Lt. Col. Elmer H. Coughran

Elmer proudly served in the US Army Air Corps from 1943-1945 and in the US Air Force from 1952-1970. His decorations and citations are numerous, including Air Medal with 8 Oak Leaf Clusters, a National Defense Medal, and Distinguished Flying Cross. Elmer discovered his passion early in life. He began his career as an Office Manager, then B-29 Engineer and Mechanic Trainer in the US Civil Services with the Army Air Force before joining the US Army Air Corps, graduating at the top of his class in flight school at Mira Lona Academy. In January 1944 he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and immediately deployed to combat as a single engine fighter pilot, flying out of King’s Cliffe, England two days before the invasion of Normandy.

He has said he was too young and having so much fun flying during the war that he didn’t even know fear. He was a real “Top Gun” in his day.

When he visited Europe long after he had retired from the military, he recounted that on one particular tour excursion, the hair on the back of his neck stood up as he was viewing the countryside—he recognized the terrain. Just over a hill they came upon a deep ravine. During WWII he had flown low and deep within the ravine to keep the enemy from spotting his plane. When he came out of the ravine, he jumped a fence (while flying), emerging to strafe a Nazi airdrome. After disabling several planes, he escaped being hit by flying out the same way he had flown in. The other three planes received fire but all returned safely to their home base.

Lt.Col. Coughran continued his career as an instructor of aircraft engineers and mechanics. His team changed the Air Corps concept of aircraft inspection and maintenance. Subsequent assignments included: Flight Commander and Operations- F100 Tactical Fighter Squadron, Japan and Korea; Operations- flying support for air defense training; Chief Strike Plans- Air Operation Center Vietnam, coordinated all air strikes, psychological warfare and liaison flights in South Vietnam; Chief Exercise Analysis and Evaluation – 32nd Air Division, designing and conducting nationwide air defense exercises for entire Southeastern US and in coordinating activities of simulated enemy action in the fields of nuclear warfare, sabotage and biological/chemical warfare; Aerospace Defense command Fighter Commander; Squad Flight Commander for T-33’s.

He is survived by his wife, Gina; his children, Kay, Wayne, and Jackie; grandchildren, Brad, Michelle, Alan, and Kevin; sons-in-law, Dean and Jim; brother-in-law, L.L. Duckett; and great-granddaughter, Zoe.

A visitation will be held from 2:30 pm until 3:30 pm, Wednesday, May 29, 2013 in the Memorial Chapel of Cook-Walden/ Capital Parks Funeral Home in Pflugerville, Texas, with the funeral services to follow at 3:30 pm. Graveside services with full military honors will take place at 10:30 am, Thursday, May 30, 2013 at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio.

Please visit Lt. Colonel Coughran’s memorial page at www.cookwaldencapitalparks.com