Jimmie Keeley Coots
Second Lieutenant Jimmie K. Coots was born at Martwick, Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, on 25 October 1916. He enlisted as a Private in Service Battery, 138th Field Artillery at Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky, on 6 January 1938. At the time of enlistment he was living in Louisville. He was inducted into federal service with Headquarters Battery, 138th Field Artillery on 5 January 1941, with the rank of Sergeant.
During his active duty service he is transferred to the U. S. Army Air Corps and received a commission. Coots was assigned to 567th Bomb Squadron, 389th Bomb Group. During a bombing mission over Orleans/Bricy on 10 April 1944, his aircraft “Flak Magnet” was shot down by a German Fighter, Coots and 6 other members of the crew are killed. The aircraft crashed in Normandy at the village of Boissy-Maugis, France.
A memorial headstone for Coots’ and the men of the “Flak Magnet” is located at the Fort McPherson National Cemetery, Maxwell, Nebraska. In August 1965, the citizens of Boissy-Maugis erected a memorial tablet to the crew of the “Flak Magnet.”
Lt. Coots, Killed in France To Be Buried in Nebraska
The Messenger, 1 March 1950.
U. S. Army Air Corps Lt. Jimmy Keeley Coots, who died flying over France on April 10, 1944 was buried yesterday (Wednesday) March 1 at Fort McPherson National Cemetery, Maxwell, Neb.
Lt. Coots is survived by Mrs. C. Carl Coots of Louisville, former resident of Central City, five sisters, Mrs. Jack Long, Long Beach, L. I. N. Y., Mrs. William Venible, Memphis, Tenn., Mrs. Anthony J. Mune, Waco, Texas, Mrs. D. E. Herrich and Mrs. G. C. Hummel, Louisville, grandmother, Mrs. Jean Kelly Simpson, Central City; aunt Mrs. J. H. Harrelson, Central City.
Mrs. Coots attended the funeral.
Lt. Coots is a graduate of Central City High School. An Air Corps navigator, he arrived in England for overseas duty in December 1943. He was officially listed as missing on a mission over France April 10, 1944. Lt. Coots received the Air Medal and two Oak Leaf Clusters for meritorious service.
