Gerald L. Coffee

By zthanson, 16 December, 2022
First Name
Gerald
Middle Name
L.
Last Name
Coffee
Birthdate
Hometown
Modesto, California
Rank
Captain
Service Branch
Navy
Date Captured
Date Repatriated
Pre Capture Image
Man in a decorated U.S. Navy suit and cap.
PreCapture Description

Jerry Coffee graduated from the University of California at Los Angeles with a bachelor's degree in Advertising Art, and then enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve on August 14, 1957. He entered Naval Aviation Officer Candidate School on November 23, 1957, and was commissioned an Ensign on March 28, 1958. Lieutenant Coffee was designated a Naval Aviator on August 22, 1959, at NAAS Kingsville, Texas, and then completed F8U (later redesignated F-8) Crusader Replacement Pilot Training with VF-174 at NAS Cecil Field, Florida, in February 1960. His first assignment was as an RF-8 pilot with VFP-62 at NAS Cecil Field from February 1960 to February 1963, and during this time he flew photographic reconnaissance missions during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Lieutenant Coffee next completed RA-5C Vigilante Replacement Air Group training with VAH-3 at NAS Sanford, Florida, and then continued on with VAH-3 (later redesignated RVAH-3) as an instructor pilot from March 1963 to December 1965. His next assignment was as an RA-5C pilot with RVAH-13 flying off the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CVA-63) from December 1965 until he was forced to eject over North Vietnam and was taken as a Prisoner of War on February 3, 1966.

Post Release Image
Man wearing a blazer with sunglasses on his head.
Post Release Description

Commander Coffee was released during Operation Homecoming on February 12, 1973. He was briefly hospitalized to recover from his injuries at NAS Jacksonville, Florida, and then served with the Navy ROTC unit at the University of California at Berkeley from July 1973 to June 1975. Commander Coffee completed A-4 Skyhawk upgrade training with VA-127 at NAS Lemoore, California, and then served as Commanding Officer of VC-1 in Hawaii from July 1975 to July 1977. After attending National War College at Fort McNair in Washington, D.C., Captain Coffee served on the staff of the Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet (CINCPACFLT), at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, from July 1978 until his retirement from the Navy on August 1, 1985. During this last assignment, Captain Coffee was Public Affairs Officer for CINCPACFLT, where he served as a Public Speaker at the personal direction of the Chief of Naval Operations. In January 2001, Jerry was named one of the top 10 motivational speakers in the United States.

Passed away before release
Post Release