot on a veteran crew.

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