Complete Training as Army Pilots
Among thousands of new fighter and bomber pilots who received silver wings at graduation exercises last weekend at the 11 advanced pilot schools of the army air forces central flying training command, with headquarters at Randolph field, Texas, were several youths from the Sioux City territory.
The pilots from this area and the fields at which they took their final training included: Paul F. Swenk, Cherokee, Iowa, Frederick field, Oklahoma; Dale L. Samuelson, Wayne, Nebr., Brooks field, Texas; Warren W. Patefield, Laurel, Neb., Ellington field, Texas; Frederick R. Rewinkel, Lyons, Nebr., Moore field, Texas; Robert H. Maneman, Fonda, Iowa, Ellington field; Simon Roetman, Hull, Iowa, Lubbock, Tex.; Paul W. Helmer, Carroll, Iowa, Ellington field; Theodore R. Nelson, Sibley, Iowa, Altus field, Oklahoma; Donald F. McKenna, Storm Lake, Foster field, Texas; Kenneth W. Coates, Storm Lake, Altus field; and Robert H. Johnson, Wall Lake, Iowa, Blackland field, Texas. All were commissioned as second lieutenants with the exception of Kenneth Coates who is a flight officer.
Source: The Sioux City Journal, December 7, 1943
Kenneth William Coates was born Feb. 2, 1917 to John Wesley and Opal Allena Polson Coats. He died Oct. 12, 1945 and is memorialized at the Courts of the Missing, Court 7, Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, Hawaii and has a cenotaph in Buena Vista Memorial Park Cemetery, Storm Lake, IA.
1st Lt. Coates served in World War II with the U.S. Army Air Corps 311th Troop Carrier Squadron as a Flight Officer.
Source: ancestry.com; abmc.gov
