USAAF Nose Art Research Project

Kentucky Gal
P-47

358th Fighter Group

"Kentucky Gal" was the mount of Lt Fred E Coy who hailed from Louisville, Kentucky. Coy reportedly flew as many as 130 combat missions while assigned to the 358th Fighter Group based initially at Raydon in England and then Cretteville, Ponterson, Vitry-en-Francois and Toul in France after D-Day. On 22 August 1944 2Lt Coy was credited with the shared destruction of one enemy aircraft but it is not known if he was flying "Kentucky Gal" at the time. He was awarded the DFC as well as the Air Medal with 20 Oak Leaf Clusters. I would be pleased to hear from anyone who can provide details of the victory credit or any further details of Fred Coy's missions.