The Story
Cpl Clarence Coates was killed in action on 20 June 1944, serving with Company D, 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment. On this date, the 116th Infantry, as part of the regimental combat team, was reported holding defensive positions along its sector, with the regiment conducting active patrolling to monitor enemy movement and maintain contact with adjacent units. While the surviving records do not detail the specific actions of Regimental Troops that day, this steady defensive posture and patrol activity reflected the broader work being carried out across the regiment in the weeks following the Normandy landings. Cpl Coates was killed in action that day; the report does not specify the individual circumstances.
Source: NARA