Veteran Information
Date of Birth: 7/23/1921
Date of Death: 2/19/1999 Last Residence: 10580 Rye Westchester New York
Address: Home in 1930: Port Chester
Branch of Service: Women's Army Corps-WWII
Service Number: A-206437
Description
Jane Frances Keegan was born on July 23, 1921, in Rockaway Beach, New York, to Sallie Dempsey and Edward Keegan. She graduated from Port Chester schools and attended the College of New Rochelle
Women’s Army Corps (WAC) personnel served crucial administrative, technical, and logistical roles within the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF) in the European Theater of Operations (ETO) during WWII. Working under General Eisenhower, WACs operated at supreme command levels from early 1944 until the war’s end in 1945. They were essential in organizing operations and handling communication.
The Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF) was the joint U.S.-British command, led by General Dwight D. Eisenhower, created in 1943–1944 to plan and execute the Allied invasion of Western Europe during World War II. Headquartered in England and later France, it directed land, air, and sea forces’including Operations Overlord and Neptune’until dissolving in July 1945.
Those 150,000 women who did serve released the equivalent of 7 divisions of men for combat. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower said that “their contributions in efficiency, skill, spirit and determination are immeasurable”.
Jane served in England, France, and Germany with the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Forces and received the following decorations or citations:
European-African Middle Eastern Service Medal
Good Conduct Medal
Meritorious Service Unit Plaque
World War II Victory Medal
After her honorable discharge Jane returned home to Rye. She worked at Playland and the United Nations Headquarters in Lake Success. She married Thomas Patrick Coughlin, the General Superintendent of Playland on October 2, 1948, in Rye, New York. They had two children during their marriage.
After her husbands death in 1965, Jane worked at ITT Continental Baking Co from 1966 until her retirement in 1981.
While her children were of school age she was very active in the Girl Scouts Cub Scouts, Saint Monica’s Mother’s Club and Resurrection Mother’s Guild.
Jane Frances Keegan Coughlin died at United Hospital Port Chester in the early morning on February 19, 1999, in Rye, New York, at the age of 77.
At the time of her death, she was survived by her daughter Marianne Coughlin of Manhattan and son Dr. James Coughlin of Carmel as well as grandchildren Kerry and Brian Coughlin and Kate Davis.
Other survivors include daughter-in-law Dr Mary Quinn son-in-law Dr Robert Davis and cousins Marion and Alice Neal.
Veteran History & Research Links
ALL LINKS
1940 Census
Search Fulton History for"Jane F. Keegan" Rye NY Chronicle
Women's Army Corps-WWII
SF-180 Request Discharge Record for Jane F. Keegan Coughlin
(PLEASE READ THESE IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE SEARCHING FULTON HISTORY FOR NEWPAPER ARTICLES)
Search Newspaper archives for articles on this veteran published from the Port Chester NY"The Daily Item" 1918-1998
Jane Keegan Coughlin died on February 19, 1999.
I would like to submit photos & info. Please let me know how to do so. Thank you!