In July 1944, Coffman arrived in Britain on the SS Queen Elizabeth, and crossed the English Channel for Normandy on August 30, 1944. He served as a cannoneer and fired upon Isle de Cezembre, Fort Driant, and other Nazi held forts along the Moselle River.
On Oct. 27, 1944, Coffman was wounded when shrapnel hit his ankle while jumping head first into a foxhole. This wound caused him to stay out of combat for the rest of the war and also resulted in Coffman receiving the Purple Heart. He returned to the US in May 1945 and continue to serve his nation until his retirement as a 1st Sergeant in 1969
