During World War II, Robert Coffey became a U.S. Army Air Forces ACE, credited with shooting down 6 enemy aircraft in aerial combat. After the war he transferred to the new U.S. Air Force, but resigned from active duty in 1948 when he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania. He was killed in the crash of Lockheed F-80A Shooting Star, while on take-off from Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, on April 20, 1949. The U.S. House of Representatives recessed for one day in his honor.



