John Desmond (Snow) COUGHLAN CGM

COUGHLAN, John Desmond

Service Number: A220788
Enlisted: Not yet discovered
Last Rank: Corporal
Last Unit: No. 9 Squadron (RAAF)
Born: Arncliffe, New South Wales, Australia, 1 February 1943
Home Town: Not yet discovered
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Permanent RAAF
Died: Cancer, South Eastern Private Hosptial, 11 April 2013, aged 70 years
Cemetery: Springvale War Cemetery, Melbourne, Victoria
Memorials: Caloundra A2-1022 Iroquois Helicopter Memorial, Victorian Garden of Remembrance
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Vietnam War Service

25 Apr 1967: Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Corporal, A220788, No. 9 Squadron (RAAF)
25 Apr 1967: Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Corporal

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Biography contributed by Faithe Jones

Corporal John Coughlan became the first RAAF member awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (CGM), the highest flying award for non-commissioned ranks (other than the Victoria Cross), since World War II.

While a crewman with No 9 Squadron in Vietnam, he went to the assistance of personnel from an American gunship helicopter which crashed on this day into dense jungle inside enemy-held territory eight kilometres from the Australian Task Force base at Nui Dat.

Although the downed aircraft was burning fiercely, its ammunition and rockets exploding dangerously, he volunteered to be winched to the rescue of the badly injured crew.  He successfully accomplished this, though frequently forced to take cover from shrapnel.  Three months later he performed a similar feat in aid of another downed US helicopter.

Awarded the CGM in 1968, he was only the tenth member of the RAAF to receive the medal since it was instituted in 1943.

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