Years of service 1940–42 Rank Lieutenant (junior grade) Awards Navy Cross | Died December 19, 1942 Name Walter Coolbaugh | |
Born August 1, 1918
Ransom, Pennsylvania ( 1918-08-01 ) Allegiance United States of America Battles/wars World War II
Battle of the Coral Sea Service/branch United States Navy Reserve Battles and wars World War II, Battle of the Coral Sea Similar People Francis C Flaherty, Roger Sonnabend, Arthur Murray Preston, Warren Christopher, John Jordan | ||
Walter Wesley Coolbaugh was born in Ransom, Pennsylvania, on 1 August 1914. He enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve for aviation training on 14 November 1940. Serving in a scouting squadron in the Pacific, he received the Navy Cross for his gallant conduct in the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942. Coolbaugh was promoted to lieutenant (junior grade) on 1 October 1942, and lost his life in an aircraft accident 19 December 1942.
Namesake
In 1943, the destroyer escort USS Coolbaugh (DE-217) was named in his honor.
References
Walter W. Coolbaugh Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA